Word Study for H8214 (שְׁפַל)

shᵉphal /shef-al'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁפֵל

Meaning(to depress or sink (expectation figuratively, to humiliate, intransitive or transitive))

KJV usageabase, humble, put down, subdue.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shᵉphal — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word shᵉphal, represented by H8214, is used to abase, humble, put down, or subdue. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. This term, corresponding to a Hebrew root, describes the act of depressing or sinking, and is used figuratively to convey humiliation, either as an action taken against someone or an internal state of being.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H8214 is consistently linked to themes of power, pride, and authority within the book of Daniel. It describes the ultimate power of the King of heaven, who is able to abase those who walk in pride Daniel 4:37. It is also used to critique King Belshazzar, who did not humble his own heart despite knowing his father's history Daniel 5:22. The word illustrates the scope of a king's authority, who could set up whom he would and put down whom he would Daniel 5:19. Finally, in a prophetic vision, it signifies political and military conquest, where a future king will rise and subdue three other kings Daniel 7:24.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words provide a fuller context for the concept of humbling and exaltation:

H7313 rûwm: This word means to extol or lift up and is used as a direct counterpart to H8214. It appears in passages describing a king's power to "set up" or "put down" Daniel 5:19 and in Nebuchadnezzar's declaration to extol God, who can abase the proud Daniel 4:37.
H1467 gêvâh: Defined as pride, this term is presented as the direct cause for being humbled. God is able to abase H8214 those who walk in pride Daniel 4:37.
H1922 hădar: Meaning to glorify or honour, this word is often used in the context of worship. Nebuchadnezzar learns to honour God after his own humbling Daniel 4:37, while Belshazzar is condemned because he failed to glorify God Daniel 5:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H8214 is centered on the divine-human power dynamic.

Divine Sovereignty: The word underscores God's ultimate authority over all earthly rulers. While a human king might "put down" subjects Daniel 5:19, it is God who ultimately abases proud kings like Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 4:37.
The Mandate of Humility: It establishes a clear moral and spiritual principle. Pride leads to being abased by God, while a failure to humble one's heart brings judgment, as seen in the case of Belshazzar Daniel 5:22.
Prophetic Fulfillment: Its use in prophecy Daniel 7:24 illustrates that the rise and fall of kingdoms, including the act of subduing kings, is part of a divinely overseen plan.

Summary

In summary, H8214 is a potent word that encapsulates the biblical theme of pride and humility. Though appearing only a few times, it is central to the lessons in the book of Daniel, defining the consequences of arrogance and the scope of both human and divine power. It illustrates that whether exercised by a king or by God himself, the power to put down, subdue, or abase is a key element in the administration of justice and the outworking of sovereignty.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Haphel Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
Haphel Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
Haphel Perfect 2nd Singular Masculine 1×
Hiphil Infinitive Construct 1×

Singular: One.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Hiphil: The causative stem — the subject causes the action.
Absolute: The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct: Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

4 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.