שָׁפָה
to abrade, i.e. bare
Definition
The Hebrew verb שָׁפָה (shâphâh) means to abrade, scrape, or make bare by wearing away. In its two biblical occurrences, it describes a physical state of being stripped or laid bare. In Job 33:21, it refers to the wasting away of one's flesh, making the bones 'stick out' due to severe illness. In Isaiah 13:2, it is used metaphorically for raising or lifting a banner on a bare hill, suggesting a place cleared or made prominent.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only twice in the Old Testament, in poetic and prophetic contexts. In Job 33:21, it describes the physical deterioration of a person under divine chastening, where his flesh is consumed so that his bones, once hidden, become visible. In Isaiah 13:2, the prophet commands to 'raise a banner on a bare mountain' (נֵשְׂאוּ־נֵס עַל־הַר שָׁפֶה), using the word in a derived nominal form to depict a high, exposed, or cleared place suitable for a signal. Both uses convey the core idea of something being uncovered or made prominent.
Etymology
A primitive root. The basic meaning relates to scraping or abrading a surface. It is possibly connected by some scholars to an Arabic cognate meaning 'to scrape' or 'to make level.' The meaning developed from the physical act of wearing away to the resultant state of being bare or exposed.
Semantic Range
While not a theologically dense term, its usage contributes to key biblical themes. In Job 33:21, it illustrates the physical consequence of sin and the reality of human frailty under God's discipline, part of Elihu's argument about God's corrective purposes. In Isaiah 13:2, the 'bare hill' sets the stage for a proclamation of God's sovereign judgment against Babylon. Understanding this Hebrew word enriches the imagery of exposure—whether of human weakness before God or of a place made conspicuous for divine action.
In the ancient Near East, a 'bare' or high hill (as in Isaiah 13:2) was a strategic location for raising a military banner or signal, visible from a great distance. This practice was part of wartime communication. The imagery of bones 'sticking out' (Job 33:21) reflects a tangible, visceral understanding of extreme emaciation and suffering.
חָשַׂף (châsaph, H2834) — to strip off, uncover, often used for removing a covering. גָּלָה (gâlâh, H1540) — to uncover, reveal, exile; broader term for exposure or disclosure.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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