שִׁפְלוּת
remissness
Definition
The Hebrew noun שִׁפְלוּת (shiphlûwth) refers to a state of negligence, remissness, or idleness that leads to decay or ruin. It describes a lack of care or diligence in maintaining responsibilities, particularly in the context of household or societal management. In its sole biblical occurrence in Ecclesiastes 10:18, it is the cause of a roof's collapse, illustrating how neglect in practical duties results in physical and metaphorical downfall. The word conveys more than simple laziness; it implies a culpable failure to uphold one's duties, leading to destructive consequences.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Ecclesiastes 10:18: 'Through laziness the rafters sag; because of idle hands the house leaks.' Here, it is used in a wisdom context to warn against the practical and moral dangers of neglect. The term is paired with 'idle hands' (רְפִיָּה, rᵉphîyâh, H7504), emphasizing a pattern of remiss behavior. Its usage is proverbial, applying a concrete image of a decaying house to teach a broader principle about the ruinous effects of negligence in life and leadership.
Etymology
שִׁפְלוּת is a noun derived from the root שָׁפֵל (shāphēl, H8213), which means 'to be low, humble, or brought down.' The noun form carries the sense of a 'low' or 'neglected' state resulting from inaction. Cognates and related words include the adjective שָׁפָל (shāphāl, H8217), meaning 'lowly' or 'humble.' The semantic development moved from the physical or social state of being low to the moral or practical state of letting things fall into a low condition through neglect.
Semantic Range
This word matters theologically as it connects practical wisdom with moral and spiritual responsibility. In the wisdom literature of Ecclesiastes, it warns that negligence is not a neutral personal failing but an active force of decay that opposes God's order. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Ecclesiastes 10:18 by revealing that the 'laziness' condemned is a specific, culpable remissness that undermines stewardship—a concept applicable to managing one's life, resources, and community under God's sovereignty.
In its ancient Near Eastern context, maintaining a house's physical structure was a critical responsibility for security and family welfare. A sagging roof from neglected beams would lead to leaks, damaging the home's interior and potentially making it uninhabitable. This concrete image would immediately resonate with an ancient audience, for whom home maintenance was a direct matter of survival and social standing. The term's force comes from this tangible link between moral failure (remissness) and tangible, destructive consequences.
רְפִיָּה (rᵉphîyâh, H7504) — emphasizes slackness or looseness, often of hands, implying a lack of strength or grip. עַצְלָה (ʿatslâh, H6104) — denotes sloth or sluggishness, a more general term for laziness. פַּרְעֹה (parʿōh) — not a direct synonym; this is the word for Pharaoh. שָׁפֵל (shāphēl, H8213) — the root verb meaning to be low or humbled, focusing on the state rather than the cause.
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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