Bible Word Study
שָׁבִיל
shâbîyl · a track or passage-way (as if flowing along)
שָׁבִיל
a track or passage-way (as if flowing along)
Definition
The Hebrew word שָׁבִיל (shâbîyl) refers to a track, path, or passageway, often with the connotation of a well-worn or established route. It carries the imagery of a channel or course that is followed, as if flowing along a set direction. In its two biblical occurrences, it describes a literal path in Jeremiah 18:15, where the people have forgotten God and 'stumbled from the ancient paths.' In Psalm 77:19, it is used metaphorically for God's invisible 'path' through the mighty waters during the Exodus, emphasizing His sovereign guidance.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, in poetic contexts. In Jeremiah 18:15, it describes the 'ancient paths' of righteousness that God's people have abandoned. In Psalm 77:19, it is used in a theophanic description of God's power, referring to His unseen 'path' through the sea. Both usages imply a designated, known way—one ethical and the other demonstrative of divine power.
Etymology
Derived from the root שׁבל (šbl), which relates to flowing, trailing, or a stream. It is from the same source as H7640 (שֹׁבֶל), meaning a flowing stream or train (of a robe). The meaning developed from the concept of a channel made by flowing water to a more general track or passage that is followed.
Semantic Range
This word enriches the biblical metaphor of life as a journey. The 'path' (שָׁבִיל) represents God's prescribed way of living (Jeremiah 18:15) and His inscrutable, sovereign guidance in history and nature (Psalm 77:19). Understanding it highlights the contrast between human deviation from God's moral way and the certainty of God's own purposeful 'path' through chaos, reinforcing themes of covenant faithfulness and divine sovereignty. In an ancient Near Eastern context, paths and tracks were vital for travel, trade, and safety. An 'ancient path' (Jeremiah 18:15) would be a reliable, tested route. The metaphorical use in Psalm 77:19 draws from the cultural memory of the Exodus, where God's control over the chaotic sea was a supreme demonstration of power and deliverance. אֹרַח (ʾorach, H734) — a more common general term for way, road, or journey. מַסְלוּל (maslûl, H4546) — a highway or raised way. נָתִיב (nāṯîḇ, H5410) — a pathway or trodden track, often used in wisdom literature for a course of life.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]