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Hebrew verb · H8213

שָׁפֵל

shaphelshaw-fale'

to abase

31 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: shâphêl

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H8213is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 9 of 39
    Old Testament books
  • 28
    spellings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · H8213

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

The King James renders it: abase, bring (cast, put) down, debase, humble (self), be (bring, lay, make, put) low(-er).

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

shaphel is rendered "to abase". It stands 31 times in the Hebrew text, across nine books.

  • Sixteen of the uses stand in Isaiah, more than in any other book.
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.1 Samuel 2:7The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
  • The Greek text spells it twenty-eight different ways.

The first use

The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.

1 Samuel 2:7מַשְׁפִּ֖יל

The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.

Where the word stands

Sixteen of the word's thirty-one uses are in Isaiah.

The other 30 Old Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

How the Greek text is glossed, word by word

  • they will become low3
  • and he has become low2
  • bringing low2
  • he will bring low it2
  • it will become low2
  • you bring low2
  • and bring low him1
  • and he will bring low1
  • and it will become low1
  • and low1
  • and you showed abasement1
  • and you will become low1

and 12 more, 31 uses in all

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

שָׁפַטshaphatto judgeUses202
שָׁפַךְshaphakto pour: pourUses114
שָׁפָןshaphanrock badgerUses34
שָׁפָלshaphallowUses17
שָׁפַתshaphathto setUses5
שָׁפָהshaphahbe bareUses2
שָׁפָתshaphathash heepUses2
שָׁפָהshaphahcheeseUses1
שָׁפַרshapharto polishUses1

The words it stands beside

All 31, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

28 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • וַיִּשְׁפַּל־2
  • מַשְׁפִּ֖יל2
  • תַּשְׁפִּֽיל׃2
  • אַשְׁפִּֽיל׃1
  • בִּשְׁפַ֖ל1
  • הַֽמַּשְׁפִּילִ֥י1
  • הִשְׁפִּ֛יל1
  • הַשְׁפִּֽיל׃1
  • הִ֭שְׁפִּילוּ1
  • הַשְׁפִּ֣ילוּ1
  • הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי׀1
  • וְהִשְׁפִּיל֙1

and 16 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • Hc/Vqw3ms2Hc/Vqw3ms
  • verb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 2nd person masculine singular2HVhi2ms
  • verb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singular2HVhi3ms/Sp3fs
  • verb · causative (hiphil), participle · masculine singular2HVhrmsa
  • verb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine plural2HVqi3mp
  • conjunction (“and”) + adjective · masculine singular1HC/Aamsa
  • Hc/Vhq3ms1Hc/Vhq3ms
  • conjunction (“and”) + verb · causative (hiphil), command · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singular1HC/Vhv2ms/Sp3ms
  • Hc/Vhw2fs1Hc/Vhw2fs
  • Hc/Vqq2fs1Hc/Vqq2fs
  • Hc/Vqq3ms1Hc/Vqq3ms
  • preposition + verb · causative (hiphil), infinitive (“to…”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singular1HR/Vhcc/Sp2ms

1 Samuel

one use
  • The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.

    1 Samuel 2:7

    • מַשְׁפִּ֖ילmashpilverb · causative (hiphil), participle · masculine singulartagged: bringing low

2 Samuel

one use
  • You save an afflicted people, but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

    2 Samuel 22:28

    • תַּשְׁפִּֽיל׃tashpilverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: you bring low

Job

two uses
  • When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.

    Job 22:29

    • הִ֭שְׁפִּילוּhishpiluverb · causative (hiphil), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: people brought low
  • Unleash the fury of your wrath; look on every proud man and bring him low.

    Job 40:11

    • וְהַשְׁפִּילֵֽהוּ׃vehashpilehuconjunction (“and”) + verb · causative (hiphil), command · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: and bring low him

Psalms

four uses
  • For You save an afflicted people, but You humble those with haughty eyes.

    Psalms 18:27

    • תַּשְׁפִּֽיל׃tashpilverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: you bring low
  • but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another.

    Psalms 75:7

    • יַ֝שְׁפִּ֗ילyashpilverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he brings low
  • He humbles Himself to behold the heavens and the earth.

    Psalms 113:6

    • הַֽמַּשְׁפִּילִ֥יhamashpilithe definite article (“the”) + verb · causative (hiphil), participle · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: who is making low
  • The LORD sustains the humble, but casts the wicked to the ground.

    Psalms 147:6

    • מַשְׁפִּ֖ילmashpilverb · causative (hiphil), participle · masculine singulartagged: bringing low

Proverbs

three uses
  • It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.

    Proverbs 16:19

    • שְׁפַל־shefal-verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to be lowly
  • for it is better that he says to you, “Come up here!” than that you should be demoted in the presence of the prince. Even what you have seen with your own eyes,

    Proverbs 25:7

    • מֵֽ֭הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְךָmehashpilekhapreposition + verb · causative (hiphil), infinitive (“to…”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: than to set low you
  • A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

    Proverbs 29:23

    • תַּשְׁפִּילֶ֑נּוּtashpilenuverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it will bring low him

Ecclesiastes

one use
  • when the doors to the street are shut and the sound of the mill fades away, when one rises at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of song grow faint,

    Ecclesiastes 12:4

    • בִּשְׁפַ֖לbishfalpreposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: when becomes low

Isaiah

sixteen uses
  • So mankind is brought low, and man is humbled—do not forgive them!

    Isaiah 2:9

    • וַיִּשְׁפַּל־vaiyishpal-Hc/Vqw3mstagged: and he has become low
  • The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

    Isaiah 2:11

    • שָׁפֵ֔לshafelverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it will become low
  • For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled—

    Isaiah 2:12

    • וְשָׁפֵֽל׃veshafelconjunction (“and”) + adjective · masculine singulartagged: and low
  • So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,

    Isaiah 2:17

    • וְשָׁפֵ֖לveshafelHc/Vqq3mstagged: and it will become low
  • So mankind will be brought low, and each man humbled; the arrogant will lower their eyes.

    Isaiah 5:15

    • וַיִּשְׁפַּל־vaiyishpal-Hc/Vqw3mstagged: and he has become low
    • תִּשְׁפַּֽלְנָה׃tishpalnahverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine pluraltagged: they will become low
  • Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts will lop off the branches with terrifying power. The tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled.

    Isaiah 10:33

    • יִשְׁפָּֽלוּ׃yishpaluverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: they will become low
  • I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.

    Isaiah 13:11

    • אַשְׁפִּֽיל׃ʾashpilverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 1st person common singulartagged: I will bring low
  • He will spread out his hands within it, as a swimmer spreads his arms to swim. His pride will be brought low, despite the skill of his hands.

    Isaiah 25:11

    • וְהִשְׁפִּיל֙vehishpilHc/Vhq3mstagged: and he will bring low
  • The high-walled fortress will be brought down, cast to the ground, into the dust.

    Isaiah 25:12

    • הִשְׁפִּ֛ילhishpilverb · causative (hiphil), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he will bring low
  • For He has humbled those who dwell on high; He lays the lofty city low. He brings it down to the ground; He casts it into the dust.

    Isaiah 26:5

    • יַשְׁפִּילֶ֤נָּהyashpilenahverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: he will bring low it
    • יַשְׁפִּילָהּ֙yashpilahverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: he will bring low it
  • You will be brought low, you will speak from the ground, and out of the dust your words will be muffled. Your voice will be like a spirit from the ground; your speech will whisper out of the dust.

    Isaiah 29:4

    • וְשָׁפַלְתְּ֙veshafaltHc/Vqq2fstagged: and you will become low
  • But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.

    Isaiah 32:19

    • תִּשְׁפַּ֥לtishpalverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: it will become low
  • Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.

    Isaiah 40:4

    • יִשְׁפָּ֑לוּyishpaluverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: they will become low
  • You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself.

    Isaiah 57:9

    • וַתַּשְׁפִּ֖ילִיvatashpiliHc/Vhw2fstagged: and you showed abasement

Jeremiah

one use
  • Say to the king and to the queen mother: “Take a lowly seat, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.”

    Jeremiah 13:18

    • הַשְׁפִּ֣ילוּhashpiluverb · causative (hiphil), command · 2nd person masculine pluraltagged: make low

Ezekiel

two uses
  • Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring the tall tree down and make the low tree tall. I dry up the green tree and make the withered tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it.’”

    Ezekiel 17:24

    • הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי׀hishpaltiverb · causative (hiphil), qatal (perfect) · 1st person common singulartagged: I bring low
  • This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted.

    Ezekiel 21:26

    • הַשְׁפִּֽיל׃hashpilverb · causative (hiphil), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to bring low

The letters

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESH gloss (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →