Lexical Summary
shuach: Ditch, pit, depression
Original Word:שׁוּחַ
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:shuwach
Pronunciation:shoo'-akh
Phonetic Spelling:(shoo'-akh)
KJV: bow down, incline, humble
NASB:bowed down, sinks down, sunk down
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to sink, literally or figuratively
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
bow down, incline, humble
A primitive root; to sink, literally or figuratively -- bow down, incline, humble.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto sink down
NASB Translationbowed down (1), sinks down (1), sunk down (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Buhl distinguishes this as II. (Arabic
(
)
sink down, MI
9, 23 probably
depression, excavation, reservoir, so Ecclus 50:3), and hence
Proverbs 2:18, si vera lectio, and following derivatives, from I.
melt away Arabic
(
)
flow and spread, melt away, Ethiopic
cause to dwindle,
phthisis, Aramaic ,
flow or
melt away, vanish), whence
Lamentations 3:20;
Psalm 44:26; but insufficient evidence for I. in Hebrew); —
sink down,
Perfect3feminine singularPsalm 44:26 ("" );Proverbs 2:18 ("" ; but masculine, read , √ , AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 82, so Toy);Imperfect3feminine singularLamentations 3:20 Qr,
Kt, of depression of mind. —Psalm 49:15 Gr reads for but see . —
Psalm 42; 43see .
Topical Lexicon
Overviewשׁוּחַ (Strong’s 7743) is a vivid Hebrew verb that conveys the act of sinking, bowing low, or being humbled. Across its limited but strategic appearances, it marks a descent—whether physical, emotional, or moral—highlighting humanity’s frailty in contrast to the steadfastness of God.
Canonical Occurrences
•Psalm 44:25 presents the collective lament of Israel: “For our soul has sunk to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.” Here שׁוּחַ pictures utter prostration after devastating defeat, reinforcing reliance on divine covenant mercy.
•Proverbs 2:18 warns of the seductive path of the adulteress: “For her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the spirits of the dead.” שׁוּחַ exposes the inexorable downward spiral of sin that ends in spiritual ruin.
•Lamentations 3:20 records Jeremiah’s personal grief: “Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me.” The inner descent prepares the way for the prophet’s renewed hope in God’s mercies (Lamentations 3:21-23).
Theological Threads
1. National Humiliation and Divine Appeal
Psalm 44 places שׁוּחַ amid covenant lament. The nation’s collapse drives them to appeal to Yahweh’s past acts (Psalm 44:1-8) and to anticipate future deliverance (Psalm 44:26). The verb underscores that genuine hope often begins in acknowledged helplessness.
2. Moral Decline and Ultimate Death
Proverbs 2 contrasts paths of wisdom and folly. שׁוּחַ in verse 18 portrays the downward pull of immorality. The language warns that sin does not merely stumble—it sinks, dragging the sinner toward death and Sheol (cf.Proverbs 5:5; 7:27).
3. Personal Brokenness and Restoration
InLamentations 3, שׁוּחַ describes the soul’s collapse under affliction. Yet this low point becomes the turning hinge to one of Scripture’s greatest affirmations of hope: “Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed” (Lamentations 3:22). Humbling precedes healing.
Historical and Literary Significance
Though rare, שׁוּחַ appears in major genres—poetry, wisdom, and prophetic lament—linking communal, ethical, and individual experience. Its usage contributes to Hebrew parallelism, pairing downward motion with dust, death, or humility, thus amplifying poetic impact.
Ministry Applications
• Pastoral Care: שׁוּחַ validates seasons of profound discouragement. Counselors may guide believers from honest acknowledgment of “sinking” toward the hope anchored in God’s steadfast love (Lamentations 3:21-24).
• Preaching on Repentance:Proverbs 2:18 equips sermons that expose sin’s trajectory before proclaiming redemption in Christ, who “bore our griefs” and was “brought low” on our behalf (Isaiah 53:4;Philippians 2:8).
• Corporate Worship:Psalm 44 models prayer that moves from national shame to petition for rescue, useful in liturgies of confession and lament.
Christological and Eschatological Echoes
The downward arc of שׁוּחַ foreshadows the incarnate Son who “descended” (Ephesians 4:9) into human suffering and death yet rose triumphant. Believers share in this pattern: united to Christ, they may be “struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9), assured that every present humbling will be swallowed up in resurrection glory.
Related Concepts
Humbled (Psalm 35:14;1 Peter 5:6)
Bowed Down (Psalm 57:6)
Sinking in Mire (Psalm 69:2)
Sheol’s Descent (Psalm 55:15)
Conclusion
שׁוּחַ serves as a concise theological signpost: from the depths of humiliation or sin, God invites His people to look up, trust His covenant faithfulness, and anticipate ultimate vindication in the risen Christ.
Forms and Transliterations
וְתָשֹׁ֥וחַ ותשוח שָׁ֣חָה שחה šā·ḥāh šāḥāh Shachah vetaShoach wə·ṯā·šō·w·aḥ wəṯāšōwaḥ
Links
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Englishman's Greek Concordance •
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