Lexical Summary
shaphak: To pour out, to shed, to spill
Original Word:שָׁפַךְ
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:shaphak
Pronunciation:shah-fak
Phonetic Spelling:(shaw-fak')
KJV: cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der, out), slip
NASB:pour, shed, poured, cast, pours, shedding, sheds
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal)
2. (of a solid) to mound up
3. (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc.)
4. (intensively) to sprawl out
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cast up, gush out, pour out, shedder, out, slip
A primitive root; to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. To mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc.); intensively, to sprawl out -- cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der, out), slip.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto pour out, pour
NASB Translationcast (5), cast up a siege (1), dump (1), gushed (1), pour (34), poured (26), pouring (1), pours (5), raise (1), shed (29), shedding (5), sheds (2), slipped (1), throw (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
113 (Late Hebrew
id.; Assyrian
Šapâku,
pour out, especially (Dl
WB Jen
Kosmol. 41) earth, to form mound; Arabic
pour out, compare
melt and pour into mould; Ethiopic
Aramaic ,
(rare) = Biblical Hebrew); —
Perfect3masculine singular1 Kings 2:31 +; 3 feminine singular suffixEzekiel 24:7, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singular2 Kings 19:32 +; 2 masculine singular suffix 3 masculine singularDeuteronomy 12:16 +, etc.;Imperative masculine singularJudges 6:20 +,Psalm 69:25; feminine singularLamentations 2:19, etc.;Infinitive construct1 Kings 18:28 +,Isaiah 59:7 +, etc.;Participle activeGenesis 9:6 +, feminineEzekiel 22:3, etc.;passivePsalm 79:10,Ezekiel 20:33,34; — literal:
pour out, pour waterExodus 4:9 (J; accusative of location).1 Samuel 7:6 (+ , unique, symbol of contrition), (subject )Amos 5:8;Amos 9:6; blood like water (to flow away and be absorbed),Deuteronomy 12:16,24;Deuteronomy 15:23, compareLeviticus 17:13 (H)Ezekiel 24:7; also + locationExodus 29:12;Leviticus 4:7,18,25,30,34; + person reflexive1 Kings 18:28;pour out brothJudges 6:20, libation (, to () false gods)Isaiah 57:6; dustLeviticus 14:41 (P; location); with accusativemound (in siege), =made by pouring (earth, originally from baskets, see especially Assyrianšapâku DlWB 679 b JenKosmol. 41), + of city2 Kings 19:32 =Isaiah 37:33;Jeremiah 6:6;Ezekiel 4:2;Ezekiel 26:8,2 Samuel 20:15; absoluteEzekiel 17:17;Ezekiel 21:27;Daniel 11:15;2 Samuel 20:10 (by a sword-thrust in the belly), compareJob 16:13 (metaphor, subject).
techn., accusativeshed bloodGenesis 37:22 (E)Genesis 9:6 (P)1 Samuel 25:31;Ezekiel 22:4 9t. Ezekiel, + 15 t. (passivePsalm 79:10) +Ezekiel 36:18 (with ),1 Chronicles 22:8 (with ); accusative
1 Kings 2:31;1 Chronicles 28:3;Psalm 79:3 ().
figurative:
subject,pour out anger, etc.:Hosea 5:10;Ezekiel 14:19 8t. Ezekiel;Jeremiah 10:25;Isaiah 42:25;Psalm 79:6 ( and ); accusative omittedJeremiah 6:11; with of locationLamentations 2:4;Ezekiel 20:33,34; accusativeLamentations 4:11; accusative ( person)Ezekiel 21:36 3t.; accusativecontempt, person,Job 12:21 =Psalm 107:40;pour their own wickednessJeremiah 14:16 (i.e. requite it);pour outEzekiel 39:29, compareZechariah 12:10;Joel 3:1;Joel 3:2.
hum. subjectpour out one's heart, etc.,Lamentations 2:19,Psalm 62:9 (i.e. before ),1 Samuel 1:15, (reflexive; see )Psalm 42:5;Psalm 102:1 (title), comparePsalm 142:3; in bad sense,Ezekiel 16:15, compareEzekiel 23:8.
Perfect3masculine singularLamentations 2:11, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularGenesis 9:6 +, etc.;Infinitive constructEzekiel 16:36; —be poured out: of ashes1 Kings 13:3,5, blood ( location)Deuteronomy 12:27;be shed, of bloodGenesis 9:6 (P)Deuteronomy 19:10; in figureLamentations 2:11my liver is poured (compare near the end);Psalm 22:15I am poured out like water (nerveless, helpless); subjectEzekiel 16:36 (see [II. ]; compareEzekiel 16:15 ).
Perfect3masculine singular consecutiveZephaniah 1:17be poured out , of blood;Numbers 35:33 (P)be shed, of blood; 3 feminine singularPsalm 73:2 Kt my stepswere caused to slip (Qr ).
Imperfect3feminine singularJob 30:16my soul pours itself out upon me (see ); 3 feminine pluralLamentations 4:1 figurative of slaughter;Infinitive constructLamentations 2:12, i.e. they expire.
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe verb שָׁפַךְ occurs about one hundred fifteen times in the Old Testament, stretching from Genesis to Malachi. Its contexts range from ritual worship to battlefield carnage, from the silent grief of lament to the jubilant hope of the prophets. Woven through these diverse settings is a unified witness: what is “poured out” belongs to God, falls under His judgment, or is bestowed by His grace. The word therefore stands at the convergence of holiness, justice, mercy, and eschatological promise.
Cultic Pouring at the Altar
Within the sacrificial system, שָׁפַךְ regularly describes blood deliberately released at the base of the altar as an essential part of atonement (Leviticus 4:7; 4:18;Deuteronomy 12:27). The action was never a mere disposal of life-fluid but a liturgical acknowledgment that life comes from God and must return to Him in worshipful obedience. Even when wine or water was poured beside an offering (Exodus 30:9;1 Chronicles 29:21), the vocabulary links every liquid offering to the theology of life surrendered and favor granted. The verb thereby undergirds the enduring principle affirmed later inHebrews 9:22, that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
Sanctity of Human Life
Genesis inaugurates the ethical dimension of the word: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God has God made man” (Genesis 9:6). In Deuteronomy, Israel is warned again and again not to “shed innocent blood” (Deuteronomy 19:10; 21:8–9; 27:25). The prophetic indictment of kings and cities—whether Ahab’s Jezreel (1 Kings 21:19) or Jerusalem herself (Jeremiah 22:17)—turns on the same verb. Because life is sacred, illicit bloodshed pulls the whole land under guilt, demanding either legal reparation (Numbers 35:33) or divine judgment.
Violence, War, and Vengeance
Accounts of military conflict abound: “They struck down the Moabites, so that they fled before them; but they continued to strike them, and the water was filled with blood” (2 Kings 3:22). David laments the needless bloodshed that vengeful men crave (2 Samuel 3:28–29). The chronic violence that characterized the period of the kings is narrated with shaphak to underscore both historical carnage and moral responsibility. Each episode foreshadows the ultimate reckoning announced inRevelation 19:15, where divine vengeance replaces human retaliation.
Divine Judgment Poured Out
The prophets adapt the verb to describe God’s wrath: “I will pour out My indignation upon you; I will blow upon you with the fire of My wrath” (Ezekiel 21:31). Jeremiah declares, “I will pour out on this place, on man and beast, and on the trees of the field, the blazing anger of My wrath” (Jeremiah 7:20).Zephaniah 3:8 climactically connects the verb with the Day of the Lord: “My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them My wrath—all My fierce anger.” By depicting judgment as a liquid released, Scripture keeps before the reader both its inevitability and its thorough reach; what is poured cannot be gathered back.
Lament and Personal Sorrow
The psalmists apply shaphak to their tears and longings: “I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him” (Psalm 142:2). Similarly, Job confesses, “I have poured out my soul within me” (Job 30:16). In these texts, the verb turns inward, giving sufferers permission to empty themselves before the covenant Lord. Their honesty models faithful lament and invites believers today to unburden hearts without fear of divine rejection.
Prophetic Promise of the Spirit
A striking reversal appears inJoel 2:28–29: “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh… Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” That promise, echoed inIsaiah 32:15 andZechariah 12:10, shifts the word from blood and wrath to life-giving renewal. On the day of Pentecost Peter cites Joel to explain the descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:16–18), affirming that the same Lord who judges also restores. The outpouring of the Spirit becomes the positive counterpart to the outpouring of wrath, both executed by the sovereign hand of God.
Water and Other Liquids
Historical narratives preserve more peaceful uses. When Samuel called Israel to repentance, “they drew water and poured it out before the Lord” (1 Samuel 7:6), symbolizing contrition. On another occasion David refused to drink water his men had risked their lives to obtain; instead “he poured it out to the Lord” (2 Samuel 23:16), elevating loyalty and devotion above personal thirst. These moments remind modern readers that seemingly ordinary resources—water, oil, wine—become holy when surrendered back to God.
Typology and Messianic Foreshadowing
Although the verb is Hebrew, its trajectory finds fulfillment in the Gospel. The Servant ofIsaiah 53 “poured out His life unto death” (Isaiah 53:12), language that resonates with the sacrificial atonement of the cross. Jesus echoes the theme at the Last Supper: “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). The deliberate link between Old Testament shedding of blood and the New Covenant sacrifice secures the unity of Scripture’s redemptive plan.
Ministry and Moral Application
1. Reverence for Life: Wherever believers stand against abortion, murder, or oppression, they align with the divine prohibition against shedding innocent blood.
2. Wholehearted Worship: The poured-out offerings compel Christians to present their bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), holding nothing back.
3. Transparent Prayer: The psalmic laments license congregations and individuals to pour out grief and anxiety before the Lord, confident of His care (Philippians 4:6–7).
4. Spirit-Empowered Service: Joel’s promise, realized at Pentecost, assures every generation that effective ministry flows not from human effort but from the Spirit God has poured into receptive hearts.
5. Eschatological Sobriety: Prophetic warnings about divine wrath urge the church to proclaim the gospel now, “snatching others from the fire” (Jude 23), lest they face the irreversible outpouring of judgment.
Conclusion
Across the canon, שָׁפַךְ portrays what humanity does with life’s most precious elements—and what God does with judgment and grace. Every drop of blood, water, or Spirit poured out sends a unified message: the Lord alone controls life and death, curse and blessing. Recognizing that truth fosters humility, fuels worship, and propels mission until the day “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).
Forms and Transliterations
אֶשְׁפֹּ֣ךְ אֶשְׁפּ֖וֹךְ אֶשְׁפּ֤וֹךְ אֶשְׁפּ֥וֹךְ אשפוך אשפך בְּהִשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ בְּשָׁפְכְּךָ֥ בִּשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ בהשתפך בשפך בשפכך הִשָּׁפֵ֤ךְ הַשָּׁפֽוּךְ׃ הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים השפוך׃ השפך השפכים וְאֶשְׁפְּכָ֬ה וְיִשְׁפֹּךְ֙ וְלִשְׁפָּךְ־ וְנִשְׁפַּ֖ךְ וְשִׁפְכ֥וּ וְשָׁפְכ֗וּ וְשָׁפַ֤ךְ וְשָׁפַךְ֙ וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֣י וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֤י וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֥י וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֨י וְשָׁפַכְתִּי֩ וְשָׁפַכְתָּ֖ וְשָׁפַכְתָּ֥ וְשֹׁפְכֹ֖ת וְשֻׁפַּ֤ךְ וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכ֣וּ ׀ וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛ם וַיִּֽשְׁפְּכ֨וּ וַיִּשְׁפְּכ֤וּ וַיִּשְׁפְּכ֥וּ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֨ךְ וַיִּשָּׁפֵ֥ךְ וַתִּשְׁפְּכִ֧י וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ ואשפך ואשפכה וישפך וישפכו וישפכם ולשפך־ ונשפך ושפך ושפכו ושפכת ושפכתי ותשפכי יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ יִשְׁפֹּךְ֙ יִשָּׁפֵ֑ךְ יִשָּׁפֵךְ֙ ישפך לִשְׁפָּךְ־ לִשְׁפֹּ֖ךְ לִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לִשְׁפֹּ֧ךְ לִשְׁפֹּ֨ךְ לִשְׁפּ֔וֹךְ לשפוך לשפך לשפך־ נִשְׁפַּ֤ךְ נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֮ נשפך נשפכתי שְׁפ֑וֹךְ שְׁפָךְ־ שְׁפָכַ֙תְהוּ֙ שְׁפֹ֣ךְ שְׁפֹ֤ךְ שְׁפוּכָ֖ה שְׁפוּכָֽה׃ שִׁפְכִ֤י שִׁפְכֽוּ־ שָׁפְכ֣וּ שָׁפְכ֥וּ שָׁפְכ֬וּ שָׁפַ֔כְתָּ שָׁפַ֖ךְ שָׁפַ֜כְתְּ שָׁפַ֣ךְ שָׁפַ֤ךְ שָׁפַ֤כְתִּי שָׁפַ֥ךְ שָׁפַ֥כְתְּ שָׁפַ֥כְתִּי שָׁפַ֥כְתָּ שָׁפָ֔ךְ שָׁפָֽכְתָּ׃ שֹׁפְכ֣וֹת שֹׁפְכ֥וֹת שֹׁפְכֽוֹ׃ שֹׁפֵ֣ךְ שֹׁפֵךְ֙ שֹׁפֶ֥כֶת שֻׁפַּךְ־ שָֽׁפְכוּ֙ שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ שׁוֹפֵ֣ךְ שופך שפוך שפוכה שפוכה׃ שפך שפך־ שפכו שפכו־ שפכו׃ שפכות שפכי שפכת שפכת׃ שפכתהו שפכתי תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּ תִּשְׁפְּכוּ־ תִּשְׁפֹּ֑כוּ תִּשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֙כְנָה֙ תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ תשפך תשפכו תשפכו־ תשפכנו תשתפך תשתפכנה ’eš·pō·wḵ ’eš·pōḵ ’ešpōḵ ’ešpōwḵ bə·hiš·tap·pêḵ bə·šā·p̄ə·kə·ḵā behishtapPech bəhištappêḵ bəšāp̄əkəḵā beshafekeCha biš·pōḵ bishPoch bišpōḵ eshPoch haš·šā·p̄ūḵ haš·šō·p̄ə·ḵîm hashshaFuch hashshofeChim haššāp̄ūḵ haššōp̄əḵîm hiš·šā·p̄êḵ hishshaFech hiššāp̄êḵ liš·pāḵ- liš·pō·wḵ liš·pōḵ lishpoch lišpāḵ- lišpōḵ lišpōwḵ niš·paḵ niš·paḵ·tî nishPach nishpachTi nišpaḵ nišpaḵtî šā·p̄ā·ḵə·tā šā·p̄aḵ šā·p̄āḵ šā·p̄aḵ·tā šā·p̄aḵ·tî šā·p̄aḵt šā·p̄ə·ḵū šāp̄aḵ šāp̄āḵ šāp̄āḵətā šāp̄aḵt šāp̄aḵtā šāp̄aḵtî šāp̄əḵū šə·p̄ā·ḵaṯ·hū šə·p̄āḵ- šə·p̄ō·wḵ šə·p̄ōḵ šə·p̄ū·ḵāh šəp̄āḵ- šəp̄āḵaṯhū šəp̄ōḵ šəp̄ōwḵ šəp̄ūḵāh shaFach shaFacheta shaFacht shaFachta shaFachti shafeChu shefaChathu sheFoch shefuChah shifChi shifchu shofeCh shoFechet shofeCho shofeChot shuppach shuppeChu šip̄·ḵî šip̄·ḵū- šip̄ḵî šip̄ḵū- šō·p̄e·ḵeṯ šō·p̄ə·ḵō·wṯ šō·p̄ə·ḵōw šō·p̄êḵ šō·w·p̄êḵ šōp̄êḵ šōp̄eḵeṯ šōp̄əḵōw šōp̄əḵōwṯ šōwp̄êḵ šup·paḵ- šup·pə·ḵū šuppaḵ- šuppəḵū tiš·pə·ḵen·nū tiš·pə·ḵū tiš·pə·ḵū- tiš·pō·ḵū tiš·pōḵ tiš·tap·pê·ḵə·nāh tiš·tap·pêḵ tishpeChennu tishpechu tishPoch tishPochu tishtapPech tishtapPechenah tišpəḵennū tišpəḵū tišpəḵū- tišpōḵ tišpōḵū tištappêḵ tištappêḵənāh vaeshPoch vaiyishpeChem vaiyishpeChu vaiyishPoch vaiyishshaFech vattishpeChi veeshpeChah velishpoch venishPach veshafaCh veshafachTa veshafachTi veshafeChu veshifChu veshofeChot veshupPach veyishpoCh wā’ešpōḵ wā·’eš·pōḵ wat·tiš·pə·ḵî wattišpəḵî way·yiš·pə·ḵêm way·yiš·pə·ḵū way·yiš·pōḵ way·yiš·šā·p̄êḵ wayyišpəḵêm wayyišpəḵū wayyišpōḵ wayyiššāp̄êḵ wə’ešpəḵāh wə·’eš·pə·ḵāh wə·liš·pāḵ- wə·niš·paḵ wə·šā·p̄aḵ wə·šā·p̄aḵ·tā wə·šā·p̄aḵ·tî wə·šā·p̄ə·ḵū wə·šip̄·ḵū wə·šō·p̄ə·ḵōṯ wə·šup·paḵ wə·yiš·pōḵ wəlišpāḵ- wənišpaḵ wəšāp̄aḵ wəšāp̄aḵtā wəšāp̄aḵtî wəšāp̄əḵū wəšip̄ḵū wəšōp̄əḵōṯ wəšuppaḵ wəyišpōḵ yiš·pōḵ yiš·šā·p̄êḵ yishpoCh yishshaFech yišpōḵ yiššāp̄êḵ
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