Lexical Summary
shiphah: Maidservant, female servant, handmaid
Original Word:שִׁפְעָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:shiph`ah
Pronunciation:shif-khaw'
Phonetic Spelling:(shif-aw')
KJV: abundance, company, multitude
NASB:abundance, company, multitude
Word Origin:[feminine ofH8228 (שֶׁפַע - abundance)]
1. copiousness
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
abundance, company, multitude
Feminine ofshepha'; copiousness -- abundance, company, multitude.
see HEBREWshepha'
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfem. of
shephaDefinitionabundance, quantity
NASB Translationabundance (2), company (2), multitude (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[], ; — apparently absolute
2 Kings 9:17,
a multitude (of men), (Bur , or as Klo Benz and others; >
B Kit ); construct
2 Kings 9:17Jehu's multitude; construct, of horses
Ezekiel 26:10, camels
Isaiah 60:6; of waters
Job 22:11;
Job 38:34.
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe noun שִׁפְעָה portrays an overwhelming abundance—whether of soldiers, water, animals, or wealth. In every setting it highlights magnitude that either blesses or judges, underscoring the Lord’s sovereign ability to give or to withhold in superlative measure.
Occurrences and Contexts
•2 Kings 9:17 – The watchman in Jezreel sees “a company” of Jehu’s men, a visual sign that the Lord’s prophetic word of judgment against Ahab’s house is now advancing inexorably.
•Job 22:11 – Eliphaz warns Job of “a flood of water” that overtakes the wicked, evoking the catastrophic deluge motif of divine judgment.
•Job 38:34 – The Lord asks Job, “Can you command the clouds so that a flood of water covers you?” drawing attention to human impotence before God’s governance of the natural order.
•Isaiah 60:6 – “The multitude of camels will cover you,” picturing the future wealth of the nations streaming to Zion in messianic fulfillment.
•Ezekiel 26:10 – Nebuchadnezzar’s cavalry approaches Tyre; “His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you,” illustrating unstoppable military power wielded as the rod of God’s discipline.
Semantic Range
שִׁפְעָה spans concrete and figurative senses:
1. Military might (2 Kings 9:17;Ezekiel 26:10).
2. Torrential water or rain (Job 22:11;Job 38:34).
3. Material prosperity (Isaiah 60:6).
The common denominator is sheer quantity that engulfs and transforms its object.
Historical and Cultural Background
Ancient Near Eastern literature often measures greatness by mass—armies, caravans, or floods. Scripture adopts this cultural language yet roots it in covenant theology: abundance is never random but directed by the covenant-keeping God. Jehu’s company fulfills Elijah’s charge; Tyre’s downfall fulfills Ezekiel’s oracle; Zion’s caravan fulfills Isaiah’s vision of Gentile homage. Thus שִׁפְעָה becomes a narrative hinge between prophetic word and historical realization.
Theological Significance
1. Divine Sovereignty: Only the Lord commands “a flood of water” (Job 38:34) and marshals hosts (Ezekiel 26:10).
2. Judgment and Salvation: The same idea of overwhelming plenty can crush the proud (Tyre) or enrich the redeemed (Zion).
3. Eschatological Hope:Isaiah 60 situates שִׁפְעָה within the ultimate ingathering of nations, a preview ofRevelation 21:24 where kings bring their glory into the New Jerusalem.
Practical Ministry Applications
• Encourage believers that God’s provision is not scant but abundant;Isaiah 60:6 invites confidence in missionary fruitfulness and material sufficiency for Gospel advance.
• Warn against complacency: military or economic strength can become an overpowering instrument of judgment when misaligned with God’s purposes (Ezekiel 26:10).
• Foster awe and humility:Job 38:34 reminds the congregation that human agency is limited; prayer aligns us with the One who truly commands the deluge.
Summary
Whether depicting cavalry dust, caravans of camels, or torrents from the heavens, שִׁפְעָה testifies to the God who works in superlatives—granting or withholding abundance according to His redemptive design.
Forms and Transliterations
וְֽשִׁפְעַת־ ושפעת־ מִשִּׁפְעַ֥ת משפעת שִֽׁפְעַ֨ת שִׁפְעַ֖ת שִׁפְעַ֤ת שפעת miš·šip̄·‘aṯ mishshifAt miššip̄‘aṯ shifAt šip̄‘aṯ šip̄·‘aṯ veshifat wə·šip̄·‘aṯ- wəšip̄‘aṯ-
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
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