What does שָׁחַח (šāḥaḥ) mean in the Bible?
שָׁחַח (šāḥaḥ): Movement from upright to lowered posture; physically signals submission, humility, or defeat before God or authority.
Hebrew · H7817
שָׁחַח
To sink or depress (reflexive or causative)
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שָׁחַחH7817
Pronunciationšāḥaḥ
What does שָׁחַח (šāḥaḥ) mean in the Bible?
שָׁחַח (šāḥaḥ): Movement from upright to lowered posture; physically signals submission, humility, or defeat before God or authority.
Full entry for שָׁחַח (H7817) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7817?
The BSB source-word alignment has 21 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include are you downcast (3), will be brought low (2), and beaten down (1), and bow down (1), and brought low (1).
Where does שָׁחַח (šāḥaḥ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Job 9:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Psalms (8), Job (2), Ecclesiastes (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itare you downcast3×Psalms 42:5, Psalms 42:11, Psalms 43:5
will be brought low2×Isaiah 2:17, Isaiah 5:15
and beaten down1×Psalms 10:10
and bow down1×Isaiah 60:14
and brought low1×Psalms 38:6
and humbled1×Psalms 107:39
bow1×Proverbs 14:19
brought low1×Isaiah 2:11
collapsed1×Habakkuk 3:6
cower1×Job 9:13
despairs1×Psalms 42:6
grow faint1×Ecclesiastes 12:4
He has humbled1×Isaiah 26:5
I was bowed down1×Psalms 35:14
is brought low1×Isaiah 2:9
they crouch1×Job 38:40
will be brought down1×Isaiah 25:12
will be muffled1×Isaiah 29:4
Show sample aligned rows
Job 9:13שָׁ֝חֲח֗וּtocowerVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralJob 38:40יָשֹׁ֥חוּtothey crouchVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralPsalms 10:10יָשֹׁ֑חַtoand beaten downVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularPsalms 35:14שַׁחֽוֹתִי׃toI was bowed downVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularPsalms 38:6שַׁחֹ֣תִיtoand brought lowVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularPsalms 42:5תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י׀toare you downcastVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person feminine singularPsalms 42:6תִשְׁתּ֫וֹחָ֥חtodespairsVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singularPsalms 42:11תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י׀toare you downcastVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person feminine singularPsalms 43:5תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י׀toare you downcastVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person feminine singularPsalms 107:39וַיָּשֹׁ֑חוּtoand humbledConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowJob 9:13
Aligned rows21
Books represented6
Job2Psalms8Proverbs1Ecclesiastes1Isaiah8Habakkuk1
Source forms
תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י׀3xtiš·tō·w·ḥă·ḥîPsalms 42:5, Psalms 42:11, Psalms 43:5
וַיִּשַּׁ֥ח2xway·yiš·šaḥIsaiah 2:9, Isaiah 5:15
הֵשַׁ֥ח1xhê·šaḥIsaiah 25:12
הֵשַׁח֙1xhê·šaḥIsaiah 26:5
וְיִשַּׁ֖חוּ1xwə·yiš·ša·ḥūEcclesiastes 12:4
וַיָּשֹׁ֑חוּ1xway·yā·šō·ḥūPsalms 107:39
וְשַׁ֖ח1xwə·šaḥIsaiah 2:11
וְשַׁח֙1xwə·šaḥIsaiah 2:17
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person feminine singular3xPsalms 42:5, Psalms 42:11, Psalms 43:5
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural3xJob 9:13, Proverbs 14:19, Habakkuk 3:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular2xIsaiah 2:9, Isaiah 5:15
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular2xIsaiah 2:11, Isaiah 2:17
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular2xIsaiah 25:12, Isaiah 26:5
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular2xPsalms 35:14, Psalms 38:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xEcclesiastes 12:4
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xPsalms 107:39
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Movement from upright to lowered posture; physically signals submission, humility, or defeat before God or authority.
Strong'sH7817
Lexical occurrences21 versesWord forms4 forms15 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkProverbs 12:25Source Gloss
to sink or depress (reflexive or causative)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Movement from upright to lowered posture; physically signals submission, humility, or defeat before God or authority.
to sink or depress (reflexive or causative) BDB: bow Usage: bend, bow (down), bring (cast) down, couch, humble self, be (bring) low, stoop.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups4Aligned forms15
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense8×
PerfectHab 3:6 · Job 9:13 · Prov 14:19 · Ps 35:14 · Ps 38:75×
ImperfectJob 38:40 · Ps 10:102×
Infinitive constructIsa 60:141×
Hithpolel4×
ImperfectPs 42:6 · Ps 42:12 · Ps 43:5 · Ps 42:74×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action2×
PerfectIsa 25:12 · Isa 26:52×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action1×
ImperfectIsa 29:41×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
anxiety or worry that depresses or weighs down the human heart
Showing 1 selected witness from 21 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁחַח is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.