What does שָׁתָה (šātāh) mean in the Bible?
H8354 is the common Hebrew verb for drinking. Its object may be water, wine, another beverage, or a figurative cup supplied by the passage.
Hebrew · H8354
שָׁתָה
To imbibe (literally or figuratively)
Reading a lexicon entry
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שָׁתָהH8354
Pronunciationšātāh
What does שָׁתָה (šātāh) mean in the Bible?
H8354 is the common Hebrew verb for drinking. Its object may be water, wine, another beverage, or a figurative cup supplied by the passage.
Reader summary
Full entry for שָׁתָה (H8354) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8354?
The BSB source-word alignment has 217 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and drink (35), Drink (28), to drink (26), and drank (18), and drinking (11).
Where does שָׁתָה (šātāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 9:21. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (22), 1 Kings (21), Genesis (17), Isaiah (17).
What This Word Actually Means
H8354 is the common Hebrew verb for drinking. Its object may be water, wine, another beverage, or a figurative cup supplied by the passage. Ruth 2:9 includes permission for Ruth to drink from filled jars as part of Boaz's protection and provision for a vulnerable field worker. Exodus 17:2 records Israel's urgent demand for water in the wilderness and the conflict surrounding a real bodily need.
Genesis 9:21 reports Noah drinking wine, becoming drunk, and lying uncovered in his tent. Proverbs 31:4 warns rulers about wine and strong drink because impaired judgment can threaten justice. The verb does not specify the beverage's moral value or the drinker's condition; object, amount, setting, and consequence do that work. H8354 can support a theology of hydration, hospitality, celebration, restraint, addiction care, and justice without making all alcohol use identical or treating dependence as a simple failure of will.
Teachers should protect access to safe water, preserve voluntary abstinence, refuse pressure to drink, and address harmful use through truth, treatment, boundaries, and compassionate accountability.
Passage contextgrammaticalCanonical parallelPastoral application
How the Bible Uses It
H8354 appears wherever people drink water or wine, receive hospitality, celebrate, fast, endure scarcity, become intoxicated, share covenant meals, or encounter figurative cups of judgment. The action is ordinary; its ethical force comes from substance, purpose, power, and result.
- Ruth.2.9
Let your eyes be on the field they are harvesting, and follow along after these girls. Indeed, I have ordered the young men not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”
Boaz gives Ruth access to water jars filled by his workers and pairs that provision with orders protecting her from harassment, making hydration part of dignified workplace safety.
- Exod.17.2
So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the Lord?”
Israel demands water in a wilderness without drink, revealing a genuine survival need within a conflict that Exodus also interprets as testing the Lord.
- Gen.9.21
But when he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and uncovered himself inside his tent.
Noah drinks wine, becomes intoxicated, and lies uncovered, beginning a painful household episode that reports consequences without making his exposure permission for dishonor or exploitation.
- Prov.31.4
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
The royal instruction warns rulers against wine and craving strong drink because impaired memory and judgment can distort decrees and deny justice to the afflicted.
Book contextPassage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itand drink35×Exodus 32:6, Numbers 23:24, Ruth 2:9, 2 Samuel 11:11
Drink28×Genesis 24:14, Genesis 24:18, Genesis 24:44, Genesis 24:46
to drink26×Genesis 24:19, Genesis 30:38, Exodus 7:18, Exodus 7:24
and drank18×Genesis 24:54, Genesis 25:34, Genesis 26:30, Exodus 24:11
and drinking11×Ruth 3:3, Ruth 3:7, 1 Samuel 1:9, 1 Kings 1:25
or drink8×Deuteronomy 9:18, 1 Kings 13:8, 1 Kings 13:9, 1 Kings 13:16
. . .4×1 Kings 13:22, Jeremiah 25:28, Jeremiah 49:12
drinking4×Genesis 24:22, Judges 19:4, 1 Samuel 30:16, 1 Kings 13:23
to drink it4×2 Samuel 23:16, 2 Samuel 23:17, 1 Chronicles 11:18, 1 Chronicles 11:19
they drink3×Proverbs 31:5, Isaiah 21:5, Amos 2:8
they will drink3×Ezekiel 4:16, Obadiah 1:16, Zechariah 9:15
you drink3×Deuteronomy 2:6, Amos 6:6, Haggai 1:6
may drink2×Numbers 6:20, Ezekiel 44:21
or drinking2×Exodus 34:28, Proverbs 26:6
will drink2×Isaiah 65:13, Obadiah 1:16
you drank2×Deuteronomy 32:14, Obadiah 1:16
[and] drink1×Song Of Solomon 5:1
[and] drink it1×Jeremiah 25:28
[or]1×1 Samuel 30:12
[who] drinks up1×Job 34:7
and drunk1×2 Kings 19:24
and drunk [foreign]1×Isaiah 37:25
and he drank1×Genesis 27:25
and he would drink1×1 Kings 17:6
And they will drink1×Jeremiah 25:16
and you are to drink it1×Ezekiel 4:11
and you will drink1×2 Kings 3:17
are we to drink1×Exodus 15:24
But when he drank1×Genesis 9:21
drank1×Jeremiah 51:7
drink it down1×Psalms 75:8
drinks from1×Genesis 44:5
drinks in1×Job 6:4
drunk1×Jeremiah 35:8
drunk [it]1×Jeremiah 35:14
getting1×1 Kings 20:16
getting drunk1×1 Kings 16:9
had1×1 Samuel 1:15
have drunk1×Isaiah 51:17
he is drinking1×Isaiah 29:8
He will drink1×Psalms 110:7
How can I drink1×1 Chronicles 11:19
I have drunk1×Song Of Solomon 5:1
in drinking1×Isaiah 5:22
Is it not enough for you to drink1×Ezekiel 34:18
is to refresh those1×2 Samuel 16:2
Let him drink1×Proverbs 31:7
let him drink [for himself]1×Job 21:20
more to drink1×Amos 4:1
must drink1×Habakkuk 2:16
must drink it1×Jeremiah 49:12
nor drink1×Judges 13:14
of drunkards1×Psalms 69:12
or drinks1×2 Samuel 19:35
simply for yourselves1×Zechariah 7:6
So I drank1×Genesis 24:46
so that I may drink1×1 Kings 17:10
So they feasted1×Genesis 43:34
that drinks in1×Deuteronomy 11:11
that I may drink1×Genesis 24:14
the well-watered trees1×Ezekiel 31:16
to dine1×Esther 7:1
to those who consume it1×Isaiah 24:9
we drink1×Lamentations 5:4
well-watered1×Ezekiel 31:14
were able to drink1×Numbers 20:11
were drinking1×1 Kings 20:12
When Samson drank1×Judges 15:19
who drinks1×Job 15:16
will drink [it too]1×Jeremiah 25:26
will drink the wine1×Isaiah 62:9
you are to drink1×1 Kings 17:4
you drinkers1×Joel 1:5
You most certainly must drink it1×Jeremiah 25:28
you must drink it too1×Jeremiah 49:12
you who have drained1×Isaiah 51:17
You will drink1×Ezekiel 23:32
You will drink it1×Ezekiel 23:34
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 9:21וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּtoBut when he drankConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 24:14וְאֶשְׁתֶּ֔הtothat I may drinkConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singularGenesis 24:14שְׁתֵ֔הtoDrinkVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularGenesis 24:18שְׁתֵ֣הtoDrinkVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularGenesis 24:19לִשְׁתֹּֽת׃toto drinkPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructGenesis 24:22לִשְׁתּ֔וֹתtodrinkingPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructGenesis 24:44שְׁתֵ֔הtoDrinkVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularGenesis 24:46שְׁתֵ֔הtoDrinkVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularGenesis 24:46וָאֵ֕שְׁתְּtoSo I drankConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularGenesis 24:54וַיִּשְׁתּ֗וּtoand drankConjunctive 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 rowGenesis 9:21
Aligned rows217
Books represented34
Genesis17Exodus12Leviticus2Numbers10Deuteronomy9Judges10Ruth31 Samuel42 Samuel71 Kings212 Kings81 Chronicles5Ezra1Nehemiah2Esther3Job7Psalms5Proverbs8Ecclesiastes5Song Of Solomon2Isaiah17Jeremiah22Lamentations1Ezekiel16Daniel1Joel2Amos6Obadiah3Jonah1Micah1Habakkuk1Zephaniah1Haggai1Zechariah3
Source forms
לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת5xliš·tō·wṯExodus 7:18, Exodus 7:21, Judges 7:6, 2 Samuel 16:2
וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ4xway·yiš·tūJudges 9:27, Judges 19:4, 2 Kings 6:23, 2 Kings 7:8
יִשְׁתּ֖וּ4xyiš·tūDeuteronomy 32:38, Isaiah 65:13, Ezekiel 44:21, Zephaniah 1:13
לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃4xliš·tō·wṯGenesis 30:38, Numbers 20:5, Numbers 33:14, Judges 7:5
וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ3xway·yê·šətGenesis 25:34, Judges 15:19, 1 Kings 19:6
וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃3xway·yiš·tūGenesis 26:30, Judges 19:21, Joel 3:3
וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת3xwə·liš·tō·wṯ2 Samuel 11:11, Job 1:4, Ecclesiastes 8:15
יִשְׁתֶּֽה׃3xyiš·tehNumbers 23:24, 1 Kings 17:6, Job 21:20
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct23xGenesis 24:19, Genesis 24:22, Genesis 30:38, Exodus 7:18
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural15xDeuteronomy 32:38, Psalms 75:8, Proverbs 4:17, Isaiah 24:9
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural12xGenesis 24:54, Genesis 26:30, Genesis 43:34, Exodus 24:11
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular12xGenesis 44:5, Numbers 6:3, Numbers 6:20, Numbers 23:24
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular10xGenesis 9:21, Genesis 25:34, Genesis 27:25, Judges 15:19
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct10xRuth 3:3, 2 Samuel 11:11, 1 Kings 18:42, 2 Kings 18:27
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular10xDeuteronomy 28:39, Deuteronomy 32:14, 1 Kings 13:9, 1 Kings 13:17
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural7xEsther 4:16, Jeremiah 25:28, Jeremiah 35:6, Ezekiel 34:18
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Provide safe water, sober leadership policies, transportation plans, child protection, and confidential referral paths wherever beverages are served.
- Address alcohol harm with medical awareness, community support, clear boundaries, restitution where needed, and no promise of instant recovery.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that H8354 itself condemns or approves every use of wine; the beverage, setting, and consequence control the moral question.
- Do not claim that addiction is cured by shame, stronger willpower, one prayer, or removal from community without sustained care.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To drink; figuratively to absorb or consume—often used of God drinking judgment or wrath against nations.
Strong'sH8354
Lexical occurrences217 versesWord forms2 forms108 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkJeremiah 25:15-29Source Gloss
to imbibe (literally or figuratively)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To drink; figuratively to absorb or consume—often used of God drinking judgment or wrath against nations.
to imbibe (literally or figuratively) BDB: drink Usage: × assuredly, banquet, × certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk (× -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)
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 groups2Aligned forms108
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense107×
ImperfectAmos 2:8 · Deut 32:38 · Ezek 4:16 · Ezek 12:19 · Ezek 25:4 · Ezek 44:21 · Isa 24:9 · Isa 62:8 · Isa 65:13 · Jer 49:12 · Obad 1:16 · Prov 4:17 · Ps 75:9 · Zeph 1:13 · 1Kgs 17:6 · Gen 44:556×
Perfect1Sam 1:15 · Deut 9:9 · Deut 9:18 · Song 5:1 · 1Sam 30:12 · Exod 34:28 · Ezra 10:6 · Isa 44:12 · Deut 29:5 · Obad 1:16 · Isa 51:17 · Jer 35:14 · Jer 51:7 · Lam 5:415×
Participle active1Kgs 16:9 · 1Kgs 20:12 · 1Kgs 20:16 · Ezek 31:14 · Ezek 31:16 · Isa 29:8 · Job 6:4 · Job 15:16 · Joel 1:5 · Prov 26:6 · Ps 69:1311×
Sequential imperfectGen 24:14 · Gen 24:18 · Gen 24:44 · Gen 24:46 · Hab 2:16 · Prov 5:15 · Jer 25:27 · Jer 35:5 · Song 5:19×
JussiveJudg 13:4 · Judg 13:7 · 1Kgs 13:22 · Esth 4:16 · Jonah 3:7 · Judg 13:14 · Lev 10:97×
Infinitive absolute1Sam 1:9 · Hag 1:6 · Isa 21:5 · Jer 25:28 · Jer 49:126×
Infinitive constructJer 35:8 · Jer 35:14 · Prov 31:43×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action1×
ImperfectLev 11:341×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Figurative consumption of God's wrath as divine judgment upon nations
Literal abstinence from drinking wine as covenant obedience and religious practice
Literal consumption of food and drink with moral warning about deceptive hospitality
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 217 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁתָה 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.
For the Preacher and Teacher
H8354 brings theology to thirst. Ruth 2 shows a landowner's responsibility to protect a vulnerable worker and give her access to water already supplied in the field. Hospitality is not merely a warm greeting; it includes bodily safety and permission to receive what is needed. Exodus 17 shows how quickly thirst becomes communal crisis. The people's manner of contending is judged, yet the need for water is not imaginary, and God provides.
Genesis 9 presents drinking in another register. Noah becomes intoxicated and exposed, and the household's response leads into shame and curse. The narrative should never be used to excuse voyeurism, assault, or humiliation because someone is impaired. Proverbs 31 focuses on public power: rulers must not allow strong drink to distort memory and justice for the afflicted.
Together these passages resist one-dimensional teaching. Water is a right-sized gift that communities must make safely available. Wine can belong to meals and celebration elsewhere, while intoxication, coercive drinking, impaired leadership, and addiction can cause grave harm. Pastoral care should welcome abstinence, avoid serving pressure, plan safe transportation, protect children and vulnerable adults, and connect people with qualified treatment.
Accountability remains necessary, but shame alone rarely heals dependence. H8354 directs attention toward what enters the body and what follows in the life of the neighbor.
Anchor passage
Ruth.2.9
Doctrinal connections
- Ruth 2:9 joins drinking water with workplace provision, protection, and a vulnerable worker's dignity.
- Exodus 17:2 holds a genuine need for water beside Israel's contentious testing in the wilderness.
- Genesis 9:21 reports intoxication and exposure within a household story of shame and consequence.
- Proverbs 31:4 links ruler sobriety to memory, judgment, and justice for afflicted people.
- Biblical meals can include joy and thanksgiving while still requiring restraint, consent, and care for conscience.
- Pastoral response to dependence should join truth and accountability with treatment, protection, patience, and hope.
H8354 is a frequent Hebrew verb for drinking. Direct objects identify water, wine, blood in judgment imagery, or another liquid, while idioms about a cup can become figurative. The verb alone does not distinguish moderate use, intoxication, need, or symbolism.
From Old to New Testament
The New Testament continues Scripture's attention to water, table fellowship, wine, drunkenness, conscience, leadership sobriety, and Christ's cup. Those texts distinguish gift, sacrament, excess, and judgment by context; the general act of drinking does not settle each ethical question.
Canonical parallelPastoral application