שָׁפַט

H8199. shaphat
שָׁפַט185 verb judge, govern (Late Hebrew in derivatives; Phoenician שפט = שֹׁפֵט, also in proper name; Punic sufet Lzb381; Biblical Aramaic שָֽׁפְטִין; Assyrian šapâtu (t = ת), synonym dânu (דִּין), judge DlWB 684, šip‰u (ט), probably judgment [and šapi‰u, caption?] JenZA iv (1889), 278 f.; on possible connection with Arabic see NöZMG xi (1886), 724; on usage of verb See FergusonJBL viii (1888), 130 ff.); —
Qal Perfect3masculine singular ׳שׁ Jdg 16:31 +, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִשְׁמֹּט Gen 16:5, יִשְׁמּוֺט Isa 11:3; Isa 11:3masculine plural יִשְׁמְּטוּ Gen 31:53 +, יִשְׁמּ֫וּטוּ Exo 18:26 (Ki יִשְׁמּוּט֫וּ; compare Ges§ 47g), etc.; Infinitive absolute שָׁפוֺט Gen 19:9; construct שְׁפֹט Rth 1:1, לַשְׁמֹּט Exo 8:13 +, etc.; Imperative שְׁפָטֿ Pro 31:9, שָׁפְטָה Psa 82:8; Lam 3:59, שִׁפְטוּ Isa 1:17 +, שְׁפֹ֑טוּ Zec 7:9, etc.; Participle שֹׁפֵט 1Sa 3:13 +, etc.; —
1 act as law-giver, judge, governor (giving law, deciding controversies and executing law, civil, religious, political, social; both early and late):
a. of God only, הארץ כל שֹׁפֵט Gen 18:25 (J), || מֶלֶךְ,מְחֹקֵק Isa 33:22.
b. of man, Gen 19:9 (twice in verse) (J), Moses deciding cases Exo 18:13 (E), making known statutes Exo 18:16 (E); so his assistants Exo 18:22; Exo 18:22; Exo 18:26; Exo 18:26 (E), || Deu 1:16; of ישׂראל שׁפטי Num 25:5 (executioners); ׳י set שֹׁפְטִים over Israel Jdg 2:16, Jdg 2:18; 2Sa 7:11 = 1Ch 17:10, to deliver Israel, ישׂדאל שׁפט Jdg 3:10; Jdg 4:4; Jdg 10:2, 39t. Judges; 1Sa 4:18; 1Sa 7:15-16, 1Sa 7:17; 2Ki 23:22, compare 1Sa 7:6; Participle שֹׁפֵט as substantive also Jdg 2:17-18, Jdg 2:19; 1Sa 8:1-2, 2Ki 23:22; יִשׂ ׳שֹׁפְטֵי 1Ch 17:6 (|| 2Sa 7:7 שִׂבְטֵי), הַשֹּׁפְטִים שְׁפֹט בִּימֵי Rth 1:1 (twice in verse) (compare מוֺשִׁיעִים Obadiah 21); שׁפט, || מֶלֶךְ 1Sa 8:5-6, 1Sa 8:20; Hos 7:7; Hos 13:10; ישׂראל שֹׁפֵט Micah 4:14 (= king); king judges people 1Ki 3:9 (twice in verse) = 2Ch 1:10; 1Ki 15:5 2Ch 26:21; 2Ch 1:11; absolute 1Ki 7:7; Isa 16:5; || שׂרים Exo 2:14 (E) Amo 2:3; Zep 3:3; || יוֺעַץ Isa 1:26; Job 12:17, compare Isa 3:2; אָרֶץ שֹׁפְטֵי Isa 40:23 (|| רוֺזְנִים), Pro 8:16 (|| שׂרים), Psa 2:10; Psa 148:11 (|| מלכים); שׁפטונו אשׁר שׁפטינו Dan 9:12 (twice in verse).
2 specifically decide controversy, discriminate between Persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions:
a. of God Psa 82:1: ׳שׁ בֵּיןוּ֗֗֗בֵין Gen 16:5 (J; domestic), Jdg 11:27 (twice in verse); 1Sa 24:13; 1Sa 24:16 (all of war), Eze 34:20 (relig.); with בֵּיןלְ֗֗֗ Eze 34:17, Eze 34:22 (religious); with בֵּנֵינוּ Gen 31:53 (E; domestic), Isa 2:4 = Mic 4:3 (of war); with בְּ2Ch 20:12 (war); with accusative 1Ki 8:32 2Ch 6:23; Ecc 3:17, condemning wicked and justifying righteous Job 21:22 (|| ידע), Job 23:7; absolute Exo 5:21 (J) Job 22:13; ׳שׁ צֶדֶק Jer 11:20; Psa 9:5; ׳י is צַדִּיק שׁוֺפֵט Psa 7:12.
b. of man, ׳שׁ בֵּיןוּ֗֗֗בֵין Exo 18:16 (E) Num 35:24 (P) Deu 1:16 (all civil), Isa 5:3 (relig.); with accusative Lev 19:15 (H) Deu 25:1 (all civil), Eze 20:4 (twice in verse); Eze 22:2 (twice in verse); Eze 23:36; ׳שׁ מִשְׁמָּט Deu 16:18; 1Ki 3:28 (Solomon); במשׁפטים Eze 44:24, with ל2Ch 19:6; absolute Eze 44:24; Isa 11:3 (king); influenced by bribes Mic 3:11; Mic 7:3; Job 9:24; Absalom desires to decide cases as שֹׁפֵט 2Sa 15:4 (implying lack of such in his time); according to 2Ch 19:5. 6 Jehoshaphat set up שׁפטים, apparently for the first as judges in this specific sense; code of Deuteronomy recognizes them: הַשֹּׁפֵט declares הַמִּשְׁמָּט דְּבַר Deu 17:9, Deu 17:12; Deu 25:2; שׁפטים + שֹׁטְרִים Deu 16:18; 1Ch 23:4; 1Ch 26:29; Jos 8:33 (+ זְקֵנִים), Jos 23:2; Jos 24:1 (D; both + רָאשִׁים זקנים,), + זקנים only Deu 21:2; Ezr 10:14, + כֹּהֲנִים Deu 19:17-18, שׂרים2Ch 1:2.
3 execute judgment:
a. discriminating, of man only, אמת משׁפט Zec 7:9, שׁ ׳מֵישָׁרִים Psa 58:2 judge uprightly; שׁלום משׁפט Zec 8:16, צֶדֶק Pro 31:9, עָוֶל Psa 82:2.
b. vindicating, with accusative: (I) subject God, יתום Psa 10:18, accusative of person Psa 26:1; Psa 43:1; Psalm 58:12 (read שֹׁפְטָם for שׁפטים), ׳שׁ משׁפט Lam 3:59; מִיַּד vindicate by delivering from hand of 1Sa 24:16; 2Sa 18:19, 2Sa 18:31; ׳י צִדְקִי כְּ שָׁפְטֵנִי Psa 7:9; צִדְקְךָ כְּ שָׁפְטֵנִי Psa 35:24. (2) subject man, with accusative יתום Isa 1:17, Isa 1:23; דל(יםׅ Isa 11:4; Pro 29:14; Psa 82:3; עם עניי Psa 72:4; אביונים משׁפט Jer 5:28.
c. condemning and punishing, (I) God פ ׳כְּדַרְכֵי according to ways of Eze 7:3, Eze 7:8; Eze 18:30; Eze 24:14; Eze 33:20; Eze 36:19; במשׁפטים Eze 7:27; Eze 23:24; נאפות משׁפטי Eze 16:38 (= Eze 23:45 of human judges); with accusative 1Sa 3:13; Psa 51:5; Eze 11:10-11, Ezekiel 21:35; Eze 35:11. (2) of man, only נַפְשׁוֺ שֹׁפְטֵי Psa 109:31 and Eze 23:45 above, probably also Psa 141:6 (corrupt).
d. at theophanic advent for final judgment: God is שֹׁפֵט Psa 50:6; Psa 75:8; הארץ שׁפט Psa 94:2, with accusative הארץ לשׁפט בא Psa 96:13 = 1Ch 16:33; Psa 98:9; ׳שׁ הארץ Psa 82:8; הנוים כל Joel 4:12; עמים Psa 67:5; תבל Psa 9:9; Psa 96:13 = Psa 98:9; ׳שׁ מישׁרים Psa 75:3.
Niph`al Perfect1singular נִשְׁמַּטְתִּי Eze 20:36 Eze 20:4t.; Imperfect1singular אִשָּׁפֵט Eze 20:36; אִשָּֽׁפְטָה 1Sa 12:7, etc.; Infinitive construct חִשָּׁפֵט2Ch 22:8; suffix הִשָּֽׁפְטוֺ Psa 37:33; Psa 109:7; Participle נִשְׁמָּט Isa 59:4 Isa 59:4t.; —
1 reciprocal, (Ges§ 51d), enter into controversy, plead: with אֵת with, of God Jer 2:35; Eze 17:20; Eze 20:35-36, (twice in verse); Eze 38:22; of man 1Sa 12:7 (+ ᵐ5 לָכֶם וְאַגִּידָה We Dr BuHpt Now), Pro 29:9; with עִם, of God Joel 4:2, of man 2Ch 22:8; with ל, of God Jer 25:31; ׳נשׁ יחד Isa 43:26 have controversy together; באשׁ by fire (of God) Isa 66:16; באמונה Isa 59:4.
2 passive be judged, Psa 9:20; Psa 37:33; Psa 109:7.
Pô`el Participle suffix מְשֹׁפְטִי (dubious; Hi Bu מִשְׁמָּטִי), = my apponent-at-law (Ges§ 55b) Job 9:15; + Zf Job 3:15; Psa 109:31 We and others
[שְׁפַט] verb judge (Biblical Hebrew שָׁפַט); — Participle as plural noun absolute שָֽׁפְמִין Ezr 7:25 judges.
שַׁמִּיר see שׁפר. below