Strong's Lexicon saphah: Lip, language, edge, shore, bank Original Word: שָׂפָה Word Origin: From an unused root meaning to scrape or sweep away Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G4750 (stoma) - often translated as "mouth" or "speech" in the New Testament. Usage: The Hebrew word "saphah" primarily refers to the physical "lip" of a person, but it extends metaphorically to denote "language" or "speech." It can also describe the "edge" or "border" of something, such as a garment or a geographical feature like a shore or bank. In the context of language, "saphah" is often used to signify communication, both divine and human. Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Hebrew culture, the concept of "saphah" as "lip" was closely tied to speech and communication, which were considered powerful and significant. The lips were seen as the gateway for words, which could bless or curse, build up or destroy. The metaphorical use of "saphah" to mean "language" reflects the importance of communication in maintaining cultural and religious identity, especially in a time when oral tradition was a primary means of preserving history and law. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition lip, speech, edge NASB Translation babbling (2), bank (10), binding (2), brim (9), edge (17), empty (2), gossip* (1), language (6), lip (1), lip service (1), lips (100), mere (1), seashore* (7), shore (1), speech (12), talk (1), talkative (1), words (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׂפָה176 noun feminine [masculine Exodus 28:32, edge, compare AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 76], lip, speech, edge; — absolute ׳שׂ Genesis 11:1 +, construct שְׂפַת Genesis 11:7 +; suffix שְׂפָתוֺ 1 Kings 7:23 +, etc.; oftener dual שְׂפָתַיִם Isaiah 6:5 +, construct שִׂפְתֵי Psalm 12:4 +; suffix שְׂפָתַי Jeremiah 17:16 +, suffix 3 masculine plural שְׂפָתֵימוֺ Psalm 59:13; Psalm 140:4; Psalm 140:10, etc.; plural (in poetry and late) construct שִׂפְתוֺת Ecclesiastes 10:12, suffix שִׂפְתוֺתֶיךָ etc. Psalm 45:3; Psalm 59:8; Isaiah 59:3; Songs 4:3,11; Songs 5:13; — 1 lip: a. usually (c. 108 t.) human organ of speech (often "" מֶּה, לָשׁוֺן rarely [only late poetry] חֵךְ: 10 t. Job; 25t. Psalms; 45t. Proverbs): (1) Isaiah 29:13; Leviticus 5:4 (P), Job 13:6; Malachi 2:6; Psalm 12:5; Proverbs 5:3 +; ׳דַּל שׂ Psalm 141:3 (see דָּל); ׳אִישׁ שׂ Job 11:2 = a talker, ׳אֱוִיל שׂ Proverbs 10:8 #NAME? Proverbs 10:10 (ᵑ0; but see Toy); טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם Isaiah 6:5 (twice in verse) compare Isaiah 6:7; Daniel 10:16; ׳עֲרַל שׂ Exodus 6:12,30 (P; unskilled in speech); ׳עִקֵּשׁ שׂ Exodus 19:1; ׳מֹּתֶה שׂ Exodus 20:19 see [ מָּתָה] p. 834; ׳מוֺצָא שׂ i.e. utterance, Deuteronomy 23:24; Jeremiah 17:16; Numbers 30:13 (P), Psalm 89:35, ׳רוּחַ שׂ Isaiah 11:4 (of Messianic king), ׳דְּבַר שׂ Psalm 59:13; Proverbs 14:23 +, = mere, empty, word 2 Kings 18:20 = Isaiah 36:5; ׳תְּבוּאַת שׂ Proverbs 18:20, ׳נוב שׂ Isaiah 57:19 (thanksgiving), compare Hosea 14:3 (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 and most מְּדִי for מָּרִים); of flattery, ׳חֵלֶק שׂ Proverbs 7:21, שְׂפַת חֲלָקוֺת Psalm 12:3; Psalm 12:4; compare שִׂפְתֵי מִרְמָה Psalm 17:1, שֶׁקֶר ׳שׂ Psalm 31:9 4t., שְׂפַת אָוֶן Proverbs 17:4; poison beneath (compare לָשׁוֺן) Psalm 140:4 (figurative); ׳מֶּשַׁע שׂ Proverbs 12:13; ׳לְזוּת שׂ Proverbs 4:24; אֱמֶת ׳שׂ Proverbs 12:19, יָ֑תֶר ׳שׂ Proverbs 17:7, צֶדֶק ׳שׂ Proverbs 16:13, דַּעַת ׳שׂ Proverbs 14:7; Proverbs 20:15; ׳חֵן שׂ Proverbs 22:11; שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה Zephaniah 3:9; רְנָנוֺת ׳שׂ Psalm 63:5 i.e. lips that shout for joy; with verbs: ׳מָּתַח שׂ (to speak) Job 11:5; Job 30:20 (Gi Job 30:21), compare Psalm 51:17, ׳מִפְתַּח שׂ Proverbs 8:6; ׳מָּשַׁק שׂ Proverbs 13:3 i.e. prate; מָֽלְאוּ זַעַם ׳שׂ Isaiah 30:27; ׳שׂ subject of דִּבֶּר Isaiah 59:3; Proverbs 24:2; ׳נָשָׂא עַלשֿׂ Psalm 16:14; ׳קָרַץ שׂ Proverbs 16:30 = backbite; ׳אָטַם שׂ Proverbs 17:28 #NAME?׳חָשַׂךְ שׂ Proverbs 10:19, כָּלָא ׳שׂ Psalm 40:10. (2) lips moving in speech, with נוּעַ 1 Samuel 1:13, נִיד Job 16:5. (3) transition to meaning speech, עָלָה עַלשְֿׂפַת לָשׁוֺן Ezekiel 36:3; = ability to speak Job 12:20. b. organ of laughter Job 8:21. c. of insulting grimace ׳הִפְטִיר בְּשׂ Psalm 22:8. d. quivering in terror Habakkuk 3:16. e. feature of beauty Songs 4:3 (scarlet). f. place of bridle 2 Kings 19:28 = Isaiah 37:29 (see מֶתֶג). g. receiving kiss Proverbs 24:26 compare Songs 4:11 and (in figurative) Songs 7:10. h. of divine speech, ׳מִצְוַת שׂ Job 23:12, ׳דְּבַר שׂ Psalm 17:4. 2 language (see לָשׁוֺן), Genesis 11:1,6,7 (twice in verse); Genesis 11:9; Psalm 81:6; ׳עַם עִמְקֵי שׂ Ezekiel 3:5,6; Isaiah 33:19, ׳לַעֲגֵי שׂ Isaiah 28:11; שְׂפַת כְּנַעַן Isaiah 19:18 (i.e. Hebrew). 3 edge: shore of sea Genesis 22:17 (J) + 7 t.; bank of river Genesis 41:3,17 (E) + 5 t., of wady (נַחַל) Deuteronomy 2:36 7t.; lip (bank) of אָבֵל מְחוֺלָה Judges 7:22 compare GASmG 400; brim of vessel 1 Kings 7:23 (twice in verse) + 7 t.; edge of altar Ezekiel 43:13; of curtains (in pairs) Exodus 26:4 (twice in verse) (P) + 6 t.; of חשֶׁן, toward ephod Exodus 28:26 = Exodus 39:19 (P); of round opening in robe (יִהְיֶה) לְפִיו ׳שׂ Exodus 28:32 = Exodus 39:23 (P). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, Or (in dual and plural) sepheth {sef-eth'}; probably from caphah or shaphah through the idea of termination (compare cowph); the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.) -- band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, ((sea-))shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words. see HEBREW caphah see HEBREW shaphah see HEBREW cowph Forms and Transliterations בְ֝שָׂפָ֗ה בְּשְׂפְתוֹתֶ֑יךָ בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם בִּשְׂפַ֣ת בִּשְׂפָתֶ֔יךָ בִּשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ בִּשְׂפָתַ֥י בִּשְׂפָתָֽיו׃ בִשְׂפָתַ֜יִם בִשְׂפָתָ֑יו בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו בשפה בשפת בשפתותיהם בשפתותיך בשפתי בשפתיו בשפתיו׃ בשפתיך בשפתיך׃ בשפתים וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י וְשָׂפָ֤ה וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו וּבִשְׂפָתָיו֙ וּשְׂפָת֛וֹ וּשְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ וּשְׂפָתוֹ֙ ובשפתיו ושפה ושפתו ושפתות ושפתי ושפתיו ושפתיך לִשְׂפַ֣ת לִשְׂפַ֥ת לִשְׂפָת֤וֹ ׀ לשפת לשפתו מִשְּׂפַת־ מִשְּׂפָת֨וֹ משפת־ משפתו פָתֹ֗ו פה פתו פתי פתיה פתיו פתיך פתים שְֽׂפַת־ שְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יהָ שְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יךָ שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו שְׂ֭פָתַי שְׂ֭פָתַיִם שְׂ֭פָתָיו שְׂפַ֖ת שְׂפַ֣ת שְׂפַ֤ת שְׂפַ֥ת שְׂפַֽת־ שְׂפַת־ שְׂפָ֫תֵ֥ימוֹ שְׂפָת֕וֹ שְׂפָת֜וֹ שְׂפָת֣וֹ שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃ שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ שְׂפָתֶ֔יהָ שְׂפָתֶ֖יךָ שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ שְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ שְׂפָתֶ֧יהָ שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ שְׂפָתַ֔י שְׂפָתַ֔יִם שְׂפָתַ֖יִם שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙ שְׂפָתַ֣י שְׂפָתַ֣יִם שְׂפָתַ֥י שְׂפָתַ֥יִם שְׂפָתָ֑י שְׂפָתָ֑יִם שְׂפָתָ֑ם שְׂפָתָ֖יו שְׂפָתָ֣יו שְׂפָתָ֤הּ שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ שְׂפָתָֽי׃ שְׂפָתָיו֙ שִׂפְתֵ֣י שִׂפְתֵ֤י שִׂפְתֵ֥י שִׂפְתֵ֫י שִׂפְתֵי־ שִׂפְתֵיהֶ֥ם שִׂפְתֹתַ֔יִךְ שִׂפְתֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ שִׂפְתוֹתַ֖יִךְ שִׂפְתוֹתָיו֙ שָׂ֭פָה שָׂפָ֔ה שָׂפָ֛ה שָׂפָ֡ה שָׂפָ֣ה שָׂפָ֥ה שָׂפָה֙ שפה שפת שפת־ שפתה שפתו שפתותיו שפתותיך שפתותיכם שפתי שפתי־ שפתי׃ שפתיה שפתיהם שפתיו שפתיך שפתיך׃ שפתים שפתים׃ שפתימו שפתינו שפתינו׃ שפתם שפתתיך ḇə·śā·p̄āh bə·śə·p̄ə·ṯō·w·ṯe·ḵā bə·śip̄·ṯê bə·śip̄·ṯō·w·ṯê·hem ḇəśāp̄āh besefetoTeicha bəśəp̄əṯōwṯeḵā besifTei besiftoteiHem bəśip̄ṯê bəśip̄ṯōwṯêhem ḇiś·p̄ā·ṯa·yim biś·p̄ā·ṯāw ḇiś·p̄ā·ṯāw biś·p̄ā·ṯay biś·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā biś·p̄aṯ bisFat bisfaTai bisfaTav bisfaTeicha biśp̄aṯ biśp̄āṯāw ḇiśp̄āṯāw biśp̄āṯay ḇiśp̄āṯayim biśp̄āṯeḵā fah faTai fatav faTayim faTeicha faTeiha faTo liś·p̄ā·ṯōw liś·p̄aṯ lisFat lisfaTo liśp̄aṯ liśp̄āṯōw miś·śə·p̄ā·ṯōw miś·śə·p̄aṯ- missefat missefaTo miśśəp̄aṯ- miśśəp̄āṯōw p̄ā·ṯa·yim p̄ā·ṯāw p̄ā·ṯay p̄ā·ṯe·hā p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā p̄ā·ṯōw p̄āh p̄āṯāw p̄āṯay p̄āṯayim p̄āṯehā p̄āṯeḵā p̄āṯōw śā·p̄āh saFah śāp̄āh śə·p̄ā·ṯa·yim śə·p̄ā·ṯā·yim śə·p̄ā·ṯāh śə·p̄ā·ṯām śə·p̄ā·ṯāw śə·p̄ā·ṯay śə·p̄ā·ṯāy śə·p̄ā·ṯe·hā śə·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā śə·p̄ā·ṯê·mōw śə·p̄ā·ṯê·nū śə·p̄ā·ṯōw śə·p̄aṯ śə·p̄aṯ- seFat sefaTah sefaTai sefaTam sefaTav sefaTayim sefaTeicha sefaTeiha seFaTeimov sefaTeinu sefaTo śəp̄aṯ śəp̄aṯ- śəp̄āṯāh śəp̄āṯām śəp̄āṯāw śəp̄āṯay śəp̄āṯāy śəp̄āṯayim śəp̄āṯāyim śəp̄āṯehā śəp̄āṯeḵā śəp̄āṯêmōw śəp̄āṯênū śəp̄āṯōw sifTei sifteiHem siftoTav siftoTayich siftoteiChem śip̄·ṯê śip̄·ṯê- śip̄·ṯê·hem śip̄·ṯō·ṯa·yiḵ śip̄·ṯō·w·ṯa·yiḵ śip̄·ṯō·w·ṯāw śip̄·ṯō·w·ṯê·ḵem śip̄ṯê śip̄ṯê- śip̄ṯêhem śip̄ṯōṯayiḵ śip̄ṯōwṯāw śip̄ṯōwṯayiḵ śip̄ṯōwṯêḵem ū·ḇiś·p̄ā·ṯāw ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯāw ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯōw ūḇiśp̄āṯāw usefaTav usefaTeicha usefaTo ūśəp̄āṯāw ūśəp̄āṯeḵā ūśəp̄āṯōw uvisfaTav vesaFah vesifTei vesifTot visfaTav visfaTayim wə·śā·p̄āh wə·śip̄·ṯê wə·śip̄·ṯō·wṯ wəśāp̄āh wəśip̄ṯê wəśip̄ṯōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 11:1 HEB: כָל־ הָאָ֖רֶץ שָׂפָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת וּדְבָרִ֖ים NAS: the same language and the same KJV: was of one language, and of one INT: now the whole earth language the same words Genesis 11:6 Genesis 11:7 Genesis 11:7 Genesis 11:9 Genesis 22:17 Genesis 41:3 Genesis 41:17 Exodus 2:3 Exodus 6:12 Exodus 6:30 Exodus 7:15 Exodus 14:30 Exodus 26:4 Exodus 26:4 Exodus 26:10 Exodus 26:10 Exodus 28:26 Exodus 28:32 Exodus 36:11 Exodus 36:11 Exodus 36:17 Exodus 36:17 Exodus 39:19 Exodus 39:23 175 Occurrences |