Lexical Summary Shiphmi: Shiphmi Original Word: שִׁפְמִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shiphmite Patrial from Shpham; a Shiphmite or inhabitant of Shepham -- Shiphmite. see HEBREW Shpham NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Shepham Definition inhab. of Shepham NASB Translation Shiphmite (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שִׁפְמִי adjective, of a people, (of foregoing ?); — 1 Chronicles 27:27. שׁוּפָמִי adjective, of a people see שְׁפוּפָם below שׁפף. שׁפן (√ of following; compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence The term appears once in inspired Scripture, describing “Zabdi the Shiphmite” who oversaw the produce of King David’s vineyards for the wine cellars (1 Chronicles 27:27). Historical Background 1 Chronicles 27 catalogs the men charged with various civil and military responsibilities in David’s united kingdom. The chapter portrays an organized administration in which agricultural oversight stood alongside military and governmental duties, underscoring the agrarian foundation of Israel’s economy. The office entrusted to Zabdi the Shiphmite reveals David’s concern that agricultural abundance be managed with diligence, both for palace provision and for national prosperity. Davidic Administrative Structure David’s officials were divided by months, tribes, and specialties. “Shimei the Ramathite” supervised the vineyards themselves, whereas Zabdi, identified by his association with Shiphm, controlled the processed yield—“the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars.” This division of labor reflects advanced stewardship: cultivation, harvest, and storage were assigned to different overseers to assure quality and accountability. Such specialization prefigures later prophetic images in which God expects fruitfulness and faithful management of resources (Isaiah 5:1–7; John 15:1-8). Geographical Considerations “Shiphmite” designates a native or inhabitant of an otherwise unknown locality, Shiphm or Shiphmah. Its obscurity highlights the inclusiveness of David’s administration: men from lesser-known towns shared in high royal service. This echoes the principle that spiritual status in God’s sovereign purposes depends not on prominence of origin but on faithfulness of character (1 Samuel 16:7). Ministry and Theological Significance 1. Stewardship: Zabdi’s responsibility admonishes believers to administer God-given resources wisely. Lessons for Believers • Faithfulness in obscure posts matters to God; He records even a single mention of Zabdi’s service. Summary Strong’s Hebrew 8225 marks Zabdi’s identity as a “Shiphmite,” a testament to careful organization in David’s government and an enduring reminder that humble, competent stewardship contributes to divine purposes and national blessing. Forms and Transliterations הַשִּׁפְמִֽי׃ השפמי׃ haš·šip̄·mî hashshifMi haššip̄mîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 27:27 HEB: הַיַּ֔יִן זַבְדִּ֖י הַשִּׁפְמִֽי׃ ס NAS: and Zabdi the Shiphmite had charge KJV: cellars [was] Zabdi the Shiphmite: INT: the wine and Zabdi the Shiphmite 1 Occurrence |