A primitive root; to judge, i.e. Pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively) -- + avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead, reason, rule.
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 Judges 16:31 +, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִשְׁמֹּט Genesis 16:5, יִשְׁמּוֺט Isaiah 11:3; 3masculine plural יִשְׁמְּטוּ Genesis 31:53 +, יִשְׁמּ֫וּטוּ Exodus 18:26 (Ki יִשְׁמּוּט֫וּ; compare Ges§ 47g), etc.; Infinitive absolute שָׁפוֺט Genesis 19:9; construct שְׁפֹט Ruth 1:1, לַשְׁמֹּט Exodus 8:13 +, etc.; Imperative שְׁפָטֿ Proverbs 31:9, שָׁפְטָה Psalm 82:8; Lamentations 3:59, שִׁפְטוּ Isaiah 1:17 +, שְׁפֹ֑טוּ Zechariah 7:9, etc.; Participle שֹׁפֵט 1 Samuel 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 Genesis 18:25 (J), "" מֶלֶךְ,מְחֹקֵק Isaiah 33:22.
b. of man, Genesis 19:9 (twice in verse) (J), Moses deciding cases Exodus 18:13 (E), making known statutes 18:16 (E); so his assistants 18:22; 18:22; 18:26; 18:26 (E), "" Deuteronomy 1:16; of ישׂראל שׁפטי Numbers 25:5 (executioners); ׳י set שֹׁפְטִים over Israel Judges 2:16, 18; 2 Samuel 7:11 = 1 Chronicles 17:10, to deliver Israel, ישׂדאל שׁפט Judges 3:10; 4:4; 10:2, 39t. Judges; 1 Samuel 4:18; 7:15-16, 17; 2 Kings 23:22, compare 1 Samuel 7:6; Participle שֹׁפֵט as substantive also Judges 2:17-18, 19; 1 Samuel 8:1-2, 2 Kings 23:22; יִשׂ ׳שֹׁפְטֵי 1 Chronicles 17:6 ("" 2 Samuel 7:7 שִׂבְטֵי), הַשֹּׁפְטִים שְׁפֹט בִּימֵי Ruth 1:1 (twice in verse) (compare מוֺשִׁיעִים Obadiah 21); שׁפט, "" מֶלֶךְ 1 Samuel 8:5-6, 20; Hosea 7:7; 13:10; ישׂראל שֹׁפֵט Micah 4:14 (= king); king judges people 1 Kings 3:9 (twice in verse) = 2 Chronicles 1:10; 1 Kings 15:5 2 Chronicles 26:21; 1:11; absolute 1 Kings 7:7; Isaiah 16:5; "" שׂרים Exodus 2:14 (E) Amos 2:3; Zephaniah 3:3; "" יוֺעַץ Isaiah 1:26; Job 12:17, compare Isaiah 3:2; אָרֶץ שֹׁפְטֵי 40:23 ("" רוֺזְנִים), Proverbs 8:16 ("" שׂרים), Psalm 2:10; 148:11 ("" מלכים); שׁפטונו אשׁר שׁפטינו Daniel 9:12 (twice in verse).
2 specifically decide controversy, discriminate between Persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions:
a. of God Psalm 82:1: ׳שׁ בֵּיןוּ֗֗֗בֵין Genesis 16:5 (J; domestic), Judges 11:27 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 24:13; 24:16 (all of war), Ezekiel 34:20 (relig.); with בֵּיןלְ֗֗֗ 34:17, 22 (religious); with בֵּנֵינוּ Genesis 31:53 (E; domestic), Isaiah 2:4 = Micah 4:3 (of war); with בְּ2 Chronicles 20:12 (war); with accusative 1 Kings 8:32 2 Chronicles 6:23; Ecclesiastes 3:17, condemning wicked and justifying righteous Job 21:22 ("" ידע), 23:7; absolute Exodus 5:21 (J) Job 22:13; ׳שׁ צֶדֶק Jeremiah 11:20; Psalm 9:5; ׳י is צַדִּיק שׁוֺפֵט 7:12.
b. of man, ׳שׁ בֵּיןוּ֗֗֗בֵין Exodus 18:16 (E) Numbers 35:24 (P) Deuteronomy 1:16 (all civil), Isaiah 5:3 (relig.); with accusative Leviticus 19:15 (H) Deuteronomy 25:1 (all civil), Ezekiel 20:4 (twice in verse); 22:2 (twice in verse); 23:36; ׳שׁ מִשְׁמָּט Deuteronomy 16:18; 1 Kings 3:28 (Solomon); במשׁפטים Ezekiel 44:24, with ל2 Chronicles 19:6; absolute Ezekiel 44:24; Isaiah 11:3 (king); influenced by bribes Micah 3:11; 7:3; Job 9:24; Absalom desires to decide cases as שֹׁפֵט 2 Samuel 15:4 (implying lack of such in his time); according to 2 Chronicles 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 Deuteronomy 17:9, 12; 25:2; שׁפטים + שֹׁטְרִים 16:18; 1 Chronicles 23:4; 26:29; Joshua 8:33 (+ זְקֵנִים), 23:2; 24:1 (D; both + רָאשִׁים זקנים,), + זקנים only Deuteronomy 21:2; Ezra 10:14, + כֹּהֲנִים Deuteronomy 19:17-18, שׂרים2 Chronicles 1:2.
3 execute judgment:
a. discriminating, of man only, אמת משׁפט Zechariah 7:9, שׁ ׳מֵישָׁרִים Psalm 58:2 judge uprightly; שׁלום משׁפט Zechariah 8:16, צֶדֶק Proverbs 31:9, עָוֶל Psalm 82:2.
b. vindicating, with accusative: (I) subject God, יתום Psalm 10:18, accusative of person 26:1; 43:1; Psalm 58:12 (read שֹׁפְטָם for שׁפטים), ׳שׁ משׁפט Lamentations 3:59; מִיַּד vindicate by delivering from hand of 1 Samuel 24:16; 2 Samuel 18:19, 31; ׳י צִדְקִי כְּ שָׁפְטֵנִי Psalm 7:9; צִדְקְךָ כְּ שָׁפְטֵנִי 35:24. (2) subject man, with accusative יתום Isaiah 1:17, 23; דל(יםׅ 11:4; Proverbs 29:14; Psalm 82:3; עם עניי 72:4; אביונים משׁפט Jeremiah 5:28.
c. condemning and punishing, (I) God פ ׳כְּדַרְכֵי according to ways of Ezekiel 7:3, 8; 18:30; 24:14; 33:20; 36:19; במשׁפטים 7:27; 23:24; נאפות משׁפטי 16:38 (= 23:45 of human judges); with accusative 1 Samuel 3:13; Psalm 51:5; Ezekiel 11:10-11, Ezekiel 21:35; 35:11. (2) of man, only נַפְשׁוֺ שֹׁפְטֵי Psalm 109:31 and Ezekiel 23:45 above, probably also Psalm 141:6 (corrupt).
d. at theophanic advent for final judgment: God is שֹׁפֵט Psalm 50:6; 75:8; הארץ שׁפט 94:2, with accusative הארץ לשׁפט בא 96:13 = 1 Chronicles 16:33; Psalm 98:9; ׳שׁ הארץ 82:8; הנוים כל Joel 4:12; עמים 67:5; תבל 9:9; 96:13 = 98:9; ׳שׁ מישׁרים 75:3.
Niph`al Perfect1singular נִשְׁמַּטְתִּי Ezekiel 20:36 4t.; Imperfect1singular אִשָּׁפֵט 20:36; אִשָּֽׁפְטָה 1 Samuel 12:7, etc.; Infinitive construct חִשָּׁפֵט2 Chronicles 22:8; suffix הִשָּֽׁפְטוֺ Psalm 37:33; 109:7; Participle נִשְׁמָּט Isaiah 59:4 4t.; —
1 reciprocal, (Ges§ 51d), enter into controversy, plead: with אֵת with, of God Jeremiah 2:35; Ezekiel 17:20; 20:35-36, (twice in verse); 38:22; of man 1 Samuel 12:7 (+ ᵐ5 לָכֶם וְאַגִּידָה We Dr BuHpt Now), Proverbs 29:9; with עִם, of God Joel 4:2, of man 2 Chronicles 22:8; with ל, of God Jeremiah 25:31; ׳נשׁ יחד Isaiah 43:26 have controversy together; באשׁ by fire (of God) 66:16; באמונה 59:4.
2 passive be judged, Psalm 9:20; 37:33; 109:7.
Pô`el Participle suffix מְשֹׁפְטִי (dubious; Hi Bu מִשְׁמָּטִי), = my apponent-at-law (Ges§ 55b) Job 9:15; + Zf 3:15; Psalm 109:31 We and others
[שְׁפַט] verb judge (Biblical Hebrew שָׁפַט); — Participle as plural noun absolute שָֽׁפְמִין Ezra 7:25 judges.
שַׁמִּיר see שׁפר. below