שֶׁ֫בֶת (she.vet)
she.vet
seat
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shevet denotes a seat, dwelling, or specific place of residence. In the Old Testament, it appears in only six verses, most notably within Obadiah and Lamentations, where it anchors descriptions of location and habitation. The word functions as a concrete term for a physical spot where one sits or lives, rather than an abstract concept of rest.
Its usage often highlights the stability or status of a position. For instance, in Obadiah 1:3-4, the phrase "seat in the heights" refers to the lofty dwelling place of Edom, emphasizing its perceived security and elevation. Similarly, in Lamentations 1:2, it describes the desolate state of Jerusalem’s seats, contrasting former honor with current emptiness. The term grounds theological or historical narratives in tangible geography.
While related to verbs of sitting, shevet itself is a noun focusing on the location rather than the action. It serves as a marker of presence and authority in its context. Translators typically render it as "seat" or "dwelling," preserving the sense of a defined place where life or power is centered.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word shevet points to a physical seat or dwelling place, grounding our understanding of stability and status in tangible reality. In ancient contexts, where one sat was not merely about comfort but indicated authority, security, and identity. When Scripture speaks of a seat, it often highlights the permanence of a position or the vulnerability of its loss.
For your faith life, this word invites reflection on where you place your trust. The Edomites in Obadiah 1:3 trusted in their high, rocky seats, believing themselves untouchable, yet pride proved fragile. Conversely, Lamentations 3:63 shows God seeing every moment of human activity, even the simple act of sitting down. Your worth is not found in lofty positions or earthly security, but in being known by God.
May you find your true rest not in precarious heights, but in the steady presence of the Lord who sees all things and holds your life securely.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ sitting2×
- sitting/ their1×
- dwelling/ his1×
- at the/ dwelling1×
- a seat of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/שָּׁ֑בֶת2×
- שֶׁ֥בֶת1×
- שִׁבְתָּ֤/ם1×
- שִׁבְתּ֑/וֹ1×
- בַּ/שָּֽׁבֶת\׃\ \פ1×
Key Verses
-
Obadiah 1:3
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
This verse uses the word to describe Edom's perceived security in high rocky dwellings, highlighting how pride can mistake location for invincibility.
-
Lamentations 3:63
You see their sitting down and their rising up. I am their song.
Here the term refers to the 'sitting down' of enemies, illustrating God's intimate awareness of every human action and posture.
-
I Kings 10:19
There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests.
The description of Solomon’s throne with its armrests and lions emphasizes royal authority and the grandeur associated with a king's seat.