שׁוֹט (shot)
shot
whip
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun shot refers to a whip or scourge, an instrument used for driving animals or inflicting punishment. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears in ten verses, most frequently within Isaiah, Job, and II Chronicles. The word carries a dual sense: it describes the physical lash used on horses, but also serves as a metaphor for severe chastisement or national judgment.
Its imagery is stark and immediate. When used literally, it evokes the sound and sting of leather against skin, a tool of control. In prophetic texts like Isaiah, however, it shifts to represent divine correction. The whip becomes a symbol of the consequences that befall nations for their actions, illustrating how authority enforces order through discipline.
Translators typically render shot as "whip" or "scourge," preserving the raw physicality of the original term. This choice highlights the seriousness of the correction described. Whether applied to a beast of burden or a rebellious people, the word underscores the reality that actions have tangible, often painful, repercussions.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word shot describes a whip or scourge, an instrument of both control and correction. In the ancient world, this was not merely a tool for driving animals but a symbol of authority and discipline. When we encounter this imagery in Scripture, it reminds us that actions carry weight and consequence. The physical sting of the lash serves as a stark reminder that freedom without responsibility leads to bondage.
While the image can feel harsh, it also points to the reality of divine justice. Prophets like Isaiah used the metaphor of the scourge to describe how God corrects nations when they turn away from truth. This is not about cruelty but about restoring order and calling people back to righteousness. The whip signals that there are boundaries set by a loving Creator who desires our well-being.
For your daily life, this word invites reflection on the nature of discipline. Just as a horse responds to guidance, we are called to listen to wisdom rather than stubbornness. Proverbs reminds us that fools resist correction, while the wise accept it. This perspective helps us see challenges not as random punishments but as opportunities for growth and alignment with God’s will.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with <the>/ whips4×
- a scourge3×
- a whip2×
- in/ [the] whip of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בַּ/שּׁוֹטִ֔ים4×
- שׁ֣וֹט2×
- שׁ֭וֹט1×
- שׁ֤וֹט1×
- שׁ֔וֹט1×
- בְּ/שׁ֣וֹט1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 12:11
Now my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’”
Rehoboam uses the whip to illustrate how his rule will be harsher than his father's, showing the word's association with oppressive authority.
-
Job 5:21
You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither will you be afraid of destruction when it comes.
Eliphaz speaks of being hidden from the 'scourge of the tongue,' using the whip metaphorically to describe destructive speech.
-
Proverbs 26:3
A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!
This verse contrasts tools for animals with the need for correction for fools, highlighting the word's link to discipline for the stubborn.
-
Isaiah 10:26
Yahweh of Armies will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt.
God promises to raise a 'scourge' against Assyria, using the term to depict divine judgment as a powerful instrument of justice.