שׁוּפָמִי (shu.pha.mi)
shu.pha.mi
Shuphamite
N:N--PGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--PG
Word Overview
The term shuphamite identifies a member of a specific clan within the tribe of Benjamin. It functions as a gentilic adjective derived from the personal name Shupham, who appears in the genealogies of Genesis and Numbers as one of the sons of Benjamin.
This word occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Numbers 26:39, where it describes the descendants of Shupham during the census taken before the Israelites entered Canaan. The name Shupham itself is linked to a root meaning "bareness," though the text uses it primarily as an identifier for this family line rather than offering a detailed etymological commentary.
While the word carries no complex theological weight, its presence highlights the meticulous recording of tribal identities in the Old Testament. By naming each clan, the biblical authors preserved the distinct heritage of Benjamin’s twelve sons, ensuring that every family group remained traceable within the larger community of Israel.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Shuphamite appears in Numbers 26:39, marking a specific family line within the tribe of Benjamin. This brief mention reminds us that God keeps careful records of individual families and their histories. In a world that often overlooks ordinary people, Scripture honors these small groups by name.
For your faith, this detail offers comfort. You are known to God just as thoroughly as these ancient clans were recorded. His care extends to every part of your life, no matter how quiet or unseen it may feel. Trust in His faithful remembrance of you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Shuphamite[s]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/שּׁוּפָמִ֑י1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 26:39
of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
This verse identifies the Shuphamites as a distinct family within Benjamin, showing how genealogies preserved tribal identity before entering the Promised Land.