שָׁפַךְ (sha.phakh)
sha.phakh
to pour: pour
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 70 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb sha.phakh means to pour out, spill, or shed. In the Old Testament it covers literal actions like pouring liquid offerings in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, as well as shedding blood in cases of violence (Genesis 9:6). It also extends to metaphorical uses, such as pouring out one’s soul in prayer (1 Samuel 1:15) or God pouring out anger (Ezekiel 14:19).
This word carries a strong sense of release and expenditure. When used for blood, it emphasizes the gravity of taking life. When applied to emotions or prayers, it suggests an unreserved pouring out of the heart before God. The passive forms describe things being poured out, like water in Psalm 22:15, conveying weakness or total surrender.
Sha.phakh appears seventy times in Scripture, with significant use in Leviticus for ritual libations and in prophetic books like Jeremiah and Lamentations for divine judgment and human lament. Its range from physical pouring to emotional outpouring shows how Hebrew thought connects bodily actions with inner spiritual states.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word sha.phakh describes the act of pouring out, whether it is liquid, blood, or the deepest parts of the human heart. In the Old Testament, this action bridges the physical and spiritual worlds. When blood was poured at the base of the altar in Leviticus, it marked a serious moment of atonement and reverence. The text treats life as sacred, requiring that even animal blood be returned to the earth rather than consumed.
This same word appears in moments of profound human vulnerability. Hannah used sha.phakh to describe pouring out her soul before God in deep sorrow (1 Samuel 1:15). She did not hide her pain or offer polite prayers; she emptied her spirit completely before the Lord. This shows that God welcomes our rawest emotions, not just our composed worship.
For your faith life, this word invites honesty. You do not need to filter your grief, anger, or joy when you come to God. Like Hannah, you can pour out your soul without reserve, trusting that He receives it with the same care He showed her. This practice turns anxiety into communion and leaves you with a sense of peace that comes from being fully known.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 70 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he will pour out7×
- pour out4×
- you will pour out/ it3×
- you shed3×
- you have shed3×
- to/ shed2×
- he has shed2×
- he has poured out2×
- and/ it will be poured out2×
- and/ he poured out/ them2×
- and/ he poured out2×
- and/ I will pour out2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖/נּוּ3×
- יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ3×
- יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ3×
- תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ2×
- שָׁפָ֔ךְ2×
- שְׁפֹ֤ךְ2×
- יִשָּׁפֵךְ֙2×
- יִשְׁפֹּךְ֙2×
- וַֽ/יִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛/ם2×
- תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ1×
- תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֙כְנָה֙1×
- תִּשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 4:7
The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Yahweh, which is in the Tent of Meeting; and he shall pour out the rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
This verse shows the ritual requirement of pouring out blood at the altar base, highlighting the seriousness of sin and atonement.
-
Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.
The gravity of taking human life is emphasized here, as shedding blood carries a severe consequence because humans bear God's image.
-
Deuteronomy 12:24
You shall not eat it. You shall pour it out on the earth like water.
This instruction to pour out animal blood like water reinforces the sanctity of life and the separation from pagan practices.