שָׁתַל (sha.tal)
sha.tal
to transplant
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb shatal means to plant or transplant a living thing, usually a tree or vine. It appears in only three verses across the Old Testament, yet it carries significant weight in how Scripture describes spiritual stability. In Jeremiah 24:6 and Hosea 9:16, God uses this agricultural image to contrast those who are firmly established by Him with those who will be uprooted.
Unlike general terms for sowing seed, shatal implies a more deliberate act of setting something into the ground where it can take root. This distinction highlights the difference between temporary growth and enduring life. The word underscores that true permanence comes not from human effort alone, but from being placed in God’s care.
Its rarity makes each usage stand out. When Jeremiah speaks of the good figs, he uses shatal to show God’s intention to build them up rather than tear them down. This concrete image reminds readers that faithfulness is rooted in divine action, offering a clear picture of hope and restoration.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word shatal describes the deliberate act of transplanting a plant into soil where it can take deep root. Unlike scattering seed, this image suggests care and intention. When Scripture uses this term, it often points to God’s personal involvement in establishing His people. It is not about random growth but about being placed securely in a place of nourishment.
In Jeremiah 17:8, the prophet describes a person who remains steady even when heat comes because their roots reach deep water. This stability does not come from self-reliance but from divine placement. The image offers comfort for those feeling uprooted by life’s changes. It reminds us that our security rests in being firmly established by God.
This rare word highlights the difference between temporary presence and enduring life. When we trust in God, we are like a tree set down with purpose. Our leaves do not wither because our source is constant. This picture invites confidence in God’s faithful care for those who remain close to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- planted2×
- [is] planted1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שָׁת֪וּל1×
- שָׁת֣וּל1×
- שְׁתוּלָ֣ה1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 17:8
For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It won’t cease from yielding fruit.
This verse uses the image of a planted tree to show how divine placement provides stability during drought and heat.
-
Psalms 1:3
He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.
The psalmist connects being planted by water with consistent fruitfulness and prosperity in all endeavors.
-
Hosea 9:13
I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place; but Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.
Here the word contrasts Ephraim’s apparent establishment with their coming judgment, showing that human placement without God leads to ruin.