Qal Perfect3masculine singular ׳שׁ Judges 16:31 +, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִשְׁמֹּט Genesis 16:5, יִשְׁמּוֺט Isaiah 11:3; 3masculine plural יִשְׁמְּטוּ Genesis 31:53 +, יִשְׁמּ֫וּטוּ Exodus 18:26 (Ki יִשְׁמּוּט֫וּ; compare Ges^{§ 47g}), etc.; Infinitive absolute שָׁפוֺט Genesis 19:9; construct שְׁפֹט Ruth 1:1, לַשְׁמֹּט Exodus 8:13 +, etc.; Imperative שְׁפָטֿ Proverbs 31:9, שָׁפְטָה Psalm 82:8; Lamentations 3:59, שִׁפְטוּ Isaiah 1:17 +, שְׁפֹ֑טוּ Zechariah 7:9, etc.; Participle שֹׁפֵט 1 Samuel 3:13 +, etc.; —

1 act as law-giver, judge, governor (giving law, deciding controversies and executing law, civil, religious, political, social; both early and late):

a. of God only, שֹׁפֵט כל הארץ Genesis 18:25 (J), "" מֶלֶךְ,מְחֹקֵק Isaiah 33:22.

b. of man, Genesis 19:9 (twice in verse) (J), Moses deciding cases Exodus 18:13 (E), making known statutes Exodus 18:16 (E); so his assistants Exodus 18:22; Exodus 18:22; Exodus 18:26; Exodus 18:26 (E), "" Deuteronomy 1:16; of שׁפטי ישׂראל Numbers 25:5 (executioners); ׳י set שֹׁפְטִים over Israel Judges 2:16,18; 2 Samuel 7:11 = 1 Chronicles 17:10, to deliver Israel, שׁפט ישׂדאל Judges 3:10; Judges 4:4; Judges 10:2,39t. Judges; 1 Samuel 4:18; 1 Samuel 7:15,16,17; 2 Kings 23:22, compare 1 Samuel 7:6; Participle שֹׁפֵט as substantive also Judges 2:17,18,19; 1 Samuel 8:1,2; 2 Kings 23:22; ׳שֹׁפְטֵי יִשׂ 1 Chronicles 17:6 ("" 2 Samuel 7:7 שִׂבְטֵי), בִּימֵי שְׁפֹט הַשֹּׁפְטִים Ruth 1:1 (twice in verse) (compare מוֺשִׁיעִים Obadiah 21); שׁפט, "" מֶלֶךְ 1 Samuel 8:5,6,20; Hosea 7:7; Hosea 13:10; שֹׁפֵט ישׂראל Micah 4:14 (= king); king judges people 1 Kings 3:9 (twice in verse) = 2Chronicles 1:10; 1 Kings 15:5 2Chronicles 26:21; 1:11; absolute 1 Kings 7:7; Isaiah 16:5; "" שׂרים Exodus 2:14 (E) Amos 2:3; Zephaniah 3:3; "" יוֺעַץ Isaiah 1:26; Job 12:17, compare Isaiah 3:2; שֹׁפְטֵי אָרֶץ Isaiah 40:23 ("" רוֺזְנִים), Proverbs 8:16 ("" שׂרים), Psalm 2:10; Psalm 148:11 ("" מלכים); שׁפטינו אשׁר שׁפטונו Daniel 9:12 (twice in verse).

2 specifically decide controversy, discriminate between Persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions:

a. of God Psalm 82:1: בֵּיןוּ֗֗֗בֵין ׳שׁ Genesis 16:5 (J; domestic), Judges 11:27 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 24:13; 1 Samuel 24:16 (all of war), Ezekiel 34:20 (relig.); with בֵּיןלְ֗֗֗ Ezekiel 34:17,22 (religious); with בֵּנֵינוּ Genesis 31:53 (E; domestic), Isaiah 2:4 = Micah 4:3 (of war); with בְּ2Chronicles 20:12 (war); with accusative 1 Kings 8:32 2Chronicles 6:23; Ecclesiastes 3:17, condemning wicked and justifying righteous Job 21:22 ("" ידע), Job 23:7; absolute Exodus 5:21 (J) Job 22:13; צֶדֶק ׳שׁ Jeremiah 11:20; Psalm 9:5; ׳י is שׁוֺפֵט צַדִּיק Psalm 7:12.

b. of man, בֵּיןוּ֗֗֗בֵין ׳שׁ Exodus 18:16 (E) Numbers 35:24 (P) Deuteronomy 1:16 (all civil), Isaiah 5:3 (relig.); with accusative Leviticus 19:15 (H) Deuteronomy 25:1 (all civil), Ezekiel 20:4 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 22:2 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 23:36; מִשְׁמָּט ׳שׁ Deuteronomy 16:18; 1 Kings 3:28 (Solomon); במשׁפטים Ezekiel 44:24, with ל2Chronicles 19:6; absolute Ezekiel 44:24; Isaiah 11:3 (king); influenced by bribes Micah 3:11; Micah 7:3; Job 9:24; Absalom desires to decide cases as שֹׁפֵט 2 Samuel 15:4 (implying lack of such in his time); according to 2 Chronicles 19:5. 6 Jehoshaphat set up שׁפטים, apparently for the first as judges in this specific sense; code of Deuteronomy recognizes them: הַשֹּׁפֵט declares דְּבַר הַמִּשְׁמָּט Deuteronomy 17:9,12; Deuteronomy 25:2; שׁפטים + שֹׁטְרִים Deuteronomy 16:18; 1 Chronicles 23:4; 1 Chronicles 26:29; Joshua 8:33 (+ זְקֵנִים), Joshua 23:2; Joshua 24:1 (D; both + זקנים, רָאשִׁים), + זקנים only Deuteronomy 21:2; Ezra 10:14, + כֹּהֲנִים Deuteronomy 19:17,18, שׂרים2Chronicles 1:2.

3 execute judgment:

a. discriminating, of man only, משׁפט אמת Zechariah 7:9, ׳מֵישָׁרִים שׁ Psalm 58:2 judge uprightly; משׁפט שׁלום Zechariah 8:16, צֶדֶק Proverbs 31:9, עָוֶל Psalm 82:2.

b. vindicating, with accusative: (I) subject God, יתום Psalm 10:18, accusative of person Psalm 26:1; Psalm 43:1; Psalm 58:12 (read שֹׁפְטָם for שׁפטים), משׁפט ׳שׁ Lamentations 3:59; מִיַּד vindicate by delivering from hand of 1 Samuel 24:16; 2 Samuel 18:19,31; שָׁפְטֵנִי כְּ צִדְקִי ׳י Psalm 7:9; שָׁפְטֵנִי כְּ צִדְקְךָ Psalm 35:24. (2) subject man, with accusative יתום Isaiah 1:17,23; דל(יםׅ Isaiah 11:4; Proverbs 29:14; Psalm 82:3; עניי עם Psalm 72:4; משׁפט אביונים Jeremiah 5:28.

c. condemning and punishing, (I) God ׳כְּדַרְכֵי פ according to ways of Ezekiel 7:3,8; Ezekiel 18:30; Ezekiel 24:14; Ezekiel 33:20; Ezekiel 36:19; במשׁפטים Ezekiel 7:27; Ezekiel 23:24; משׁפטי נאפות Ezekiel 16:38 (= Ezekiel 23:45 of human judges); with accusative 1 Samuel 3:13; Psalm 51:5; Ezekiel 11:10,11; Ezekiel 21:35; Ezekiel 35:11. (2) of man, only שֹׁפְטֵי נַפְשׁוֺ Psalm 109:31 and Ezekiel 23:45 above, probably also Psalm 141:6 (corrupt).

d. at theophanic advent for final judgment: God is שֹׁפֵט Psalm 50:6; Psalm 75:8; שׁפט הארץ Psalm 94:2, with accusative בא לשׁפט הארץ Psalm 96:13 = 1 Chronicles 16:33; Psalm 98:9; הארץ ׳שׁ Psalm 82:8; כל הנוים Joel 4:12; עמים Psalm 67:5; תבל Psalm 9:9; Psalm 96:13 = Psalm 98:9; מישׁרים ׳שׁ Psalm 75:3.

Niph`al Perfect1singular נִשְׁמַּטְתִּי Ezekiel 20:36 4t.; Imperfect1singular אִשָּׁפֵט Ezekiel 20:36; אִשָּֽׁפְטָה 1 Samuel 12:7, etc.; Infinitive construct חִשָּׁפֵט2Chronicles 22:8; suffix הִשָּֽׁפְטוֺ Psalm 37:33; Psalm 109:7; Participle נִשְׁמָּט Isaiah 59:4 4t.; —

1 reciprocal, (Ges^{§ 51d}), enter into controversy, plead: with אֵת with, of God Jeremiah 2:35; Ezekiel 17:20; Ezekiel 20:35,36 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 38:22; of man 1 Samuel 12:7 (+ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם ᵐ5 We Dr Bu^Hpt Now), Proverbs 29:9; with עִם, of God Joel 4:2, of man 2Chronicles 22:8; with ל, of God Jeremiah 25:31; יחד ׳נשׁ Isaiah 43:26 have controversy together; באשׁ by fire (of God) Isaiah 66:16; באמונה Isaiah 59:4.

2 passive be judged, Psalm 9:20; Psalm 37:33; Psalm 109:7.

Pô`el Participle suffix מְשֹׁפְטִי (dubious; Hi Bu מִשְׁמָּטִי), = my apponent-at-law (Ges^{§ 55b}) Job 9:15; + Zf Job 3:15; Psalm 109:31 We and others

[שְׁפַט] verb judge (Biblical Hebrew שָׁפַט); — Participle as plural noun absolute שָֽׁפְמִין Ezra 7:25 judges.

שַׁמִּיר see שׁפר. below