H8194 H8194
cheese, or possibly cream; a dairy product provided to David's men during Absalom's rebellion
This noun of uncertain meaning denotes some kind of dairy product, traditionally understood as cheese. It appears in 2 Samuel 17:29 in the list of provisions brought to David and his men at Mahanaim when they fled from Absalom. The term may derive from a root meaning 'to skim off,' leading to interpretations like 'cream' or 'curds,' though ancient versions and rabbinic tradition support 'cheese.' The uncertainty reflects the word's rarity, though the context clearly indicates nourishing dairy provisions.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A dairy product, likely cheese, provided among supplies to David's army. The construct form שפות (shepot) appears with 'of the herd' (שפות בקר) in 2 Samuel 17:29. English renders 'and-cheese-of,' Spanish 'y-quesos-de' (and cheeses of), French 'et-cheese-de,' and German 'und-cheese-von.' This provision appears alongside wheat, barley, flour, honey, butter, sheep, and other foodstuffs brought by supporters when David arrived at Mahanaim fleeing Absalom. The dairy product complemented the grain and other protein sources, ensuring the hungry, weary army had substantial nourishment. Whether firm cheese or rich curds, it represented portable, high-value nutrition appropriate for feeding troops. 1×
AR["وَ-جُبْنَةَ"]·ben["এবং-পনির"]·DE["und-cheese-von"]·EN["and-cheese-of"]·FR["et-cheese-de"]·heb["ו-שפות"]·HI["और-पनीर"]·ID["dan-keju"]·IT["e-cheese-di"]·jav["lan-keju"]·KO["그리고-치즈"]·PT["e-queijos-de"]·RU["и-сыры"]·ES["y-quesos-de"]·SW["na-jibini"]·TR["ve-peynirleri"]·urd["اور-پنیر"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† שְׁפוֹת (Köii. 1. 186) n.f. dub., perhaps cream (as skimmed off? cf. WetzstZAW iii (1883), 276 f., who connects with Arabic شِفَايَةٌ cream, and this with √ شفا take off the top (but שׁ = ش ?); EV cheese (after 𝔖 𝔗, cf. ARSKEB 3091));—cstr. שְׁפוֹת בָּקָר 2 S 17:29 cream of the herd (+ דְּבַשׁ וְחֶמְאָה וְצֹאן), cf. Now Bu; 𝔊L HPS calves.