שָׁפַךְ113 H8210
To pour out, shed, or spill — liquid, blood, wrath, or spirit; covering ritual libation, violent bloodshed, passive outpouring, metaphorical effusion, and reflexive dissolution
Shafakh is Hebrew's verb of irreversible outpouring — once liquid leaves the vessel, it cannot be gathered back. This physical finality gives the word its devastating moral weight in the phrase shafakh dam ('pour out blood'), the Bible's primary idiom for homicide. The same root that describes a Levite pouring sacrificial blood at the altar base (Lev 4:7) also indicts murderers who 'shed innocent blood' (Deut 19:10; Isa 59:7). The Arabic cognate safaka preserves the same blood-shedding specialization, while the Assyrian shapaku reveals yet another direction: pouring earth to build a siege mound. In the prophets, God 'pours out' his wrath like liquid fire, and in Lamentations, the poet's very soul 'pours itself out' in grief — the Hitpael reflexive capturing dissolution from within.
5. pour out (wrath/spirit) — To pour out wrath, fury, or spirit (Qal metaphorical, 5x): an abstract extension where the 'liquid' poured is God's anger, indignation, or Spirit. Spanish derramará ('will pour out') and French répandre retain the pouring imagery applied to non-physical objects. Prophetic judgment oracles dominate: God will 'pour out' his fury on Jerusalem (Ezek 7:8; 9:8; 14:19; 20:8, 13, 21), and Joel promises God will 'pour out' his Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28-29, quoted in Acts 2:17-18). The metaphor depends on the irreversibility of sense 1 — once wrath is poured, there is no retrieving it. 5×
AR["فَانْسَكَبَتْ","وَ-اسْكُبُوا","وَ-يَسْفُكُ","وَأَقَامُوا","يَسْكُبُ"]·ben["এবং-ঢালবে","এবং-ঢালো","এবং-ঢেলে-দিল","সে-ঢালবে"]·DE["ausgiessen","und-ausgiessen","und-goss","und-goss-heraus","und-lass-giessen-heraus"]·EN["and-let-pour-out","and-pour-out","and-poured","and-poured-out","he-shall-pile-up"]·FR["et-laisse-verser-dehors","et-répandre","et-versa","et-versa-dehors","répandre"]·heb["ו-ישפוך","ו-ישפכו","ו-שפך","ו-שפכו","ישפוך"]·HI["और-डाला","और-डालो","और-बहाई","डालेगा","तो-बहाएगा"]·ID["akan-menimbun","dan-mencurahkan","dan-mereka-mencurahkan","dan-timbunlah","harus-mencurahkan"]·IT["e-lascia-versare-fuori","e-versare","e-versò","e-versò-fuori","versare"]·jav["ing-piyambakipun","lan-ngesok","lan-nucrahaken","lan-suntaka"]·KO["그리고-쌓아라","그리고-쌓았다","그리고-쏟아내다","그리고-쏟을-것이다","쌓지"]·PT["derramará","e-derramai","e-derramaram","e-derramará","e-derramou"]·RU["и-вылились","и-выльет","и-насыпайте","и-насыпали","насыплет"]·ES["levantará","y-derramaron","y-derramará","y-derramó","y-levantad"]·SW["atamwaga","hatajenga","na-mchimbe","na-wakajenga","na-yakamwagika"]·TR["doker","ve-dökecek","ve-döktü","ve-döktüler","ve-dökün"]·urd["اور-بہائیں","اور-بہائے","اور-ڈالا","اور-ڈالو","ڈالے-گا"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. pour out (liquid/libation) — To pour out a liquid or libation (Qal active, 59x): the basic physical sense of emptying a vessel — water, oil, blood, or a drink offering — typically in ritual or everyday contexts. Spanish derramar ('to spill, pour'), French répandre ('to spread, pour'), and German ausgiessen ('to pour out') all converge on this core meaning. Dominates the Levitical sacrificial system: blood poured at the altar base (Lev 4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34), water poured on the ground (Deut 12:16, 24), and Moses pouring anointing oil (Exod 29:12). The Gideon narrative has the broth poured out before the angel (Judg 6:20), and Elijah's contest on Carmel involves water poured on the altar (1 Kgs 18:28). 59×
AR["أَسكُبُ","أَسْكُبُ","سَافِكِي","فَ-أَسْكُبُ","لِأَسْكُبَ","لِسَفْكِهِ","لِيَسْكُبَ","وَ-أَسْكُبُ","وَأَسْكُبُ","يَسْكُبُ"]·ben["আমি-ঢেলে-দেব","আর-আমি-ঢালি","আর-আমি-ঢেলে-দেব","এবং-আমি-ঢালব","এবং-ঢালব-আমি","ও-ঢালব-আমি","ঢালতে","ঢালব","ঢালুক","ঢেলে-দেওয়া"]·DE["ausgiessen","er-soll-giessen","goss-aus","und-ausgiessen","und-goss-aus","zu-goss-aus"]·EN["I-shall-pour-out","I-will-pour","I-will-pour-out","and-I-pour-out","and-I-will-pour","and-I-will-pour-out","he-shall-pour","to-pour-out","to-shed","to-shed-"]·FR["et-répandre","il-devra-verser","pour-il-a-répandu","répandre"]·heb["אשפוֹך","אשפוך","ו-שפכתי","ישפוך","ל-שפוך"]·HI["उंडेलने-के-लिए","उंडेलूँगा","उंडेले","उण्डेलने","और-उंडेलूँगा","और-उंडेलूंगा","और-उंडेलूंगा-मैं","और-उण्डेलूँगा-मैं","और-मैं-उंडेलूँगा","बहाने-","बहाने-को","मैं-डालूंगा"]·ID["Aku-akan-mencurahkan","Dan-Aku-akan-mencurahkan","dan-Aku-akan-mencurahkan","dan-Aku-mencurahkan","ia-akan-mencurahkan","untuk-mencurahkan","untuk-menuang","untuk-menumpahkan"]·IT["e-versare","versare","versera"]·jav["Kawula-badhé-nucuraken","Kawula-ngesok","Kawula-ngesokaken","Lan-Ingsun-badhé-ngesokaken","Lan-Kawula-badhe-ngesokaken","Lan-Kula-badhé-ngesok","kangge-ngesokaken","kangge-nyuntakaken","kanggé-ngundhuh","lan-Kula-ngesokaken","lan-ngesokaken-Kawula","ngesok","supados-mbucal-","supados-ngesokaken"]·KO["-쏟기-위한-","그-가-붓으라","그리고-내가-붓으리라","그리고-내가-쏟으리라","그리고-붓을-것이다-내가","그리고-쏟으리라","내가-부어-주리라","내가-붓으리라","붓으리라","쏟기-위하여","쏟기-위한","쏟기-위해","에게-쏟기","흘리는-것에"]·PT["E-derramarei","derramarei","derramará","e-derramar","e-derramarei","para-derramar"]·RU["вал","выльет","и-изолью","излить","изолью","на-них","проливать","разрывающие"]·ES["Y-derramaré","derramará","derramaré","para-derramar","y-derramare","y-derramaré"]·SW["Na-nitamimina","Na-nitamwaga","atamwaga","kumwaga","na-nitamimina","na-nitamwaga","nitamimina","nitamwaga"]·TR["dökecek","dökeceğim","dökmek","dökmek-için","dökmekte","ve-dökeceğim","ve-dökersem","yığmak-için"]·urd["انڈیلنا","اور-انڈیلوں-گا","اور-انڈیلوں-گا-میں","اور-اُنڈیلوں","اور-اُنڈیلوں-گا","اور-اُنڈیلوں-گا-میں","اُنڈیلوں-گا","بہاؤں-گا","بہانے-کو","ڈالے","ڈھلنے-کو"]
Exod 4:9, Lev 4:7, Lev 4:18, Lev 4:25, Lev 4:30, Lev 4:34, Lev 14:41, Deut 12:16, Deut 12:24, Deut 15:23, 1 Sam 1:15, 1 Sam 7:6 (+38 more)
2. shed (blood) — To shed blood (Qal, 34x): a specialized collocation with dam ('blood') forming the Bible's primary idiom for killing and bloodguilt. Arabic safaka (the direct cognate) preserves this identical blood-shedding specialization, confirming the antiquity of the collocation. German Blut vergiessen and Spanish derramar sangre similarly treat 'shedding blood' as a fixed expression. Foundational in Gen 9:6 ('whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed'), extended through the bloodguilt laws (Num 35:33; Deut 21:7), and weaponized by the prophets against unjust rulers (Ezek 22:3, 6, 27). The participial form shofekh dam functions nearly as a legal term: 'blood-shedder.' 34×
AR["إِلَى-سَفْكِ-","تَسْفِكُوا","سَافِكَ","سَافِكَةُ","سَافِكِهِ","سَفَكوا","سَفَكَ","سَفَكَهُ","سَفَكُوهُ","سَفَكْتَ","سَفَكْتِ","سَفْكِ","لِ-سَفْكِ"]·ben["ঝরিয়েছে","ঢালকারী","ঢালতে","ঢালতে-","ঢালবে","ঢালা","ঢালেছ","ঢালেছিল","ঢেলে-দিয়েছে","ঢেলেছ","ঢেলেছ-তুমি","ঢেলেছিলেন","তোমরা-ঢাল","বহালেন","যে-ঢালে","যে-ঢেলেছে-তার।"]·DE["ausgiessen","er-shed","goss-aus","sein-shedder","shed","zu-goss-aus"]·EN["he-shed","its-shedder","shed","shedder-of","shedding","shedding-","they-shed","to-shed","you-have-shed","you-shall-pour-out","you-shed"]·FR["il-a-répandu","il-shed","il-versa","répandre","son-shedder","tu-as-répandu","versa","à-verser"]·heb["ל-שפוך","שופך","שופכת","שפך","שפכו","שפכוּ","שפכת","תשפכו"]·HI["बहाओ","बहाने-","बहाने-को-","बहाने-वाले","बहानेको","बहानेवाला","बहानेवाली","बहाया","बहाया-उन्होंने","बहाया-तूने","बहाया-था"]·ID["ditumpahkan","engkau-menumpahkan","ia-tumpahkan","kamu-tumpahkan","kautumpahkan","menumpahkan","mereka-tumpahkan","penumpah","penumpahnya","telah-ditumpahkan","untuk-menumpahkan","untuk-menumpahkan-","yang-menumpahkan"]·IT["a-versare","egli-shed","egli-versò","per-versare","suo-shedder","versare","versò"]·jav["ingkang-mbucal","ingkang-ngesokaken","kangge-nucuraken","kanggé-ngetokaken","mbucal-","ngesokaken","ngu-crah","ngucuraken","numpahaken","panjenengan-bucal","panjenengan-ngsok","piyambakipun-ngesokaken","piyambakipun-wutahaken","sampun-ngesokaken-sampeyan","sira-wutahaken"]·KO["그들이-흘린","네가-흘렸다","쇟아-붓으려고-","쏟기-","쏟는","쏟았다-너는","쏟은","콟는-자-그의","쾀다","흘렸다","흘렸던","흘렸음-이라","흘리-기-위해","흘리는","흘리라","흘리지"]·PT["derramador-de-","derramando","derramar","derramaram","derramardes","derramaste","derrameis","derramou","o-que-derrama","para-derramar"]·RU["которую","проливайте","проливал-ты","проливать","проливать-","проливать-чтобы","проливающего","проливающего-её","проливающий","пролил","пролили","пролили-они","чтобы"]·ES["a-derramar","derramador-de","derramar","derramaron","derramaste","derramen","derraméis","derramó","el-que-la-derrama","que-derrama"]·SW["alimwaga","anayemwaga","baba-yangu","kumwaga","mwage","mwenye-kumwaga","ulimwaga","umemwaga","unaomwaga","walimwaga"]·TR["dokmek-icin-","dök","döken","dökenin","dökmek","dökmek-için-","dökmezseniz","döktü","döktüklerinin","döktüler","döktün","ve-dökerse"]·urd["بہاؤ","بہائیں-","بہانے-والا","بہانے-والے-کے","بہانے-کو","بہایا","بہایا-انہوں-نے","بہایا-اُس-نے","بہایا-منسّی-نے","تو-نے-بہایا","تو-نے-بہایا-ہے"]
Gen 9:6, Gen 37:22, Lev 17:4, Num 35:33, Deut 21:7, Deut 21:7, 1 Sam 25:31, 1 Kgs 2:31, 1 Kgs 18:28, 2 Kgs 21:16, 2 Kgs 24:4, 1 Chr 22:8 (+22 more)
3. be poured out (Qal passive) — To be poured out (Qal passive, 8x): passive forms of the Qal where the subject undergoes the pouring — blood that was shed, liquid that was spilled. Spanish derramada (feminine passive) and French a été répandu ('was poured') confirm the passive reading. Distinguished from the Nifal (sense 4) by morphological form: these are participial and perfect constructions functioning as true Qal passives. Appears in the bloodguilt law of Num 35:33 (blood 'shed' in the land), Lamentations' imagery of wrath poured out (Lam 2:4; 4:11), and the psalmist's lament that his steps 'nearly slipped' — literally, his feet 'were poured out' (Ps 73:2). 8×
AR["(انْزَلَقَتْ)","[انْزَلَقَتْ]","سَكَبَ","سُفِكَ-","مَسْكُوبٍ","وَ-يُسْفَكُ"]·ben["(ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হয়েছিল)","[ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হয়েছিল]","এবং-ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হবে","ক্রোধ","ঢেলে-দিয়েছেন","ঢেলে-দিলেন","ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হয়েছে-","রাজত্ব-করব-আমি"]·DE["[ketiv:had-ausgegossen-out]","ausgiessen","goss-aus","hatte-ausgegossen-heraus","und-goss-aus","war-shed-"]·EN["He-poured-out","[ketiv:had-poured-out]","and-will-be-poured-out","had-poured-out","poured-out","was-shed-"]·FR["et-il-a-répandu","répandre","était-shed-"]·heb["(שופכו)","[שפכה]","ו-שופך","שפוכה","שפך"]·HI["उंडेल-दिया","उण्डेला-हुआ","और-उण्डेला-जाएगा","फिसल-गए-थे","बहाया-गया"]·ID["Ia-mencurahkan","dan-dicurahkan","ditumpahkan-","tercurah","terperosok"]·IT["e-versare","fu-shed-","versare","verso'"]·jav["Panjenengan-ngesokaken","dipunsok-","kasoki","keplesed","lan-kaesok"]·KO["그-가-부었네","그리고-쏟아질-것이다","미끄러졌나이다","쏟아진","쏳아진다"]·PT["derramada","derramou","e-será-derramado","escorregaram"]·RU["буду-царствовать","и-будет-пролита","излил","облились","пролита-"]·ES["[se-derramaron]","derramada","ha-derramado","se-derrama","se-derramaron","y-será-derramada"]·SW["(zilitelezeleka)","[zilitelezeleka]","amemwaga","ilimwagwa-","iliyomwagwa","na-itamwagwa"]·TR["[döküldü]","döktü","döküldü","dökülmüş","ve-dökülecek"]·urd["(پھسل-گئے)","[پھسل-گئے]","انڈیلا","انڈیلے-ہوئے","اور-بہایا-جائے-گا","بہایا-گیا"]
4. be poured out (Nifal passive) — To be poured out (Nifal, 8x): the grammatically marked passive stem, expressing the state of having been poured or shed. German ausgegossen (past participle) and Spanish fue derramada ('was poured') mark the passive orientation. Appears in the talion formula of Gen 9:6 (the murderer's blood 'shall be shed'), Deuteronomic altar law where blood 'shall be poured' on the ground (Deut 12:27), and prophetic narratives — the altar at Bethel splits and ashes 'are poured out' as a sign of divine judgment (1 Kgs 13:3, 5). The Nifal and Qal passive (sense 3) cover overlapping semantic territory but are grammatically distinct stems. 8×
AR["انْسَكَبَ","انْسَكَبْتُ","انْسِكَابِ","وَ-انْسَكَبَ","وَ-يُنْسَكِبُ","يُسْفَكُ","يُسْكَبُ"]·ben["আমি-ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হয়েছি","এবং-ঢালা-হয়েছে","এবং-ঢালা-হল","ঢালা-হবে","ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হবে","ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হয়েছে"]·DE["ausgiessen","goss-aus","ich-bin-ausgegossen","soll-sein-goss-heraus","soll-sein-shed","und-goss-heraus","vergossen-werden"]·EN["I-am-poured-out","and-poured-out","being-poured-out","is-poured-out","shall-be-poured-out","shall-be-shed"]·FR["--être-répandu","devra-être-shed","devra-être-versa-dehors","et-versa-dehors","le-il-a-répandu","répandre"]·heb["הישפך","ו-יישפך","ו-נשפך","יישפך","ישפך","נשפך","נשפכתי"]·HI["उंडेला-गया","उंडेला-गया-मैं","और-उडेली","और-उडेलेगी","बहाई-गई","बहाया-जाएगा","बहाया-जायेगा"]·ID["akan-ditumpahkan","dan-tercurah","dicurahkan","ditumpahkan","tercurah"]·IT["dovra-essere-shed","dovra-essere-verso-fuori","e-versò-fuori","shall-essere-shed","versare","verso'"]·jav["badhe-dipun-grocogaken","bakal-dipunsok","dipun-soki","kedah-dipun-esokaken","kula-dipun-kawuraken","lan-badhé-kawutahaken","lan-kawutahaken","sampun-kasok"]·KO["그리고-쏟아졌다","그리고-쏟아지리라","봓으리라","쏏아졌네","쏟아졌다","쏟아졌음이라","쏟아지리라","흘림-받을-것이다"]·PT["derramou-se","e-derramou-se","e-será-derramada","foi-derramada","fui-derramado","será-derramado"]·RU["выливай","и-высыпался","и-высыплется","изливалась","излилась","прольётся","я-разлит"]·ES["fue-derramada","fui-derramado","se-ha-derramado","será-derramada","y-se-derramó","y-será-derramada"]·SW["Umemwagika","ilimwagwa","itamwagwa","mwagwe","na-itamwagika","na-yakamwagika","nimemwagika"]·TR["döküldü","döküldüm","dökülecek","dökülmesinin","ve-döküldü","ve-dökülecek"]·urd["انڈیلا-جائے-گا","انڈیلا-گیا","اور-بکھری","اور-بکھرے-گی","بہایا-جائے","بہایا-جائے-گا","بہایا-گیا","بہایا-گیا-میں"]
6. pour itself out (Hitpael reflexive) — To pour itself out (Hitpael reflexive, 3x): the reflexive stem describing something — a soul, life-force, or substance — flowing out of its own accord. Spanish derramarse ('to pour itself out') and French se répandre ('to spread/pour oneself') confirm the reflexive dimension. In Job 30:16, Job's soul 'pours itself out within him' — inner dissolution. In Lam 2:12, children's lives 'pour out' in their mothers' arms — a harrowing image of death as spillage. In Lam 4:1, gold 'pours itself out' in the streets — sacred objects scattered like refuse. Each occurrence transforms physical pouring into an image of irreversible loss. 3×
AR["انْسَكَبَتْ","تَنسكِبُ","عِنْدَ-انْسِكَابِ"]·ben["ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হয়","ঢেলে-দেওয়া-হয়েছে","যখন-ঢেলে-দেয়"]·DE["goss-aus"]·EN["are-poured-out","pours-out","when-pours-out"]·FR["répandre","verser"]·heb["ב-השתפך","תשתפך","תשתפכנה"]·HI["उंडेलता-है","उंडेलती-हुई","बिखरे-हैं"]·ID["dicurahkan","ketika-tercurah","tercurah"]·IT["versare"]·jav["kaesok","nalika-nyawa-ipun-kasok","sami-kasok"]·KO["쏏아졌네","쏏아짐-에서-그들-의","쏟아진다"]·PT["ao-derramar-se","derrama-se","são-derramadas"]·RU["изливается","изливая","рассыпались"]·ES["al-derramarse","se-derrama","se-han-derramado"]·SW["Zimemwagika","inamwagika","nafsi-zao-zinapomwagika"]·TR["dökülürken","dökülürler","dökülüyor"]·urd["انڈیلتے-ہوئے","انڈیلی جاتی ہے","بکھرے-ہوئے-ہیں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
שָׁפַךְ113 vb. pour out, pour (NH id.; Assyrian šapâku, pour out, especially (DlWB JenKosmol. 41) earth, to form mound; Arabic سَفَكَ pour out, cf. سَبَكَ melt and pour into mould; Ethiopic ሰበከ: Aramaic שְׁפַךְ, ܫܦܰܟ (rare) = BH);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. שׁ׳ 1 K 2:31 +; 3 fs. sf. שְׁפָכַ֫תְהוּ Ez 24:7, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִשְׁפֹּךְ 2 K 19:32 +; 2 ms. sf. 3 ms. תִּשְׁפְּכֶנּוּ Dt 12:16 +, etc.; Imv. ms.…