H8216 H8216
Low estate, lowly condition, state of humiliation or low social status
This noun describes a condition of lowliness, whether social, economic, or circumstantial. Psalm 136:23 celebrates God who 'remembered us in our low estate,' recalling Israel's oppression in Egypt or exile. Ecclesiastes 10:6 contrasts folly set 'in high places' while the rich sit 'in a low place,' depicting social inversion. The term emphasizes degraded circumstances or humble status rather than moral lowliness. It stands in direct opposition to 'heights' or 'high places' in both contexts.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A state of being brought low, whether through oppression, poverty, or circumstances beyond one's control. The Psalm usage recalls national humiliation, while Ecclesiastes addresses social status. Spanish uses 'humillación' (humiliation) and 'lo bajo' (the low place), capturing both the emotional and positional dimensions. The categorization under Authority/Rule > Status reflects the term's connection to social hierarchy and power dynamics, though it can also denote general adversity. 2×
AR["الَّذِي-بِـ-ضَعْفِنَا", "بَ-شِّفِل"]·ben["নীচ-স্থানে", "যে-নীচতায়-আমাদের"]·DE["[בשפל]", "der-in-unser-lowliness"]·EN["in-lowliness", "who-in-our-lowliness"]·FR["abaissement", "בשפל"]·heb["ב-שפל", "שׁ-ב-שפלנו"]·HI["नीचे", "हमारी-नीच-अवस्था-में-जिसने"]·ID["Yang-dalam-kehinaan-kami", "di-tempat-rendah"]·IT["[שבשפלנו]", "nel-in-lowliness"]·jav["Ingkang-ing-andhaping-kita", "ing-ngandhap"]·KO["낮음-에서", "우리-의-비천함-에서"]·PT["Que-em-nossa-humilhação", "na-baixeza"]·RU["Кто-в-унижении-нашем", "в-низости"]·ES["Que-en-nuestra-humillación", "en-lo-bajo"]·SW["katika-nafasi-za-chini", "katika-unyonge-wetu"]·TR["alcakta", "alçaklığımızda"]·urd["میں-پستی", "کہ-ہماری-پستی-میں"]
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† שֵׁ֫פֶל n.[m.] low estate, condition;—abs. שׁ׳ Ec 10:6 (opp. מְרוֹמִים); sf. שִׁפְלֵנוּ ψ 136:23.