Original Word: שָׂפָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: saphah
Pronunciation: sah-fah'
Phonetic Spelling: (saw-faw')
KJV: band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, ((sea-))shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words
NASB: lips, edge, speech, bank, brim, language, babbling
Word Origin: [probably from H5595 (סָפָה - swept away) or H8192 (שָׁפָה - bare) through the idea of termination]

1. the lip (as a natural boundary)
2. (by implication) language
3. (by analogy) a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)

band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language,

Or (in dual and plural) sepheth {sef-eth'}; probably from caphah or shaphah through the idea of termination (compare cowph); the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.) -- band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, ((sea-))shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.

see HEBREW caphah

see HEBREW shaphah

see HEBREW cowph

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
lip, speech, edge
NASB Translation
babbling (2), bank (10), binding (2), brim (9), edge (17), empty (2), gossip* (1), language (6), lip (1), lip service (1), lips (100), mere (1), seashore* (7), shore (1), speech (12), talk (1), talkative (1), words (2).

שָׂפָה₁₇₆ noun feminine [masculine Exodus 28:32, edge, compare Albr^{ZAW xvi (1896), 76}], lip, speech, edge; — absolute ׳שׂ Genesis 11:1 +, construct שְׂפַת Genesis 11:7 +; suffix שְׂפָתוֺ 1 Kings 7:23 +, etc.; oftener dual שְׂפָתַיִם Isaiah 6:5 +, construct שִׂפְתֵי Psalm 12:4 +; suffix שְׂפָתַי Jeremiah 17:16 +, suffix 3 masculine plural שְׂפָתֵימוֺ Psalm 59:13; Psalm 140:4; Psalm 140:10, etc.; plural (in poetry and late) construct שִׂפְתוֺת Ecclesiastes 10:12, suffix שִׂפְתוֺתֶיךָ etc. Psalm 45:3; Psalm 59:8; Isaiah 59:3; Songs 4:3,11; Songs 5:13; —

1 lip:

a. usually (c. 108 t.) human organ of speech (often "" מֶּה, לָשׁוֺן rarely [only late poetry] חֵךְ: 10 t. Job; 25t. Psalms; 45t. Proverbs): (1) Isaiah 29:13; Leviticus 5:4 (P), Job 13:6; Malachi 2:6; Psalm 12:5; Proverbs 5:3 +; ׳דַּל שׂ Psalm 141:3 (see דָּל); ׳אִישׁ שׂ Job 11:2 = a talker, ׳אֱוִיל שׂ Proverbs 10:8 #NAME? Proverbs 10:10 (ᵑ0; but see Toy); טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם Isaiah 6:5 (twice in verse) compare Isaiah 6:7; Daniel 10:16; ׳עֲרַל שׂ Exodus 6:12,30 (P; unskilled in speech); ׳עִקֵּשׁ שׂ Exodus 19:1; ׳מֹּתֶה שׂ Exodus 20:19 see [ מָּתָה] p. 834; ׳מוֺצָא שׂ i.e. utterance, Deuteronomy 23:24; Jeremiah 17:16; Numbers 30:13 (P), Psalm 89:35, ׳רוּחַ שׂ Isaiah 11:4 (of Messianic king), ׳דְּבַר שׂ Psalm 59:13; Proverbs 14:23 +, = mere, empty, word 2 Kings 18:20 = Isaiah 36:5; ׳תְּבוּאַת שׂ Proverbs 18:20, ׳נוב שׂ Isaiah 57:19 (thanksgiving), compare Hosea 14:3 (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 and most מְּדִי for מָּרִים); of flattery, ׳חֵלֶק שׂ Proverbs 7:21, שְׂפַת חֲלָקוֺת Psalm 12:3; Psalm 12:4; compare שִׂפְתֵי מִרְמָה Psalm 17:1, שֶׁקֶר ׳שׂ Psalm 31:9 4t., שְׂפַת אָוֶן Proverbs 17:4; poison beneath (compare לָשׁוֺן) Psalm 140:4 (figurative); ׳מֶּשַׁע שׂ Proverbs 12:13; ׳לְזוּת שׂ Proverbs 4:24; אֱמֶת ׳שׂ Proverbs 12:19, יָ֑תֶר ׳שׂ Proverbs 17:7, צֶדֶק ׳שׂ Proverbs 16:13, דַּעַת ׳שׂ Proverbs 14:7; Proverbs 20:15; ׳חֵן שׂ Proverbs 22:11; שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה Zephaniah 3:9; רְנָנוֺת ׳שׂ Psalm 63:5 i.e. lips that shout for joy; with verbs: ׳מָּתַח שׂ (to speak) Job 11:5; Job 30:20 (Gi Job 30:21), compare Psalm 51:17, ׳מִפְתַּח שׂ Proverbs 8:6; ׳מָּשַׁק שׂ Proverbs 13:3 i.e. prate; מָֽלְאוּ זַעַם ׳שׂ Isaiah 30:27; ׳שׂ subject of דִּבֶּר Isaiah 59:3; Proverbs 24:2; ׳נָשָׂא עַלשֿׂ Psalm 16:14; ׳קָרַץ שׂ Proverbs 16:30 = backbite; ׳אָטַם שׂ Proverbs 17:28 #NAME?׳חָשַׂךְ שׂ Proverbs 10:19, כָּלָא ׳שׂ Psalm 40:10. (2) lips moving in speech, with נוּעַ 1 Samuel 1:13, נִיד Job 16:5. (3) transition to meaning speech, עָלָה עַלשְֿׂפַת לָשׁוֺן Ezekiel 36:3; = ability to speak Job 12:20.

b. organ of laughter Job 8:21.

c. of insulting grimace ׳הִפְטִיר בְּשׂ Psalm 22:8.

d. quivering in terror Habakkuk 3:16.

e. feature of beauty Songs 4:3 (scarlet).

f. place of bridle 2 Kings 19:28 = Isaiah 37:29 (see מֶתֶג).

g. receiving kiss Proverbs 24:26 compare Songs 4:11 and (in figurative) Songs 7:10.

h. of divine speech, ׳מִצְוַת שׂ Job 23:12, ׳דְּבַר שׂ Psalm 17:4.

2 language (see לָשׁוֺן), Genesis 11:1,6,7 (twice in verse); Genesis 11:9; Psalm 81:6; ׳עַם עִמְקֵי שׂ Ezekiel 3:5,6; Isaiah 33:19, ׳לַעֲגֵי שׂ Isaiah 28:11; שְׂפַת כְּנַעַן Isaiah 19:18 (i.e. Hebrew).

3 edge: shore of sea Genesis 22:17 (J) + 7 t.; bank of river Genesis 41:3,17 (E) + 5 t., of wady (נַחַל) Deuteronomy 2:36 7t.; lip (bank) of אָבֵל מְחוֺלָה Judges 7:22 compare GASm^{G 400}; brim of vessel 1 Kings 7:23 (twice in verse) + 7 t.; edge of altar Ezekiel 43:13; of curtains (in pairs) Exodus 26:4 (twice in verse) (P) + 6 t.; of חשֶׁן, toward ephod Exodus 28:26 = Exodus 39:19 (P); of round opening in robe (יִהְיֶה) לְפִיו ׳שׂ Exodus 28:32 = Exodus 39:23 (P).

Range of Meaning

The noun שָׂפָה (saphah) moves easily from the literal organ of speech (“lip”) to figurative extensions such as “language,” “speech,” “edge,” “shore,” or “border.” These senses are inter-connected: the lip is the physical boundary of the mouth, so saphah readily describes any boundary or the speech that issues from within the mouth. Its distribution stretches from the Torah through the Prophets and Writings, appearing in narrative, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, and legal contexts.

Literal Anatomy: Human Lips

In its most concrete sense saphah denotes the physical lip:

• “And Laban said, ‘What have you done? You have deceived me and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword… and not allowed me to kiss my sons and daughters?’ ” (Genesis 31:26–28).
• Priestly concerns include leprosy affecting “the lip of the garment” (Leviticus 13:45), highlighting the lip as a border even on clothing.
• Ezekiel describes the exiles as “speaking with smooth lips” (Ezekiel 33:31), showing how literal anatomy shades into character assessment.

Speech, Language, and Communication

Because the lip forms words, saphah often represents language itself:

• Pre-Babel unity: “Now the whole earth had one language and a common form of speech” (Genesis 11:1).
• Post-Babel judgment: “Come, let Us go down and confuse their language” (Genesis 11:7).
• Eschatological reversal: “Then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:9).
• International relations: When Hezekiah’s envoys ask the Assyrian field commander to speak Aramaic rather than “the language of the people” (2 Kings 18:26), saphah underscores political sensitivity over common speech.

Truth, Deception, and Wisdom

Proverbs, Psalms, and Job mine the ethical dimension of saphah:

• “Lying lips are detestable to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight” (Proverbs 12:22).
• “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
• “My lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will not utter deceit” (Job 27:4).

These texts show personal holiness expressed through speech. Fidelity in words reflects fidelity to God, whereas deceitful lips invite divine displeasure (Psalm 120:2–3).

Worship: Praise and Petition

Saphah frequently bears liturgical weight:

• “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise” (Psalm 51:15).
• “Offer the sacrifice of praise with the fruit of lips that confess His name” (paralleled in Hebrews 13:15).
• In priestly service: “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth” (Malachi 2:7).

Thus, lips become instruments of covenant devotion, aligning personal speech with God’s revealed standards.

Prophetic Transformation and Judgment

Prophets leverage the term to expose sin and promise cleansing:

• Isaiah’s vision: “Woe to me… I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5) portrays moral pollution remedied by atoning coal (Isaiah 6:6-7).
• Jeremiah laments false prophets: “Peace, peace, they say with their lips, but there is no peace” (cf. Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11).
• Purification promise: Zephaniah 3:9 (quoted above) foresees unified, sanctified saphah under Messiah’s reign.

Edges, Borders, and Shores

Saphah refers to physical boundaries:

• Riverbanks: Moses is rescued from “the bank of the Nile” (Exodus 2:5).
• City walls: Rahab’s scarlet cord is tied in her window on “the edge” of Jericho’s wall (Joshua 2:18).
• Garment borders: Covenantal tassels are placed on “the edge of their garments” (Numbers 15:38).
• Altar rims and temple architecture employ saphah to specify precise measurements (1 Kings 7:23-26).

Such usage accents God’s concern for ordered spaces, whether natural or cultic.

Covenant Community and National Identity

Speech binds God’s people together. The unified “lip” at Babel became fragmented through sin, but Israel is called to recover unity through obedient lips:

• Collective confession on entering covenant (Deuteronomy 23:23).
• Corporate worship in temple praise (Psalm 34:1).
• Eschatological promise of one purified language (Zephaniah 3:9) that anticipates Pentecost, where diverse tongues proclaim one gospel.

Implications for Ministry

1. Guarded Speech: Leaders must model truthful lips (Proverbs 16:13) and instruct the flock to avoid slander (Ephesians 4:29 echoes Old Testament wisdom).
2. Prayer and Praise: Worship planners can employ Psalms featuring saphah to cultivate gospel-shaped liturgy.
3. Evangelism and Missions: Zephaniah’s promise encourages linguistic outreach, trusting God to gather all nations into one confessing voice.
4. Discipleship: Teaching the ethical link between heart and lips (Luke 6:45) roots New Testament practice in Old Testament theology.
5. Holistic Theology: The semantic field of saphah integrates anthropology (physical lips), ethics (speech), ecclesiology (common confession), and eschatology (future unity), displaying Scripture’s coherence.

Representative Occurrences

Genesis 11:1; 11:6-7

Exodus 2:5

Leviticus 13:45

Numbers 15:38

Deuteronomy 23:23

Joshua 2:18

1 Kings 7:23-26

2 Kings 18:26

Psalm 34:1; 40:3; 51:15; 141:3

Proverbs 12:22; 16:13

Isaiah 6:5-7; 28:11; 57:19

Jeremiah 6:14

Ezekiel 33:31

Zephaniah 3:9

Malachi 2:7

בְ֝שָׂפָ֗ה בְּשְׂפְתוֹתֶ֑יךָ בְּשִׂפְתֵ֣י בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם בִּשְׂפַ֣ת בִּשְׂפָתֶ֔יךָ בִּשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ בִּשְׂפָתַ֥י בִּשְׂפָתָֽיו׃ בִשְׂפָתַ֜יִם בִשְׂפָתָ֑יו בִּ֭שְׂפָתָיו בשפה בשפת בשפתותיהם בשפתותיך בשפתי בשפתיו בשפתיו׃ בשפתיך בשפתיך׃ בשפתים וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י וְשָׂפָ֤ה וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ וּ֝שְׂפָתָ֗יו וּבִשְׂפָתָיו֙ וּשְׂפָת֛וֹ וּשְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ וּשְׂפָתוֹ֙ ובשפתיו ושפה ושפתו ושפתות ושפתי ושפתיו ושפתיך לִשְׂפַ֣ת לִשְׂפַ֥ת לִשְׂפָת֤וֹ ׀ לשפת לשפתו מִשְּׂפַת־ מִשְּׂפָת֨וֹ משפת־ משפתו פָתֹ֗ו פה פתו פתי פתיה פתיו פתיך פתים שְֽׂפַת־ שְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יהָ שְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יךָ שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו שְׂ֭פָתַי שְׂ֭פָתַיִם שְׂ֭פָתָיו שְׂפַ֖ת שְׂפַ֣ת שְׂפַ֤ת שְׂפַ֥ת שְׂפַֽת־ שְׂפַת־ שְׂפָ֫תֵ֥ימוֹ שְׂפָת֕וֹ שְׂפָת֜וֹ שְׂפָת֣וֹ שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃ שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָ שְׂפָתֶ֔יהָ שְׂפָתֶ֖יךָ שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ שְׂפָתֶ֥יךָ שְׂפָתֶ֧יהָ שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ שְׂפָתַ֔י שְׂפָתַ֔יִם שְׂפָתַ֖יִם שְׂפָתַ֙יִם֙ שְׂפָתַ֣י שְׂפָתַ֣יִם שְׂפָתַ֥י שְׂפָתַ֥יִם שְׂפָתָ֑י שְׂפָתָ֑יִם שְׂפָתָ֑ם שְׂפָתָ֖יו שְׂפָתָ֣יו שְׂפָתָ֤הּ שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ שְׂפָתָֽי׃ שְׂפָתָיו֙ שִׂפְתֵ֣י שִׂפְתֵ֤י שִׂפְתֵ֥י שִׂפְתֵ֫י שִׂפְתֵי־ שִׂפְתֵיהֶ֥ם שִׂפְתֹתַ֔יִךְ שִׂפְתֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ שִׂפְתוֹתַ֖יִךְ שִׂפְתוֹתָיו֙ שָׂ֭פָה שָׂפָ֔ה שָׂפָ֛ה שָׂפָ֡ה שָׂפָ֣ה שָׂפָ֥ה שָׂפָה֙ שפה שפת שפת־ שפתה שפתו שפתותיו שפתותיך שפתותיכם שפתי שפתי־ שפתי׃ שפתיה שפתיהם שפתיו שפתיך שפתיך׃ שפתים שפתים׃ שפתימו שפתינו שפתינו׃ שפתם שפתתיך ḇə·śā·p̄āh bə·śə·p̄ə·ṯō·w·ṯe·ḵā bə·śip̄·ṯê bə·śip̄·ṯō·w·ṯê·hem ḇəśāp̄āh besefetoTeicha bəśəp̄əṯōwṯeḵā besifTei besiftoteiHem bəśip̄ṯê bəśip̄ṯōwṯêhem ḇiś·p̄ā·ṯa·yim biś·p̄ā·ṯāw ḇiś·p̄ā·ṯāw biś·p̄ā·ṯay biś·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā biś·p̄aṯ bisFat bisfaTai bisfaTav bisfaTeicha biśp̄aṯ biśp̄āṯāw ḇiśp̄āṯāw biśp̄āṯay ḇiśp̄āṯayim biśp̄āṯeḵā fah faTai fatav faTayim faTeicha faTeiha faTo liś·p̄ā·ṯōw liś·p̄aṯ lisFat lisfaTo liśp̄aṯ liśp̄āṯōw miś·śə·p̄ā·ṯōw miś·śə·p̄aṯ- missefat missefaTo miśśəp̄aṯ- miśśəp̄āṯōw p̄ā·ṯa·yim p̄ā·ṯāw p̄ā·ṯay p̄ā·ṯe·hā p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā p̄ā·ṯōw p̄āh p̄āṯāw p̄āṯay p̄āṯayim p̄āṯehā p̄āṯeḵā p̄āṯōw śā·p̄āh saFah śāp̄āh śə·p̄ā·ṯa·yim śə·p̄ā·ṯā·yim śə·p̄ā·ṯāh śə·p̄ā·ṯām śə·p̄ā·ṯāw śə·p̄ā·ṯay śə·p̄ā·ṯāy śə·p̄ā·ṯe·hā śə·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā śə·p̄ā·ṯê·mōw śə·p̄ā·ṯê·nū śə·p̄ā·ṯōw śə·p̄aṯ śə·p̄aṯ- seFat sefaTah sefaTai sefaTam sefaTav sefaTayim sefaTeicha sefaTeiha seFaTeimov sefaTeinu sefaTo śəp̄aṯ śəp̄aṯ- śəp̄āṯāh śəp̄āṯām śəp̄āṯāw śəp̄āṯay śəp̄āṯāy śəp̄āṯayim śəp̄āṯāyim śəp̄āṯehā śəp̄āṯeḵā śəp̄āṯêmōw śəp̄āṯênū śəp̄āṯōw sifTei sifteiHem siftoTav siftoTayich siftoteiChem śip̄·ṯê śip̄·ṯê- śip̄·ṯê·hem śip̄·ṯō·ṯa·yiḵ śip̄·ṯō·w·ṯa·yiḵ śip̄·ṯō·w·ṯāw śip̄·ṯō·w·ṯê·ḵem śip̄ṯê śip̄ṯê- śip̄ṯêhem śip̄ṯōṯayiḵ śip̄ṯōwṯāw śip̄ṯōwṯayiḵ śip̄ṯōwṯêḵem ū·ḇiś·p̄ā·ṯāw ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯāw ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯe·ḵā ū·śə·p̄ā·ṯōw ūḇiśp̄āṯāw usefaTav usefaTeicha usefaTo ūśəp̄āṯāw ūśəp̄āṯeḵā ūśəp̄āṯōw uvisfaTav vesaFah vesifTei vesifTot visfaTav visfaTayim wə·śā·p̄āh wə·śip̄·ṯê wə·śip̄·ṯō·wṯ wəśāp̄āh wəśip̄ṯê wəśip̄ṯōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts