8200. shephat
Lexical Summary
shephat: Judgment, decision, justice

Original Word: שְׁפַט
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shphat
Pronunciation: sheh-fat'
Phonetic Spelling: (shef-at')
KJV: magistrate
NASB: magistrates
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H8199 (שָׁפַט - judge)]

1. to judge

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
magistrate

(Aramaic) corresponding to shaphat; to judge -- magistrate.

see HEBREW shaphat

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to shaphat
Definition
to judge
NASB Translation
magistrates (1).

Topical Lexicon
Strong’s Hebrew 8200 — שְׁפַט

Occurrences and Context

The term appears once in the Old Testament, within the Aramaic section of Ezra. In Ezra 7:25 Artaxerxes commands: “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people beyond the River—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach anyone who does not know them.” Here שְׁפַט (“magistrate”) designates officials vested with judicial authority. The plural “magistrates” (שָׁפְטִין) stands beside “judges,” underscoring a structured judiciary to administer God’s law among the post-exilic community.

Historical Setting

The edict belongs to 458 B.C., when the Persian king entrusted Ezra with religious and civil oversight of Judean exiles west of the Euphrates. Persian policy typically allowed subject peoples a degree of self-governance under their native laws. By naming שְׁפַט alongside דַּיָּנִין (“judges”), Artaxerxes affirmed a two-tier system: magistrates exercising executive authority and judges rendering legal decisions. This arrangement mirrored earlier Israelite structures (Exodus 18:21; Deuteronomy 16:18) and provided continuity with pre-exilic practice while integrating Persian administrative expectations.

Righteous Governance under the Law

Ezra’s task highlighted three enduring biblical principles:

1. Divine wisdom is the standard for civil authority (“according to the wisdom of your God”).
2. Leaders must be appointed, not self-appointed (cf. Numbers 27:16-17).
3. The judiciary exists to safeguard covenant fidelity, not merely social order (Psalm 106:3).

Related Scriptural Patterns

Although שְׁפַט itself is rare, the root שׁפט (“to judge”) saturates Scripture, portraying Yahweh as the ultimate Judge (Genesis 18:25; Psalm 96:13) and charging human representatives to reflect His justice (2 Chronicles 19:6-7). Moses’ delegation of judges (Exodus 18) and Jehoshaphat’s reforms (2 Chronicles 19) foreshadow Ezra’s commission, illustrating a consistent biblical model: righteous adjudication preserves communal holiness.

Ministry Application

Modern ministry draws several lessons:
• Leadership selection must prioritize spiritual wisdom over mere administrative skill (Acts 6:3).
• Teaching accompanies judging; ignorance of divine law is remedied by instruction, not ignored (Ezra 7:25-26; 2 Timothy 2:24-25).
• Civil structures, when ordered under God’s Word, become instruments of blessing rather than oppression (Romans 13:3-4).

Christological and Eschatological Dimension

The appointment of שְׁפַט points forward to the perfect Magistrate, Jesus Christ, to whom the Father “has given all judgment” (John 5:22). Earthly judges serve provisionally until the day when “righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne” (Psalm 89:14). Thus the lone occurrence of שְׁפַט invites believers to anticipate and model the flawless governance of the coming Kingdom.

Forms and Transliterations
שָׁפְטִ֞ין שפטין šā·p̄ə·ṭîn šāp̄əṭîn shafeTin
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Ezra 7:25
HEB: בִידָךְ֙ מֶ֣נִּי שָׁפְטִ֞ין וְדַיָּנִ֗ין דִּי־
NAS: appoint magistrates and judges
KJV: set magistrates and judges,
INT: your hand appoint magistrates and judges who

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 8200
1 Occurrence


šā·p̄ə·ṭîn — 1 Occ.

8199
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