Original Word: שְׁפֵלָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: shphelah
Pronunciation: sheh-fay-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (shef-ay-law')
KJV: low country, (low) plain, vale(-ley)
NASB: lowland, Shephelah, foothills
Word Origin: [from H8213 (שָׁפֵל - abased)]

1. Lowland, i.e. (with the article) the maritime slope of Israel

low country, low plain, vale

From shaphel; Lowland, i.e. (with the article) the maritime slope of Palestine -- low country, (low) plain, vale(-ley).

see HEBREW shaphel

Word Origin
from shaphel
Definition
lowland
NASB Translation
foothills (1), lowland (17), Shephelah (2).

שְׁפֵלָה noun feminine lowland; — always absolute ׳שׁ with article, except suffix שְׁפֵלָתֹה Joshua 11:16; — lowland:

1 usually technical term of strip west of Judaean mountains (on exact limits see GASm^{Geogr. 201 ff.; Expos. Dec. 1896, 404 f.} Buhl^{Geogr. 104} Dr^{Hast. DB iii. 892 f.}): almost always distinguished from הָהָר and הַנֶּגֶב, sometimes from הָעֲרָבָה, in Deuteronomy 1:7; Joshua 9:1 (R^D), also from חוֺף הַיָּם, compare Joshua 10:40; Joshua 12:8 (both R^D), Judges 1:9 (perhaps R^D, compare Bu GFM), Joshua 15:33 (P), Jeremiah 17:26; Jeremiah 32:44; Jeremiah 33:13; Obadiah 19; Zechariah 7:7; 2Chronicles 26:10 (distinguished from הַמִּישׁוֺר, table-land east of Jordan); region of sycomores 1 Kings 10:27 2Chronicles 1:15; 9:27; 1 Chronicles 27:28.

2 of lowland (near coast) north of Carmel Joshua 11:2; west of mountains of Ephraim Joshua 11:16 (both R^D).

Geographical Setting

The Shephelah designates the gently-rolling low hill country sandwiched between Israel’s coastal plain and the rugged Judean highlands. Stretching roughly from the Aijalon Valley in the north to the vicinity of Lachish and Beersheba in the south, it forms a natural corridor of fertile ridges and broad valleys that run east–west toward the Mediterranean Sea. Oak–covered foothills give way to rich alluvial soil ideal for grain, vines, and olives, while the wadi system supplies seasonal water. The area’s topography made it a buffer zone between Philistine cities on the plain and fortified Judean towns on the uplands, serving both as Israel’s breadbasket and as a battleground for centuries.

Biblical Distribution and Context

Twenty Old Testament verses employ שְׁפֵלָה, usually translated “lowland,” “foothills,” or “low country.”

• Before Israel enters Canaan Moses lists it among the territories to be possessed (Deuteronomy 1:7).
• Joshua’s campaigns repeatedly mention the Shephelah (Joshua 9:1; 10:40; 11:2, 16; 12:8; 15:33), underscoring its full inclusion in the Promised Land.
• Judges 1:9 records subsequent fighting there as Judah pressed toward Philistine strongholds.
• During the united monarchy Solomon’s prosperity touched the region: “The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the Shephelah” (1 Kings 10:27; 2 Chronicles 1:15).
• Royal administrations managed vast agricultural estates in the lowlands (1 Chronicles 27:28).
• Uzziah fortified and farmed it: “He built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, for he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain” (2 Chronicles 26:10).
• Under Ahaz the Philistines seized Judean towns there (2 Chronicles 28:18), revealing the region’s vulnerability.
• Jeremiah foresaw worshipers once more flocking from the Shephelah to the Temple (Jeremiah 17:26; 32:44; 33:13).
• Obadiah 1:19 and Zechariah 7:7 mention the lowlands in restoration and covenant-faithfulness themes.

Military and Strategic Importance

Control of the Shephelah determined access to Jerusalem. Philistine pressure from cities such as Gath and Ekron often centralized here, prompting clashes like David’s encounters in the Elah Valley. Fortified cities—Lachish, Azekah, Mareshah—acted as a defensive chain. When these fell, Jerusalem lay exposed, a fact exploited by Sennacherib (Isaiah 36:1-2) and later by Nebuchadnezzar. Thus, Shephelah narratives repeatedly illustrate the covenant principle that national security hinges on obedience to the Lord.

Agricultural and Economic Value

Plentiful rainfall and deep soils made the lowlands Judah’s granary. Grain, wine, oil, figs, and sycamores flourished (2 Chronicles 1:15). Uzziah’s cisterns and towers point to large-scale animal husbandry and viticulture. Solomon’s prodigious building projects and international trade would have drawn heavily on Shephelah produce. Jeremiah’s promise that fields in the Shephelah would again be bought and sold (Jeremiah 32:44) shows land value surviving even after Babylonian devastation.

Prophetic Symbolism and Eschatological Hope

Prophets used the region as a barometer of covenant blessing. Jeremiah envisioned worship renewal involving “burnt offerings… from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country and the Negev” (Jeremiah 17:26). Obadiah foresaw Judah’s exiles repossessing the lowlands (Obadiah 1:19), a pledge partially realized after the return from exile and awaiting its fullest expression in the coming kingdom. Zechariah reminded post-exilic Judah that social justice is to characterize the land “and the cities that surround her… and the Shephelah” (Zechariah 7:7).

Spiritual Lessons

1. Covenant Faithfulness: Victories in Joshua and defeats in Ahaz’s day highlight obedience as the true security (Joshua 10:40; 2 Chronicles 28:18).
2. Humility and Exaltation: The very term “lowland” invites reflection on the Lord who “raises the poor from the dust” (1 Samuel 2:8), foreshadowing the Messiah who humbled Himself before being exalted.
3. Provision and Stewardship: Agricultural richness testifies that “the earth is the LORD’s” (Psalm 24:1). Believers are called to cultivate resources for God’s glory, as Uzziah did when “he loved the soil” (2 Chronicles 26:10).
4. Restoration Hope: Jeremiah’s land-purchase prophecy during siege teaches that faith invests in God’s future, not present appearances (Jeremiah 32:44).

Ministry Application

Pastors and teachers can harness Shephelah imagery to remind congregations that valleys are not merely places of conflict but of fruitfulness. The region’s repeated conquests and restorations model perseverance and trust in God’s promises. Modern visitors walking its terraced slopes witness tangible evidence that Scripture’s geography and redemptive storyline intertwine, bolstering confidence in the historical reliability of the Bible and inspiring renewed devotion to Israel’s covenant-keeping God.

בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֑ה בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֔ה בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה בשפלה הַשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה הַשְּׁפֵלָ֣ה הַשְּׁפֵלָ֤ה הַשְּׁפֵלָה֙ השפלה וְהַשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה וְהַשְּׁפֵלָ֜ה וְהַשְּׁפֵלָֽה׃ וְהַשְּׁפֵלָה֙ וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֑ה וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֖ה וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֗ה וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֥ה וּשְׁפֵלָתֹֽה׃ ובשפלה והשפלה והשפלה׃ ושפלתה׃ baš·šə·p̄ê·lāh bashshefeLah baššəp̄êlāh haš·šə·p̄ê·lāh hashshefeLah haššəp̄êlāh ū·ḇaš·šə·p̄ê·lāh ū·šə·p̄ê·lā·ṯōh ūḇaššəp̄êlāh ūšəp̄êlāṯōh ushefelaToh uvashshefeLah vehashshefeLah wə·haš·šə·p̄ê·lāh wəhaššəp̄êlāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts