Original Word: שֻׁפִים
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Shuppiym
Pronunciation: SHOO-peem
Phonetic Spelling: (shoop-peem')
KJV: Shuppim
NASB: Shuppim
Word Origin: [plural of an unused noun from the same as H8207 (שְׁפִיפוֹן - horned snake) and meaning the same]

1. serpents
2. Shuppim, an Israelite

Shuppim

Plural of an unused noun from the same as shphiyphon and meaning the same; serpents; Shuppim, an Israelite -- Shuppim.

see HEBREW shphiyphon

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
two Isr.
NASB Translation
Shuppim (3).

שֻׁמִּים proper name, masculine 1. ׳שׁ 1 Chronicles 7:15, Μαμφειν, A Σεφφειμ, ᵐ5^L Σαφιν, apparently = שֻׁמִּם 1 Chronicles 7:12, Σαπφειν, ᵐ5^L Σαφαν (compare שֻׁמִּים, שְׁפוּפָם).

2 שֻׁמִּים door-keeper, 1 Chronicles 26:16.

Identity of Shuppim

The term שֻׁפִים (Shuppim) designates a Benjamite family line that appears in the genealogies and Levitical rosters of 1 Chronicles. The word functions as a proper name rather than a common noun, and it can refer either to an individual ancestor or to the clan that issued from him.

Placement in Benjamin’s Genealogy

In 1 Chronicles 7:12 the Chronicler records, “Shuppim and Huppim were the sons of Ir”. By attaching the house of Shuppim to Ir—himself a grandson-figure within Benjamin—the text situates the clan deep inside the tribal structure. This reinforces the Chronicler’s purpose of demonstrating the continuity of Benjamin alongside Judah after the exile. Though small, Benjamin remained covenantally intact, and the clan of Shuppim helped prove it.

Alliance with the Tribe of Manasseh

The next mention broadens Shuppim’s influence beyond Benjamin. “Machir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites” (1 Chronicles 7:15). Machir, the firstborn of Manasseh, forges an inter-tribal marriage alliance that intertwines Benjamin with the Trans-Jordan half-tribe. Such unions highlight the cohesion of the twelve tribes and mute later regional rivalries. Genealogically, Shuppim thus becomes a bridge between the southern tribes and the northern territories settled by the sons of Joseph.

Service among the Temple Gatekeepers

Generations later the name surfaces once more: “Shuppim and Hosah were to the west, with the Shallecheth Gate on the ascending highway, guard corresponded to guard” (1 Chronicles 26:16). Here Shuppim represents a division of Levitical gatekeepers assigned to the western approach to Solomon’s temple. The Chronicler lists them immediately after the mighty house of Obed-Edom, indicating that the Shuppimites formed part of a trusted security detail that protected sacred space, regulated worship traffic, and preserved ritual purity.

Historical Background

The three references span roughly six centuries of Israel’s story:
• Patriarchal/bondage era roots (Benjamin, son of Jacob)
• Conquest-settlement period (Machir of Manasseh)
• United-monarchy worship system (gatekeepers under David and Solomon)

Their scattered appearance testifies to God’s preservation of even minor clans through exile and restoration, confirming the reliability of covenant promises (Jeremiah 33:24-26).

Theological and Ministry Implications

1. Continuity of God’s People. The endurance of Shuppim from patriarchal days to temple service illustrates divine faithfulness to every branch of the covenant family, no matter how obscure.
2. Inter-tribal Unity. The Shuppim-Machir marriage underscores that Israel’s strength lay in its shared identity under Yahweh, not in isolated tribalism.
3. Servant Leadership. Shuppimite gatekeepers were not priests offering sacrifices, yet their vigilance enabled the worship of others. Ministry roles that seem peripheral are critical to corporate holiness (1 Corinthians 12:22).

Practical Applications for the Church

• Unknown believers and small congregations matter in the outworking of redemption history.
• Marriages and partnerships that span cultural or denominational lines can promote gospel unity when anchored in truth.
• Security teams, ushers, and administrative servants mirror the Shuppimites; their quiet stewardship protects the gathered church and honors God.

Related Names and Textual Variants

Elsewhere the lineage appears as “Shupham” (Numbers 26:39) and “Muppim” (Genesis 46:21), reflecting dialect shifts or scribal transmission. In every case the underlying family is Benjaminite, showing textual consistency rather than contradiction.

Summary

Shuppim represents a humble yet enduring thread woven through Israel’s narrative—from patriarchal origins, through tribal alliances, to temple ministry. Though mentioned only three times, the clan’s trajectory exemplifies covenant faithfulness, inter-tribal solidarity, and servant devotion, offering modern believers a model of steadfast, often unseen service in the larger redemptive story.

וְשֻׁפִּ֤ם וּלְשֻׁפִּ֔ים ולשפים ושפם לְשֻׁפִּ֤ים לשפים lə·šup·pîm leshupPim ləšuppîm ū·lə·šup·pîm uleshupPim ūləšuppîm veshupPim wə·šup·pim wəšuppimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts