Hebrew word · H7511
רָפַס
mitrapes
to stamp
The basic verb means to stamp or trample with the feet, for example muddying water by trampling it (Ezek 32:2; 34:18). The reflexive form here occurs only here and in the obscure Ps 68:30 [Heb 31].
Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·
What it means
1) (Hithpael)
1c1) to stamp oneself down, humble oneself
1c2) stamping or tramping down (participle)
Aramaic equivalent: re.phas (רְפַס "to tread" H7512)
Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
From the study of Proverbs 6:3
- Range of meaning
The basic verb means to stamp or trample with the feet, for example muddying water by trampling it (Ezek 32:2; 34:18). The reflexive form here occurs only here and in the obscure Ps 68:30 [Heb 31]. It is understood as 'trample yourself, let yourself be trodden on' (so humble yourself or grovel), or less often as 'stamp about, bestir yourself'.
- Against the English
KJV/BSB/WEB/NASB 'humble yourself'; YLT 'trample on thyself' (closest to the picture); ESV 'hasten'; NIV (2011) 'to the point of exhaustion'; NLT 'swallow your pride'. The translations disagree because the word is rare.
- How it drifted
'Humble yourself' now sounds to many readers like a spiritual virtue or a posture before God, as in James 4:10. Here it is a hard, practical act of social self-abasement before another man in order to get out of a debt.
- Used elsewhere in the period
HALOT and BDB give 'stamp, trample' for the base verb and 'humble oneself / let oneself be trampled' for this form. Ps 68:30 is too unclear to settle the meaning. The Greek translators did not render it word for word ('go, not slackening').
- Range of meaning
The basic verb rafas means to stamp or trample with the feet. It is used of animals muddying water or pasture (Ezek 32:2; 34:18), and the Aramaic form describes Daniel's fourth beast trampling with its feet (Dan 7:7, 19). In the reflexive form used here (hitrappes) it means 'to stamp oneself down', i.e. to humble oneself or grovel (Prov 6:3, 'go, humble yourself and plead with your neighbour').
- Against the English
KJV 'submit himself', YLT 'humbling himself', BSB 'until it submits' and NIV 'humbled' all take the reflexive sense. WEB 'trample under foot' and NASB 'trampling' read it actively. The ESV, after the RSV, combines an active 'trample' with a change to the following word.
- Used elsewhere in the period
The reflexive form appears only here and in Prov 6:3. Its meaning there ('abase yourself') supports the 'submit' reading. The singular participle fits an enemy treated as one body, or 'each one' (KJV, YLT).
Similar words
Where it appears
Psalms · 1
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Psalm 68:30 מִתְרַפֵּ֥ס trampling
Rebuke the beast in the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations, until it submits, bringing bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
Here: A singular participle of a verb meaning 'trample with the feet'. In this reflexive form it means 'stamping oneself down', that is, grovelling or submitting (compare Prov 6:3). Most versions read it as the beaten enemy prostrating itself; a few read it as 'trampling'.
Proverbs · 1
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Proverbs 6:3 הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗ס humble yourself
then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
Here: Literally 'trample yourself' or 'let yourself be trampled'. It means throwing yourself down and swallowing your pride, groveling if you have to. Some read it instead as 'stamp about' or 'bestir yourself'.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.