Aramaic word · H7844
שְׁחַת
ushechitah
to corrupt
From šḥt, 'to ruin, spoil, corrupt'. The passive participle used as a noun means 'something corrupt or spoiled', so a wrong or culpable act. In an administrative setting it would naturally include fraud, embezzlement and bribery.
A Biblical Aramaic word, from the parts of the Old Testament written in Aramaic. Why Aramaic?
Appears 3 times in 2 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·
What it means
1) to corrupt
1a) (P'al)
1a1) corrupt (participle)
1a2) fault (subst)
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
- Range of meaning
From šḥt, 'to ruin, spoil, corrupt'. The passive participle used as a noun means 'something corrupt or spoiled', so a wrong or culpable act. In an administrative setting it would naturally include fraud, embezzlement and bribery.
- Against the English
KJV/WEB 'fault', BSB/NIV 'corruption'. 'Corruption' fits the setting, but modern readers may narrow it to bribery alone. 'Fault' is broader but weaker.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Daniel 2:9: 'a lying and corrupt word (millâ kidbâ ûšəḥîtâ)', said of a deceitful statement. It is related to Hebrew šḥt, used of the earth being 'corrupt' in Genesis 6:11–12.
Where it appears
Daniel · 3
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Daniel 2:9 וּשְׁחִיתָה֙ and corrupt
If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to speak before me false and fraudulent words, hoping the situation will change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can give me its interpretation.”
-
Daniel 6:4 וּשְׁחִיתָ֜ה וּשְׁחִיתָ֔ה and corruption
Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
Here: A passive participle ('something spoiled or corrupted') used as a noun: a corrupt act or wrongdoing. In office this would cover fraud and bribery, but the word is broader than bribery.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.