Psychological and social paradigms have dominated translations and interpretations of shame terminology in the Hebrew Bible. Scholars often proceed from modern notions of shame as either internal feelings of worthlessness or external social sanction, and then apply those notions to the biblical text. However, I suggest that there is need to re-evaluate whether or not such psychological and social frames are adequate for interpreting biblical terminology of shame. My essay contends that shame terms, such as “bwš,” “klm” and their cognates and synonyms, frequently denote the experience of “diminishment” or “harm” in ways far more physical than typically reflected in modern translations and interpretations. If such physical valences are indeed central, there may be a need to rethink many of the countless terms that operate within the semantic domain of “shame” in the Hebrew Bible.