שְׁמוּעָה
𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤏𐤄
shᵉmûwʻâh
H8052 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A report or message that is heard and transmitted, typically referring to spoken news, announcement, or information received through word of mouth. שְׁמוּעָה commonly denotes a communicated message, whether formal or informal, public proclamation or rumor, with emphasis on the act of hearing the information. Its semantic range includes report, news, rumor, tidings, announcement, or reputation, depending on context, but always with an auditory aspect—something transmitted by hearing.
Semantic Range
report, news, rumor, tidings, announcement, message, reputation, fame
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁמע (to hear, listen, obey), שְׁמוּעָה is a feminine form indicating 'that which is heard,' i.e., a communication or message received audibly. The connection to 'hearing' is foundational, as the word refers not to the act of hearing but to the content that is received or disseminated via hearing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שְׁמוּעָה appears throughout the Hebrew Bible, particularly in narrative, prophetic, and wisdom literature, referring to received information—often bearing significance for action, fear, or decision-making. In the monarchic and exilic periods, it frequently relates to political or military intelligence, announcements of victory or defeat, and the spread of information (or misinformation) about events of national importance. In some prophetic books (e.g., Jeremiah, Ezekiel), it is associated with foreboding rumors of disaster or approaching armies. In wisdom literature, it may refer to one’s reputation or report among people. Later use occasionally nuances the meaning toward 'fame' or 'renown,' but the element of something audibly transmitted remains central. Standard English translations render it as 'report,' 'news,' 'rumor,' 'tidings,' or 'message,' but sometimes these terms can slightly over-specify aspects (e.g., 'rumor' implies unverifiability; not all שמועה bear that sense). שְׁמוּעָה should be distinguished from other related terms such as דָּבָר (word, matter), which is more general and not necessarily heard, and בְּשׂוֹרָה (good news, glad tidings), which is specifically positive news.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine passive participle of שָׁמֵם; something heard, i.e. an announcement; bruit, doctrine, fame, mentioned, news, report, rumor, tidings.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שׁמע (Hoshama) — to hear, listen, obey
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1953 | הוֹשָׁמָע | Yahweh-has-heard |
| H3460 | יִשְׁמַעְיָה | and Yah-hears |
| H4926 | מִשְׁמָע | to report-of |
| H4928 | מִשְׁמַעַת | their obedience |
| H8039 | שִׁמְאָה | Hearing-one |
Word Forms
10 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8052-06 |
שְׁמוּעָ֖ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
a rumor | heard report | heard report | 11 |
H8052-02 |
הַ/שְּׁמוּעָ֖ה | hashemuah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the-rumor | the heard report | the report | 6 |
H8052-08 |
וּ/שְׁמֻעָ֥ה | ushemuah | HC/Ncfsa |
and-good-news | and heard-report | and heard-report | 2 |
H8052-10 |
וְ/הַ/שְּׁמֻעָה֙ | vehashemuah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and-the-news | and the heard-report | and the report | 2 |
H8052-01 |
בַּ/שְּׁמוּעָ֖ה | bashemuah | HRd/Ncfsa |
at-the-rumor | in the heard-report | at the report | 1 |
H8052-03 |
לִ/שְׁמוּעָ֖ה | lishemuah | HR/Ncfsa |
for-a-hearing | for a heard-report | for a report | 1 |
H8052-04 |
לִ/שְׁמֻעָתֵ֑/נוּ | lishemuatenu | HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cp |
our message | to our heard-report | our report | 1 |
H8052-05 |
מִ/שְּׁמוּעָ֣ה | mishemuah | HR/Ncfsa |
from evil tidings | from a heard report | from a report | 1 |
H8052-07 |
שְׁמֻעַת֩ | shemuat | HNcfsc |
of the news | report of | report of | 1 |
H8052-09 |
וּ/שְׁמֻע֣וֹת | ushemuot | HC/Ncfpa |
But reports | heard reports | reports | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
27 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8052-02 |
1 Samuel 2:24 | הַ/שְּׁמֻעָה֙ | hashemuah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the report | the heard report | the report |
H8052-02 |
1 Samuel 4:19 | הַ/שְּׁמֻעָ֔ה | hashemuah | HTd/Ncfsa |
news | the heard report | the report |
H8052-07 |
2 Samuel 4:4 | שְׁמֻעַת֩ | shemuat | HNcfsc |
of the news | report of | report of |
H8052-10 |
2 Samuel 13:30 | וְ/הַ/שְּׁמֻעָ֣ה | vehashemuah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and the report | and the heard-report | and the report |
H8052-10 |
1 Kings 2:28 | וְ/הַ/שְּׁמֻעָה֙ | vehashemuah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and-the-news | and the heard-report | and the report |
H8052-02 |
1 Kings 10:7 | הַ/שְּׁמוּעָ֖ה | hashemuah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the fame | the heard report | the report |
H8052-06 |
2 Kings 19:7 | שְׁמוּעָ֖ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
a rumor | heard report | a report |
H8052-06 |
Isaiah 28:9 | שְׁמוּעָ֑ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
the message | heard report | heard report |
H8052-06 |
Isaiah 28:19 | שְׁמוּעָֽה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
the message | heard report | heard report |
H8052-06 |
Isaiah 37:7 | שְׁמוּעָ֖ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
a rumor | heard report | a report |
H8052-04 |
Isaiah 53:1 | לִ/שְׁמֻעָתֵ֑/נוּ | lishemuatenu | HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cp |
our message | to our heard-report | our report |
H8052-06 |
Jeremiah 10:22 | שְׁמוּעָה֙ | shemuah | HNcfsa |
of a report | heard report | report |
H8052-06 |
Jeremiah 49:14 | שְׁמוּעָ֤ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
a message | heard report | heard report |
H8052-06 |
Jeremiah 49:23 | שְׁמֻעָ֥ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
news | heard report | heard report |
H8052-01 |
Jeremiah 51:46 | בַּ/שְּׁמוּעָ֖ה | bashemuah | HRd/Ncfsa |
at-the-rumor | in the heard-report | at the report |
H8052-02 |
Jeremiah 51:46 | הַ/שְּׁמוּעָ֗ה | hashemuah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the-rumor | the heard report | the report |
H8052-02 |
Jeremiah 51:46 | הַ/שְּׁמוּעָ֔ה | hashemuah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
the-rumor | the heard report | the report |
H8052-08 |
Ezekiel 7:26 | וּ/שְׁמֻעָ֥ה | ushemuah | HC/Ncfsa |
and rumor | and heard-report | and heard-report |
H8052-06 |
Ezekiel 7:26 | שְׁמוּעָ֖ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
rumor | heard report | heard report |
H8052-03 |
Ezekiel 16:56 | לִ/שְׁמוּעָ֖ה | lishemuah | HR/Ncfsa |
for-a-hearing | for a heard-report | for a report |
H8052-06 |
Ezekiel 21:12 | שְׁמוּעָ֣ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
the news | heard report | the report |
H8052-06 |
Obadiah 1:1 | שְׁמוּעָ֨ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
message | heard report | heard report |
H8052-05 |
Psalms 112:7 | מִ/שְּׁמוּעָ֣ה | mishemuah | HR/Ncfsa |
from evil tidings | from a heard report | from a report |
H8052-06 |
Proverbs 15:30 | שְׁמוּעָ֥ה | shemuah | HNcfsa |
news | heard report | report |
H8052-08 |
Proverbs 25:25 | וּ/שְׁמוּעָ֥ה | ushemuah | HC/Ncfsa |
and-good-news | and heard-report | and report |
H8052-09 |
Daniel 11:44 | וּ/שְׁמֻע֣וֹת | ushemuot | HC/Ncfpa |
But reports | heard reports | reports |
H8052-02 |
2 Chronicles 9:6 | הַ/שְּׁמוּעָ֖ה | hashemuah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the report | the heard report | the report |