שָׁמַ֨יִם
𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌
shâmayim
to heaven
The expanse above the earth; the visible heavens or sky, including the atmosphere, the realm of clouds, and the celestial sphere (sun, moon, stars). In biblical contexts, also refers to the realm associated with divine presence or activity. The semantic range includes the sky as seen from earth, weather phenomena, the locus of celestial bodies, and a metaphorical or theological realm of the divine.
sama "sky, heavens" (Nzadi) · saama "sky, heavens" (Soninke) · sama "sky, firmament" (Boma) +7 moreProverbs 30:4 · Word #3
Lexicon H8064
| Lemma | שָׁמַיִם |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 |
| Transliteration | shâmayim |
| Strong's | H8064 |
| Definition | The expanse above the earth; the visible heavens or sky, including the atmosphere, the realm of clouds, and the celestial sphere (sun, moon, stars). In biblical contexts, also refers to the realm associated with divine presence or activity. The semantic range includes the sky as seen from earth, weather phenomena, the locus of celestial bodies, and a metaphorical or theological realm of the divine. |
Morphology HNcmpa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | to heaven |
SIBI-P1 Translation H8064-10
the lofty heights
| Morphological Notes | Noun, common, masculine plural absolute; morphologically plural (possibly dual in origin), though often functioning as a singular collective. |
| Rendering Rationale | The rendering reflects the root sense of elevation and loftiness (שׁמם) while preserving the masculine plural form of שָׁמַיִם. "Lofty heights" captures the idea of the elevated expanse above the earth without narrowing it to a single-layered "sky." |
View full lexicon entry for H8064 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
the heavens
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | P1 'the lofty heights' is unnecessarily interpretive here; the immediate context clearly refers to 'heaven(s)', which is more root-faithful and standard per the lexicon, and aligns with expected usage in this formulaic phrase. |
Bantu Hebrew
שָׁמַ֨יִם (shâmayim) — The expanse above the earth; the visible heavens or sky, including the atmosphere, the realm of clouds, and the celestial sphere (sun, moon, stars). In biblical contexts, also refers to the realm associated with divine presence or activity. The semantic range includes the sky as seen from earth, weather phenomena, the locus of celestial bodies, and a metaphorical or theological realm of the divine.