מִשְׁמָר (H4929) — Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁמָר

𐤌𐤔𐤌𐤓

mishmâr

H4929 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁמר to guard, to keep, to observe, to watch

Definition

A place or act of keeping watch, guarding, or custody; an assigned duty or period of supervision; watch, guard, guard post, retaining or safeguarding something entrusted. In extended usage, refers to a unit or group assigned to guard duty, the period or rotation of such duty, or, by metonymy, to the place of confinement (prison, detention). Figurative use includes the act of diligent observation or care.

Semantic Range

guard post, guard duty, rotation of guards, act of guarding, act or period of observation, person performing guard or watch, custody, prison, example of diligence, official duty, unit or division tasked with guarding

Root / Etymology

From the root שׁמר (שׁ-מ-ר), meaning 'to guard, keep, observe, watch.' The nominal pattern indicates a place, state, or period associated with the action of the root: thus, 'custody,' 'guard duty,' or 'watch.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מִשְׁמָר appears in contexts describing temple duties (rotations of Levitical service, e.g., 1 Chr 9:23), military or palace guards (e.g., 2 Kgs 11:5-7), and locations of confinement or imprisonment (Gen 40:3). The term often refers not only to the physical act or place of guarding but also to the organizational rotation or division responsible for such tasks, particularly in cultic and royal settings. In some post-exilic texts, especially those reflecting Persian/Second Temple period administrative practices, מִשְׁמָר designates scheduled duties, highlighting a formalized division of labor, especially among Levites and priests (cf. Neh 12:9). The word is used both concretely (a physical guard or prison) and abstractly (the concept of vigilance or diligence). English translations such as 'ward,' 'watch,' 'guard,' or 'office' often depend on context, but sometimes fail to communicate the semantically broad range, particularly the sense of organizational or periodic duty. The related term מִשְׁמֶרֶת may overlap but often emphasizes service or charge more abstractly.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁמַר; a guard (the man, the post or the prison); a deposit (figuratively); also (as observed) a usage (abstractly), or an example (concretely); diligence, guard, office, prison, ward, watch.

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Root Family

שׁמר (š-m-r) — to guard, to keep, to watch, to observe

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4931	מִשְׁמֶרֶת	in a guarding-duty
H8053	שָׁמוּר	I will guard
H8069	שָׁמִיר	in Shamir
H8111	שֹׁמְרוֹן	to Watch-place Shomron
H8113	שִׁמְרִי	Shimri
H8115	שׇׁמְרַיִן	in Guard-City Shomrayin
H8116	שִׁמְרִית	Guarded One
H8117	שִׁמְרֹנִי	the Shimronite clansman
H8119	שִׁמְרָת	Guarding-One
H821	אַשְׁמֻרָה	night guard-watches

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4929-06`	מִשְׁמָ֖ר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	guard	guard-duty	10
`H4929-02`	בְּ/מִשְׁמַ֗ר	bemishemar	`HR/Ncmsc`	in custody	in guard-duty	3
`H4929-01`	בַּ/מִּשְׁמָ֑ר	bamishemar	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in custody	in the guard-post	2
`H4929-04`	הַ/מִּשְׁמָ֔ר	hamishemar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the-guard	the guard-duty	2
`H4929-09`	בְ/מִשְׁמַ֛ר	vemishemar	`HR/Ncmsc`	in custody	in guard-duty of	1
`H4929-08`	וּ/בְ/מִשְׁמָרָֽי/ו	uvemishemarayv	`HC/R/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	and its services	and in his guard-duties	1
`H4929-07`	מִשְׁמַרְ/כֶ֑ם	mishemarekhem	`HNcmsc/Sp2mp`	your prison	your guard-duty	1
`H4929-05`	לְ/מִשְׁמָֽר	lemishemar	`HR/Ncmsa`	a guard	for guard-duty	1
`H4929-03`	בְּ/מִשְׁמָר֔/וֹ	bemishemaro	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	in his watch	in his guard-duty	1

Occurrences in Scripture

22 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4929-02`	Genesis 40:3	בְּ/מִשְׁמַ֗ר	bemishemar	`HR/Ncmsc`	in custody	in guard-duty
`H4929-02`	Genesis 40:4	בְּ/מִשְׁמָֽר	bemishemar	`HR/Ncmsa`	in custody	in guard-duty
`H4929-09`	Genesis 40:7	בְ/מִשְׁמַ֛ר	vemishemar	`HR/Ncmsc`	in custody	in guard-duty of
`H4929-02`	Genesis 41:10	בְּ/מִשְׁמַ֗ר	bemishemar	`HR/Ncmsc`	in custody	in guard-duty
`H4929-06`	Genesis 42:17	מִשְׁמָ֖ר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	prison	guard-duty
`H4929-07`	Genesis 42:19	מִשְׁמַרְ/כֶ֑ם	mishemarekhem	`HNcmsc/Sp2mp`	your prison	your guard-duty
`H4929-01`	Leviticus 24:12	בַּ/מִּשְׁמָ֑ר	bamishemar	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in custody	in the guard-post
`H4929-01`	Numbers 15:34	בַּ/מִּשְׁמָ֑ר	bamishemar	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in guard	in the guard-post
`H4929-04`	Jeremiah 51:12	הַ/מִּשְׁמָ֔ר	hamishemar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the watch	the guard-duty
`H4929-05`	Ezekiel 38:7	לְ/מִשְׁמָֽר	lemishemar	`HR/Ncmsa`	a guard	for guard-duty
`H4929-06`	Proverbs 4:23	מִ֭שְׁמָר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	guarding	guard-duty
`H4929-06`	Job 7:12	מִשְׁמָֽר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	a guard	guard-duty
`H4929-06`	Nehemiah 4:3	מִשְׁמָ֧ר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	a-watch	guard-duty
`H4929-06`	Nehemiah 4:16	מִשְׁמָ֖ר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	guard	guard-duty
`H4929-04`	Nehemiah 4:17	הַ/מִּשְׁמָר֙	hamishemar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the-guard	the guard-duty
`H4929-03`	Nehemiah 7:3	בְּ/מִשְׁמָר֔/וֹ	bemishemaro	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	in his watch	in his guard-duty
`H4929-06`	Nehemiah 12:24	מִשְׁמָ֖ר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	watch	guard-duty
`H4929-06`	Nehemiah 12:24	מִשְׁמָֽר	mishemar-2	`HNcmsa`	watch	guard-duty
`H4929-06`	Nehemiah 12:25	מִשְׁמָ֔ר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	storehouses	guard-duty
`H4929-08`	Nehemiah 13:14	וּ/בְ/מִשְׁמָרָֽי/ו	uvemishemarayv	`HC/R/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	and its services	and in his guard-duties
`H4929-06`	1 Chronicles 26:16	מִשְׁמָ֖ר	mishemar	`HNcmsa`	guard	guard-duty
`H4929-06`	1 Chronicles 26:16	מִשְׁמָֽר	mishemar-2	`HNcmsa`	guard	guard-duty

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