מִשְׁעָם
𐤌𐤔𐤏𐤌
Misheam
H4936 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Mish'am (proper noun): a personal name of uncertain meaning, designating an individual in a genealogical list among the descendants of Saul. The lexical sense is that of a proper noun, and the word does not function with a common substantive or adjectival meaning within the Hebrew Bible. The word is likely a theophoric or descriptive name, possibly linked to a notion of attention or regard, but the exact nuance remains uncertain due to limited attestation.
Semantic Range
personal name, individual of Benjaminite/Israelite origin; possible connotations (by root association) of attention, regard, inspection, but not attested as a noun or adjective
Root / Etymology
The name appears to be associated with the root שָׁעָה (sha'ah, to look at, gaze, regard, pay attention), prefixed by מִ־ (mi-, possibly indicating source or means), yet as a proper noun, its precise etymological formation is unclear and not fully explicable. Etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מִשְׁעָם (Mish'am) occurs once in the Hebrew Bible (1 Chronicles 8:12) and refers to a descendant in the line of King Saul, a member of the tribe of Benjamin during the monarchic period. The name is embedded in a genealogical context and its meaning is not explored or developed elsewhere in the biblical text. Standard English translations render the name as 'Misham' or similarly, following transliteration, but offer no interpretation of its significance. No evidence links this name to a specific title or office. The meaning of מִשְׁעָם remains opaque, and the possible association with the root שָׁעָה (to regard/inspect) is conjectural due to the lack of analogous names or common nouns built from that root with the מִ־ prefix. This underscores the general uncertainty regarding many individual biblical personal names, especially those attested only once and outside narrative contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently from שָׁעָה; inspection; Misham, an Israelite; Misham.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁעה (š-ʿ-h) — to look at, gaze, pay attention, regard
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8159 | שָׁעָה | Direct attention |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4936-01 |
וּ/מִשְׁעָ֖ם | umisheam | HC/Np |
and Misham | and Mish'am | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4936-01 |
1 Chronicles 8:12 | וּ/מִשְׁעָ֖ם | umisheam | HC/Np |
and Misham | and Mish'am |