שְׂבָם
𐤔𐤁𐤌
Sevam
H7643 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place name referring to a specific town in the Transjordan region, known as Sebam (or in the feminine form Sibmah/Sibmah). The term primarily designates a geographic locality east of the Jordan River, associated with Moab and originally within the tribal allocation of Reuben or Gad. While the lexical form may be related to 'spice' or 'balsam,' in context, the primary meaning is that of a proper name for the town and not a common noun for a plant or product.
Semantic Range
place name in Transjordan east of the Jordan River; town associated with the Israelite tribal lands of Reuben/Gad and the territory of Moab; (rarely, and only by conjectural etymology) possibly associated with balsam or spice
Root / Etymology
The word שְׂבָם (Sebam) may be connected to the root בָּשָׂם (bāśām, 'spice; balsam'), though the precise derivation is uncertain. The change in the initial consonant (שׂ instead of ב) and the presence of both masculine and feminine forms (שְׂבָם, שִׂבְמָה) suggests a possible adaptation or regional language variation, but the connection to spices or fragrant plants remains conjectural. Etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The location called שְׂבָם (Sebam/Sibmah) is referenced in biblical texts as associated with Moab (e.g., Numbers 32:3, 32:38; Isaiah 16:8-9; Jeremiah 48:31, 48:32). During the allocation of land to the Israelite tribes beyond the Jordan, Sibmah is listed among the towns in the territory given to Reuben or Gad, and later biblical books portray it as under Moabite control. Classical sources, such as Eusebius' Onomasticon, link it to the famous vineyards of Moab. English translations often render the name as 'Sibmah' or 'Shibmah,' and older translations have sometimes associated it with 'spice' or 'balsam' due to supposed etymology, though this is not directly attested in the text. There is no direct evidence the town was specifically known for spices, though the Moabite region was agriculturally rich, and prophetic texts allude to grape cultivation there. The name appears exclusively as a toponym; it is not attested as a common noun for spice or balsam products in biblical Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (feminine) שִׂבְמָה; probably from בָּשָׂם; spice; Sebam or Sibmah, a place in Moab; Shebam, Shibmah, Sibmah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בשׂם (b-ś-m) — to smell sweetly, to produce fragrance, to spice
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1313 | בָּשָׂם | my fragrant resin |
| H1315 | בׇּשְׂמַת | Fragrant One |
| H3005 | יִבְשָׂם | And Fragrant-One |
| H4017 | מִבְשָׂם | Fragrant One |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7643-01 |
שִׂבְמָ֑ה | sivemah | HNp |
Sibmah | Sibmah | 4 |
H7643-03 |
וְ/שִׂבְמָ֔ה | vesivemah | HC/Np |
and Sibmah | and Sibmah | 1 |
H7643-02 |
וּ/שְׂבָ֥ם | usevam | HC/Np |
and Shebam | Sebam | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7643-02 |
Numbers 32:3 | וּ/שְׂבָ֥ם | usevam | HC/Np |
and Shebam | Sebam |
H7643-01 |
Numbers 32:38 | שִׂבְמָ֑ה | sivemah | HNp |
Sibmah | Sibmah |
H7643-03 |
Joshua 13:19 | וְ/שִׂבְמָ֔ה | vesivemah | HC/Np |
and Sibmah | and Sibmah |
H7643-01 |
Isaiah 16:8 | שִׂבְמָ֗ה | sivemah | HNp |
of Sibmah | Sibmah |
H7643-01 |
Isaiah 16:9 | שִׂבְמָ֔ה | sivemah | HNp |
Sibmah | Sibmah |
H7643-01 |
Jeremiah 48:32 | שִׂבְמָ֔ה | sivemah | HNp |
Sibmah | Sibmah |