שָׁמַיִן (H8065) — Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמַיִן

𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤍

shâmayin

H8065 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The expanse above the earth, understood as 'sky' or 'heavens', encompassing both the visible atmospheric sky where clouds, weather, and birds are observed, and the higher realm perceived as the domain of celestial bodies. In many contexts, it denotes the entire upper region (the heavens), while at times it can refer broadly to the abode of divine beings or the cosmic order above the earth, depending on context.

Semantic Range

sky, heavens, the atmospheric region, the realm of celestial bodies (sun, moon, stars), domain of divine beings or powers, cosmic order above earth

Root / Etymology

Derived from the Hebrew root שמים (shamayim), meaning 'heavens, sky.' The Aramaic שָׁמַיִן (shâmayin) is the dialectal equivalent. The underlying root (שׁמה or שמם) is uncertain in meaning, with some scholars connecting it to roots meaning 'high' or 'lofty.' The form appears as a dual in Hebrew (שָׁמַיִם) but carries plural or collective sense. The Aramaic ending -ין (-in) matches Hebrew -ים (-im) for masculine plural/dual.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שָׁמַיִן is the Aramaic form encountered primarily in biblical books written in Imperial Aramaic, such as Daniel and Ezra. The word properly denotes the heavens or sky, in a manner nearly identical to Hebrew שָׁמַיִם. In context, it can signify the physical sky, the weather region, the realm of celestial bodies, or by extension, the abode of deities. In post-exilic texts where Aramaic predominates, שָׁמַיִן retains its physical and cosmic associations, paralleling Hebrew usage. Later translations sometimes use 'heaven' in theological senses, but the original term includes the full range from visible sky to invisible heavenly realms. Unlike modern English, where 'heaven' can mean specifically an afterlife destination, the ancient Near Eastern context did not generally invest the term with such connotations — its focus was on the physical and cosmic order above earth. English translations' use of 'heaven' matches some but not all ancient connotations.

Translation Consistency

primary "heavens" 26 occurrences

שָׁמַיִן is the Hebrew plural often translated in English as ‘heavens’ and regularly used to cover both the visible sky and the higher divine/cosmic realm. ‘Heavens’ is the most common Bible rendering, preserves the plural nuance of the Hebrew, and reads naturally across contexts (sky, atmospheric region, or the abode of celestial/divine beings), so it provides consistent, clear translation for all forms of this Strong’s entry.

Alternatives (12 occurrences):

"heaven" (12x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁמַיִם; {the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)}; heaven.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שׁמם / שׁמה (uncertain) (shâmayin) — to be high, lofty, fixed place (root sense uncertain)

Root שׁמם / שׁמה (uncertain) to be high, lofty, fixed place (root sense uncertain)

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H8065-03`	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	the high heavens	32
`H8065-02`	לִ/שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	lishemaya	`AR/Ncmpd/Td`	to the heavens	to the high heavens	to the heavens	4
`H8065-01`	בִּ/שְׁמַיָּ/א֙	bishemaya	`AR/Ncmpd/Td`	in heaven	in the lofty heavens	in the lofty heavens	2

Occurrences in Scripture

38 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H8065-03`	Jeremiah 10:11	שְׁמַיָּ֥/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	the heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Jeremiah 10:11	שְׁמַיָּ֖/א	shemaya-2	`ANcmpd/Td`	the heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 2:18	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Daniel 2:19	שְׁמַיָּֽ/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-01`	Daniel 2:28	בִּ/שְׁמַיָּ/א֙	bishemaya	`AR/Ncmpd/Td`	in heaven	in the lofty heavens	in the lofty heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 2:37	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 2:38	שְׁמַיָּ/א֙	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Daniel 2:44	שְׁמַיָּ֤/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-02`	Daniel 4:8	לִ/שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	lishemaya	`AR/Ncmpd/Td`	to-the-heavens	to the high heavens	to the heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:9	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	the-heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:10	שְׁמַיָּ֖/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	the earth	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:12	שְׁמַיָּ/א֙	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-02`	Daniel 4:17	לִ/שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	lishemaya	`AR/Ncmpd/Td`	to the heavens	to the high heavens	to the heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:18	שְׁמַיָּֽ/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	the-heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-02`	Daniel 4:19	לִ/שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	lishemaya	`AR/Ncmpd/Td`	to the heavens	to the high heavens	to the heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:20	שְׁמַיָּ֡/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	the-heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:20	שְׁמַיָּ֣/א	shemaya-2	`ANcmpd/Td`	of-the-heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:22	שְׁמַיָּ/א֙	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of-heavens-the	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:23	שְׁמַיָּֽ/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	heavens-the	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:28	שְׁמַיָּ֣/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	the heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:30	שְׁמַיָּ֖/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	heavens-the	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-02`	Daniel 4:31	לִ/שְׁמַיָּ֣/א	lishemaya	`AR/Ncmpd/Td`	to-the-heavens	to the high heavens	to the heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:32	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Daniel 4:34	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	heaven	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 5:21	שְׁמַיָּ֖/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Daniel 5:23	שְׁמַיָּ֣/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-01`	Daniel 6:28	בִּ/שְׁמַיָּ֖/א	bishemaya	`AR/Ncmpd/Td`	in-heavens-the	in the lofty heavens	in the lofty heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 7:2	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	heaven	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 7:13	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Daniel 7:27	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	the heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Ezra 5:11	שְׁמַיָּ֜/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Ezra 5:12	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Ezra 6:9	שְׁמַיָּ֟/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of-heavens	the high heavens	the high heavens
`H8065-03`	Ezra 6:10	שְׁמַיָּ֑/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Ezra 7:12	שְׁמַיָּ֛/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of-heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Ezra 7:21	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of-heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Ezra 7:23	שְׁמַיָּ֔/א	shemaya	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven
`H8065-03`	Ezra 7:23	שְׁמַיָּ֑/א	shemaya-2	`ANcmpd/Td`	of heaven	the high heavens	of heaven

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