שָׁמִיר
𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤓
Shâmîyr
H8069 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to (1) Shamir, a town in the territory allotted to Naphtali (Joshua 19:37), and (2) Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim, notable as the home and burial place of the judge Tola (Judges 10:1-2). In both cases, used as a place name. The term derives from a common noun meaning 'thorn' or 'hard stone,' but as a proper noun it specifically designates these ancient Israelite settlements.
Semantic Range
Shamir as a proper noun: name of a town in Naphtali, name of a town in Ephraim; elsewhere as common noun: thorn, brier, hard stone, adamant, emery
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שׁמר (to keep, watch, guard). The noun שָׁמִיר is used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible to denote 'thorn,' 'briar,' or sometimes a very hard stone (possibly 'emery'). As a place name, 'Shamir' may indicate a location characterized by thorny vegetation or by notable rock formations; it could also function as a symbolic name implying strength or protection. The connection to the verb is by extension from the idea of 'something hard' (as in thorns or hard stone) that 'guards' or 'protects.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Shamir as a place name appears in two tribal allotments: Naphtali (Joshua 19:37), and Ephraim (Judges 10:1–2). The former is listed among the settlements in the Galilee region, while the latter gains significance as the home and burial place of the judge Tola, indicating some local prominence during the early monarchic or pre-monarchic era. The use of thorn/stone nouns as place names is not uncommon in biblical onomastics, often reflecting either the local terrain or metaphorical connotations of permanence and defensibility. English translations consistently retain the Hebrew name as 'Shamir,' though the geographical identity and precise locations are uncertain. The place name should not be confused with the common noun usage signifying 'thorn,' 'adamant,' or 'emery stone' (e.g., Isaiah 5:6; Jeremiah 17:1). There is no evidence that the place name Shamir bore the later religious or ethnic connotations that the English word 'Jew' or 'Judaism' acquired; the referent is strictly geographic and tribal in the biblical period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as שָׁמִיר; Shamir, the name of two places in Palestine; Shamir. Compare שָׁמוּר.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁמר (sh-m-r) — to guard, keep, watch over
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4929 | מִשְׁמָר | in the guard-post |
| H4931 | מִשְׁמֶרֶת | in a guarding-duty |
| H8053 | שָׁמוּר | I will guard |
| H8111 | שֹׁמְרוֹן | to Watch-place Shomron |
| H8113 | שִׁמְרִי | Shimri |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8069-02 |
שָׁמִ֥יר | shamir | HNp |
Shamir | Shamir | 2 |
H8069-01 |
בְּ/שָׁמִ֖יר | beshamir | HR/Np |
in Shamir | in Shamir | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8069-02 |
Joshua 15:48 | שָׁמִ֥יר | shamir | HNp |
Shamir | Shamir |
H8069-01 |
Judges 10:1 | בְּ/שָׁמִ֖יר | beshamir | HR/Np |
in Shamir | in Shamir |
H8069-01 |
Judges 10:2 | בְּ/שָׁמִֽיר | beshamir | HR/Np |
in Shamir | in Shamir |
H8069-02 |
1 Chronicles 24:24 | שָׁמִֽיר | shamir | HNp |
Shamir | Shamir |