שָׁמֵם
𐤔𐤌𐤌
shâmêm
H8074 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be or become desolate, deserted, or devastated; to experience devastation or horror, to be appalled or stunned, often as a result of witnessing or experiencing catastrophic ruin. The term can describe both literal destruction of places and figurative states of astonishment or horror from calamity. Usage typically reflects passive experience but can also denote actively bringing ruin upon something.
Semantic Range
to be laid waste, to be deserted, to become desolate, to stun or be appalled, to devastate, to horrify, to be numbed, to amaze, to cause to desolate, to astonish
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׁמֵם (שׁ-מ-ם), which conveys the idea of emptiness, barrenness, or desolation. The verbal form שָׁמֵם emerges from this root, expressing the action or result of becoming desolate or stunned. There is no clear cognate in closely related Semitic languages, but the core notion is consistent within Hebrew usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׁמֵם is common in prophetic, poetic, and lament texts, describing wastelands, ruined cities, or the emotional state of devastation following calamity (such as exile or military defeat). The term signals both physical desolation (cities, land, sanctuary) and emotional/psychic devastation (astonishment, horror). In many passages, it is paired with imagery of infertility, silence, and utter abandonment. Later biblical and post-biblical Hebrew preserve both senses. English translations like 'desolate' or 'astonished' can capture part of the range but often obscure the somatic, visceral nuance of the verb—where numbness and horror overlap. Related Hebrew terms (e.g., שָׁדַד 'to ruin, devastate,' חָרֵב 'to be dry, ruin') can overlap in context but generally have narrower physical or agricultural connotations. שָׁמֵם is distinct for regularly denoting both existential and physical desolation. In exilic and post-exilic texts, the term often describes the ruined state of Jerusalem and the land, with implications for both landscape and the people's emotional state. In poetic parallels, it is sometimes paired with verbs for mourning or amazement, highlighting its range from environmental to psychological impact.
Translation Consistency
Covers the primary senses of H8074 — physical laying waste/destruction and the passive experience of being ruined or stunned/appalled. 'Devastate' works naturally in both transitive (to devastate a place) and intransitive/passive (to be devastated, to become devastated) uses and fits the typical emotional and catastrophic contexts found in the lemma’s semantic range.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense); make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שׁמם (sh-m-m) — to be desolate, to be devastated, to be appalled, to be stunned
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4923 | מְשַׁמָּה | to desolations |
| H8047 | שַׁמָּה | for utter desolation |
| H8049 | שַׁמְהוּת | Shamhuth |
| H8054 | שַׁמּוֹת | Shammoth |
| H8060 | שַׁמַּי | Shammay |
Word Forms
44 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8074-38 |
וְ/נָשַׁ֖מּוּ | venashamu | HC/VNq3cp |
and they will be appalled | and they became desolate | and they were devastated | 6 |
H8074-44 |
יִשֹּׁ֣ם | yishom | HVqi3ms |
will be appalled | he will become desolate | will be appalled | 6 |
H8074-30 |
וַ/הֲשִׁמּוֹתִ֖י | vahashimoti | HC/Vhq1cs |
and I will make desolate | and I devastated | and I will make desolate | 6 |
H8074-13 |
נָשַׁ֣מּוּ | nashamu | HVNp3cp |
are desolate | they became desolate | they were devastated | 5 |
H8074-17 |
שָׁמְמ֤וּ | shamemu | HVqp3cp |
are appalled | they were devastated | are appalled | 4 |
H8074-11 |
מְשֹׁמֵ֔ם | meshomem | HVmrmsa |
appalled | devastating one | appalled | 4 |
H8074-15 |
נְשַׁמּ֖וֹת | neshamot | HVNrfpa |
desolated | desolated ones | devastated ones | 4 |
H8074-25 |
שֹׁמֵמֽוֹת | shomemot | HVqrfpa |
desolations | desolate ones | devastating ones | 4 |
H8074-21 |
שֹׁמֵ֔ם | shomem | HVqrmsa |
of desolation | desolated one | desolated one | 3 |
H8074-39 |
וְ/שָֽׁמְמ֤וּ | veshamemu | HC/Vqq3cp |
and they will be appalled | and they became desolate | and they became desolate | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
86 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8074-38 |
Leviticus 26:22 | וְ/נָשַׁ֖מּוּ | venashamu | HC/VNq3cp |
and be desolate | and they became desolate | and they were devastated |
H8074-30 |
Leviticus 26:31 | וַ/הֲשִׁמּוֹתִ֖י | vahashimoti | HC/Vhq1cs |
and-I-will-make-desolate | and I devastated | and I will make desolate |
H8074-30 |
Leviticus 26:32 | וַ/הֲשִׁמֹּתִ֥י | vahashimoti | HC/Vhq1cs |
and-I-will-lay-waste | and I devastated | and I devastated |
H8074-39 |
Leviticus 26:32 | וְ/שָֽׁמְמ֤וּ | veshamemu | HC/Vqq3cp |
and-they-will-be-appalled | and they became desolate | and they will be desolate |
H8074-09 |
Leviticus 26:34 | הֳשַׁמָּ֔/ה | hoshamah | HVHc/Sp3fs |
of desolation | her being made desolate | her being made desolate |
H8074-05 |
Leviticus 26:35 | הָשַּׁמָּ֖/ה | hashamah | HVHc/Sp3fs |
that it is desolate | her being made desolate | her being devastated |
H8074-02 |
Leviticus 26:43 | בָּ/הְשַׁמָּ/ה֙ | baheshamah | HR/VHc/Sp3fs |
in-its-desolation | her being made desolate | in her desolation |
H8074-32 |
Numbers 21:30 | וַ/נַּשִּׁ֣ים | vanashim | HC/Vhw1cp |
we have laid waste | and we caused desolation | and we caused desolation |
H8074-33 |
1 Samuel 5:6 | וַ/יְשִׁמֵּ֑/ם | vayeshimem | HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3mp |
and he devastated them | and he caused them to be desolated | and he devastated them |
H8074-44 |
1 Kings 9:8 | יִשֹּׁ֣ם | yishom | HVqi3ms |
will-be-appalled | he will become desolate | will be appalled |