שָׁמֵם
𐤔𐤌𐤌
shâmêm
H8076 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be astonished, appalled, devastated, or laid waste; describes both psychological states of shock or horror, as well as the condition of land, a city, or a people made uninhabitable or deserted. In physical contexts, denotes a condition of utter ruin or desolation; in figurative contexts, expresses intense astonishment, numbness, or horror as a reaction to disaster or calamity.
Semantic Range
to be deserted or laid waste, to be appalled, to be astounded, to devastate, to cause ruin, to leave in utter desolation
Root / Etymology
Root שָׁמֵם (שׁ־מ־ם), traditionally meaning 'to be desolate, to be appalled.' The verb in its various forms ('qal,' 'niphal,' 'hifil,' etc.) expresses states of devastation, astonishment, or complete desolation. From the root, derived nouns (e.g., שְׁמָמָה) denote wasteland or desolation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁמֵם is used both transitively and intransitively. In the intransitive (qal, niphal stems), it commonly describes the state of a place after judgment or calamity—rendered uninhabitable, deserted, or lifeless (e.g., Leviticus 26:32, Isaiah 13:9). In the causative (hifil), it means to lay waste or cause devastation (e.g., Jeremiah 18:16). Figuratively, the word can refer to a state of stunned horror or emotional paralysis, as when a person is struck dumb by tragedy (Jeremiah 19:8). The nuance in usage often depends on context—whether referring to physical destruction or emotive shock. Standard English translations like 'desolate' or 'ruined' sometimes miss the emotional or psychic dimensions captured in biblical narrative or prophetic poetry, where mental and communal devastation are intertwined. Related terms such as חָרֵב ('to be dry, ruined') overlap but שָׁמֵם often carries a stronger sense of utter astonishment or appalled devastation. Over different historical periods, the term remains consistent in denoting catastrophic change—especially the aftermath of invasion, exile, or divine judgment.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁמֵם; ruined; desolate.
Bantu Hebrew
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שׁמם (š-m-m) — to be desolate, astonished, appalled, devastated
| 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
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8076-01 |
הַ/שָּׁמֵ֑ם | hashamem | HTd/Aamsa |
that is desolate | the desolated one | 1 |
H8076-03 |
שְׁמֵמָ֑ה | shememah | HAafsa |
desolate | desolate | 1 |
H8076-06 |
וְ/שֹׁ֣מֵמָ֔ה | veshomemah | HC/Vqrfsa |
and desolate | being desolate | 1 |
H8076-02 |
הַ/שֹּֽׁמְמוֹת֙ | hashomemot | HTd/Vqrfpa |
the desolate | the desolate ones | 1 |
H8076-05 |
שֹֽׁמֵמָ֔ה | shomemah | HVqrfsa |
desolate | being desolate | 1 |
H8076-04 |
שֹׁמֵֽם | shomem | HVqrmsa |
desolate | desolate one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8076-06 |
2 Samuel 13:20 | וְ/שֹׁ֣מֵמָ֔ה | veshomemah | HC/Vqrfsa |
and desolate | being desolate |
H8076-03 |
Jeremiah 12:11 | שְׁמֵמָ֑ה | shememah | HAafsa |
desolate | desolate |
H8076-02 |
Ezekiel 36:4 | הַ/שֹּֽׁמְמוֹת֙ | hashomemot | HTd/Vqrfpa |
the desolate | the desolate ones |
H8076-05 |
Lamentations 1:13 | שֹֽׁמֵמָ֔ה | shomemah | HVqrfsa |
desolate | being desolate |
H8076-04 |
Lamentations 3:11 | שֹׁמֵֽם | shomem | HVqrmsa |
desolate | desolate one |
H8076-01 |
Daniel 9:17 | הַ/שָּׁמֵ֑ם | hashamem | HTd/Aamsa |
that is desolate | the desolated one |