שְׁמַעְיָה (H8098) — Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁמַעְיָה

𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤄

Shemaeyah

H8098 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁמע to hear, listen, pay attention

Definition

A personal name meaning 'Yah has heard' or 'YHWH has heard.' Throughout the Hebrew Bible, שְׁמַעְיָה is the name of multiple Israelite figures, appearing in narrative, prophetic, and administrative contexts. The name expresses the idea of divine attentiveness or response, reflecting a theophoric naming tradition invoking the deity's attribute of hearing. Its usage is confined to personal identification and does not carry further semantic extensions beyond being a proper name.

Semantic Range

personal name meaning 'YHWH has heard'; refers to various Israelite and Judahite men in varying roles and periods; theophoric proper name only

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root שָׁמַע ('to hear, listen, pay attention') with the theophoric element יָהּ (a short form of the divine name YHWH); thus, the name is a construct meaning 'YHWH has heard.' The variant form שְׁמַעְיָהוּ uses the fuller theophoric suffix -yahu, typical in Judahite personal names.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name שְׁמַעְיָה was common throughout the monarchic and post-exilic periods, attested for at least twenty-five individuals in the Hebrew Bible, including prophets, Levites, scribes, and temple officials. The recurrence of this theophoric pattern reflects a widespread naming practice among Israelites and Judahites, signifying piety or parental hope in divine responsiveness. The English equivalent 'Shemaiah' reflects the transliteration of the Hebrew; occasionally, the longer form 'Shemaiah(u)' appears, especially in texts from the kingdom of Judah, consistent with linguistic patterns distinguishing northern (Israelite) and southern (Judahite) name forms. The term is not used as a common noun or title. Later translations sometimes render all such names with 'Jew' or 'Jewish' connections, but in biblical contexts, such figures should be understood as Israelites or Judahites, according to period and context. The meaning is consistently that of a personal name with the implied assertion or commemoration that YHWH has attended to a supplicant's prayer or need.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שְׁמַעְיָהוּ; from שָׁמַע and יָהּ; Jah has heard; Shemajah, the name of twenty-five Israelites; Shemaiah.

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Root Family

שׁמע (sh-m-ʿ) — to hear, listen, pay attention

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1953	הוֹשָׁמָע	Yahweh-has-heard
H3460	יִשְׁמַעְיָה	Yahweh hears
H4926	מִשְׁמָע	to report-of
H4928	מִשְׁמַעַת	their obedience
H8037	שַׁמָּא	he heard
H8039	שִׁמְאָה	Hearing-one
H8051	שַׁמּוּעַ	Heard-One
H8052	שְׁמוּעָה	in the heard-report
H8085	שָׁמַע	I will cause to hear
H8086	שְׁמַע	listening ones
H8087	שֶׁמַע	Listen!
H8088	שֵׁמַע	as report of
H8089	שֹׁמַע	his hearing
H8090	שְׁמָע	and Shema
H8091	שָׁמָע	he heard
H8094	שְׁמָעָה	Yahweh-has-heard
H8095	שִׁמְעוֹן	Hearer
H8096	שִׁמְעִי	to Yahweh-has-heard
H8100	שִׁמְעַת	Shimath
H8101	שִׁמְעָתִי	Shimʻah clansmen

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H8098-02`	שְׁמַעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	26
`H8098-03`	שְׁמַעְיָ֔הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	Shemaiah	YHWH has heard	5
`H8098-04`	וּֽ/שְׁמַעְיָ֑ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard	5
`H8098-01`	לִֽ֠/שְׁמַעְיָה	lishemaeyah	`HR/Np`	to-Shemaiah	to YHWH-has-heard	2
`H8098-05`	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֜הוּ	ushemaeyahu	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and YHWH-has-heard	2
`H8098-06`	וְ/לִֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	velishemaeyah	`HC/R/Np`	and-to Shemaiah	and to YHWH-has-heard	1

Occurrences in Scripture

41 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H8098-02`	1 Kings 12:22	שְׁמַעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-03`	Jeremiah 26:20	שְׁמַעְיָ֔הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	of Shemaiah	YHWH has heard
`H8098-03`	Jeremiah 29:24	שְׁמַעְיָ֥הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	Shemaiah	YHWH has heard
`H8098-02`	Jeremiah 29:31	שְׁמַעְיָ֖ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	Jeremiah 29:31	שְׁמַעְיָ֗ה	shemaeyah-2	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	Jeremiah 29:32	שְׁמַעְיָ֣ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-03`	Jeremiah 36:12	שְׁ֠מַעְיָהוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	of Shemaiah	YHWH has heard
`H8098-04`	Ezra 8:13	וּֽ/שְׁמַעְיָ֑ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard
`H8098-01`	Ezra 8:16	לִֽ֠/שְׁמַעְיָה	lishemaeyah	`HR/Np`	to-Shemaiah	to YHWH-has-heard
`H8098-04`	Ezra 10:21	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֔ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard
`H8098-02`	Ezra 10:31	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 3:29	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֣ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 6:10	שְֽׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	of Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 10:9	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֑ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 11:15	שְׁמַעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 12:6	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-01`	Nehemiah 12:18	לִֽ/שְׁמַעְיָ֖ה	lishemaeyah	`HR/Np`	of Shemaiah	to YHWH-has-heard
`H8098-04`	Nehemiah 12:34	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֖ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 12:35	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֗ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 12:36	שְֽׁמַעְיָ֡ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-04`	Nehemiah 12:42	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֜ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 3:22	שְׁמַעְיָ֑ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 3:22	שְׁמַעְיָ֗ה	shemaeyah-2	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 4:37	שְׁמַֽעְיָֽה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 5:4	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 9:14	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 9:16	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֔ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 15:8	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 15:11	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֔ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 24:6	שְֽׁמַֽעְיָה֩	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 26:4	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-06`	1 Chronicles 26:6	וְ/לִֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	velishemaeyah	`HC/R/Np`	and-to Shemaiah	and to YHWH-has-heard
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 26:7	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֗ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-03`	2 Chronicles 11:2	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	Shemaiah	YHWH has heard
`H8098-04`	2 Chronicles 12:5	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and-Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard
`H8098-02`	2 Chronicles 12:7	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-02`	2 Chronicles 12:15	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-03`	2 Chronicles 17:8	שְֽׁמַֽעְיָ֡הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	Shemaiah	YHWH has heard
`H8098-02`	2 Chronicles 29:14	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֖ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard
`H8098-05`	2 Chronicles 31:15	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֜הוּ	ushemaeyahu	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and YHWH-has-heard
`H8098-05`	2 Chronicles 35:9	וּ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֨הוּ	ushemaeyahu	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and YHWH-has-heard

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