שְׁמַעְיָה (H8098) — Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁמַעְיָה

𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤄

Shemaeyah

H8098 noun

SILEX Entry

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.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

שׁמע (Hoshama) — to hear, listen, obey

Root שׁמע to hear, listen, pay attention

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1953	הוֹשָׁמָע	Yahweh-has-heard
H3460	יִשְׁמַעְיָה	and Yah-hears
H4926	מִשְׁמָע	to report-of
H4928	מִשְׁמַעַת	their obedience
H8039	שִׁמְאָה	Hearing-one
H8051	שַׁמּוּעַ	Heard-One
H8052	שְׁמוּעָה	in the heard-report
H8085	שָׁמַע	I cause to hear
H8086	שְׁמַע	listening ones
H8088	שֵׁמַע	as report of
H8090	שְׁמָע	and Shema
H8091	שָׁמָע	he heard
H8093	שִׁמְעָה	She Who Is Heard
H8094	שְׁמָעָה	Yahweh-has-heard
H8095	שִׁמְעוֹן	to He-who-hears
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	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H8098-02`	שְׁמַעְיָ֑ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah	26
`H8098-03`	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	Shemaiah	YHWH has heard	Shemaeyah	5
`H8098-04`	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard	and Shemaeyah	5
`H8098-01`	לִֽ֠/שְׁמַעְיָה	lishemaeyah	`HR/Np`	to-Shemaiah	to YHWH-has-heard	to Shemaeyah	2
`H8098-05`	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֜הוּ	ushemaeyahu	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and YHWH-has-heard	and Shemaeyah	2
`H8098-06`	וְ/לִֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	velishemaeyah	`HC/R/Np`	and-to Shemaiah	and to YHWH-has-heard	and to Shemaeyah	1

Occurrences in Scripture

41 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H8098-02`	1 Kings 12:22	שְׁמַעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-03`	Jeremiah 26:20	שְׁמַעְיָ֔הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	of Shemaiah	YHWH has heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-03`	Jeremiah 29:24	שְׁמַעְיָ֥הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	Shemaiah	YHWH has heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Jeremiah 29:31	שְׁמַעְיָ֖ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Jeremiah 29:31	שְׁמַעְיָ֗ה	shemaeyah-2	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Jeremiah 29:32	שְׁמַעְיָ֣ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-03`	Jeremiah 36:12	שְׁ֠מַעְיָהוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	of Shemaiah	YHWH has heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-04`	Ezra 8:13	וּֽ/שְׁמַעְיָ֑ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard	and Shemaeyah
`H8098-01`	Ezra 8:16	לִֽ֠/שְׁמַעְיָה	lishemaeyah	`HR/Np`	to-Shemaiah	to YHWH-has-heard	to Shemaeyah
`H8098-04`	Ezra 10:21	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֔ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard	and Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Ezra 10:31	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 3:29	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֣ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 6:10	שְֽׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	of Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 10:9	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֑ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 11:15	שְׁמַעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 12:6	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-01`	Nehemiah 12:18	לִֽ/שְׁמַעְיָ֖ה	lishemaeyah	`HR/Np`	of Shemaiah	to YHWH-has-heard	to Shemaeyah
`H8098-04`	Nehemiah 12:34	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֖ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard	and Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 12:35	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֗ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	Nehemiah 12:36	שְֽׁמַעְיָ֡ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-04`	Nehemiah 12:42	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֜ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard	and Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 3:22	שְׁמַעְיָ֑ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 3:22	שְׁמַעְיָ֗ה	shemaeyah-2	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 4:37	שְׁמַֽעְיָֽה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 5:4	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 9:14	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 9:16	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֔ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 15:8	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 15:11	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֔ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 24:6	שְֽׁמַֽעְיָה֩	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 26:4	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-06`	1 Chronicles 26:6	וְ/לִֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	velishemaeyah	`HC/R/Np`	and-to Shemaiah	and to YHWH-has-heard	and to Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	1 Chronicles 26:7	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֗ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-03`	2 Chronicles 11:2	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	Shemaiah	YHWH has heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-04`	2 Chronicles 12:5	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֤ה	ushemaeyah	`HC/Np`	and-Shemaiah	and Yah-has-heard	and Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	2 Chronicles 12:7	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	2 Chronicles 12:15	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-03`	2 Chronicles 17:8	שְֽׁמַֽעְיָ֡הוּ	shemaeyahu	`HNp`	Shemaiah	YHWH has heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-02`	2 Chronicles 29:14	שְׁמַֽעְיָ֖ה	shemaeyah	`HNp`	Shemaiah	Yah Has Heard	Shemaeyah
`H8098-05`	2 Chronicles 31:15	וּֽ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֜הוּ	ushemaeyahu	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and YHWH-has-heard	and Shemaeyah
`H8098-05`	2 Chronicles 35:9	וּ/שְׁמַֽעְיָ֨הוּ	ushemaeyahu	`HC/Np`	and Shemaiah	and YHWH-has-heard	and Shemaeyah

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