שֶׁמֶר
𐤔𐤌𐤓
shemer
H8105 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Sediment or dregs that settle at the bottom of a liquid, especially wine; also refers to the 'lees'—the residue remaining after fermentation. In extended or figurative usage, the term can indicate something that remains unused, or that which is left behind after a process. Its primary lexical sense is the residual matter, typically of a liquid, especially wine.
Semantic Range
lees, dregs, sediment (of wine or similar liquids); residue; in figurative contexts: what remains, something stagnant or undisturbed
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁמר (sh-m-r), meaning 'to keep, watch, preserve.' The form שֶׁמֶר is a concrete noun derived from the root, signifying that which is left behind or preserved at the bottom—i.e., dregs or lees of wine. The connection to 'preserving' reflects the sense of what stays at the bottom, protected from removal or disturbance.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, שֶׁמֶר appears primarily in the plural form and typically refers to the thick sediment or residue (lees) in wine vessels after fermentation (Isaiah 25:6; Jeremiah 48:11; Zephaniah 1:12). The imagery often draws upon the stability or inertia of wine undisturbed 'on its lees,' metaphorically extending to people or communities that have become complacent or settled. Unlike other terms for impurity or waste, שֶׁמֶר carries a sense of product residual to a process, not necessarily inherently negative. While later periods and translations use 'dregs,' 'sediment,' or 'lees,' these English words can miss the metaphorical nuance, especially in prophetic literature where lingering 'on the lees' connotes moral or spiritual stagnation. In the Hebrew Bible, the use of שֶׁמֶר is limited and is contextually distinct from other types of refuse or waste. Notably, the metaphorical extension becomes more pronounced in poetic and prophetic texts, where it is used to indicate complacency or lack of change, as in Zephaniah 1:12. The core image remains rooted in the process of wine-making familiar to ancient Israelites.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁמַר; something preserved, i.e. the settlings (plural only) of wine; dregs, (wines on the) lees.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שמר (sh-m-r) — to guard, keep, preserve
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3461 | יִשְׁמְרַי | He-preserves |
| H4929 | מִשְׁמָר | the guard-duty |
| H7763 | שׁוֹמֵר | the guarding one |
| H8068 | שָׁמִיר | like a hard-thorn |
| H8104 | שָׁמַר | in their guarding |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8105-03 |
שְׁמָרִ֑ים | shemarim | HNcmpa |
lees wines | wine dregs | 2 |
H8105-02 |
שְׁ֭מָרֶי/הָ | shemareyha | HNcmpc/Sp3fs |
the dregs thereof | her dregs | 1 |
H8105-01 |
שְׁמָרָ֔י/ו | shemarayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his dregs | his lees | 1 |
H8105-04 |
שִׁמְרֵי/הֶ֔ם | shimereyhem | HNcmpc/Sp3mp |
their-lees | their lees | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8105-03 |
Isaiah 25:6 | שְׁמָרִ֑ים | shemarim | HNcmpa |
of wine on the lees | wine dregs |
H8105-03 |
Isaiah 25:6 | שְׁמָרִ֖ים | shemarim-2 | HNcmpa |
lees wines | wine dregs |
H8105-01 |
Jeremiah 48:11 | שְׁמָרָ֔י/ו | shemarayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his dregs | his lees |
H8105-04 |
Zephaniah 1:12 | שִׁמְרֵי/הֶ֔ם | shimereyhem | HNcmpc/Sp3mp |
their-lees | their lees |
H8105-02 |
Psalms 75:9 | שְׁ֭מָרֶי/הָ | shemareyha | HNcmpc/Sp3fs |
the dregs thereof | her dregs |