שֶׁמֶר
𐤔𐤌𐤓
Shemer
H8106 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Shemer — a proper name referring to multiple individuals in the Hebrew Bible. The semantic range is limited to personal name function; it designates specific persons, such as the owner of the hill purchased by King Omri to build the city of Samaria, as well as other individuals in genealogical lists. There is no independent lexical meaning outside of its use as a personal name in the biblical record.
Semantic Range
proper noun (personal name) Shemer; no extended meanings; not to be confused with the noun 'dregs/lees' (of wine) sharing the same spelling
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שָׁמַר (sh-m-r), meaning 'to keep, watch, guard.' The name Shemer (שֶׁמֶר) likely originates as a personal name formed from this root, following a common pattern of using roots associated with desirable qualities ('guardian,' 'protected') for personal names. In non-personal name contexts, the same consonantal form שֶׁמֶר can also mean 'dregs' or 'lees' (of wine), but this is etymologically and semantically distinct from the proper name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, שֶׁמֶר appears only as the name of specific individuals. Most notably, Shemer is the owner of the hill which Omri, king of Israel, purchases and upon which he builds the city of Samaria (see 1 Kings 16:24). The name appears also in genealogical contexts (e.g., 1 Chronicles 7:34, 1 Chronicles 11:27). The use is strictly nominal in the Hebrew Bible; there is no direct association between the proper name Shemer and the common noun meaning 'dregs' outside of their shared spelling. Some later English translations and traditions use the spelling 'Shamer' in certain verses, but this variation reflects transliteration practices rather than a distinction in the Hebrew text. The biblical Shemer is identified as an Israelite; context does not imply particular tribal or geographic identity beyond what is given in specific genealogies. The name did not develop significant usage or semantic change in later biblical or extra-biblical periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as שֶׁמֶר; Shemer, the name of three Israelites; Shamer, Shemer.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שמר (sh-m-r) — to keep, guard, watch
| 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
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8106-01 |
שָֽׁמֶר | shamer | HNp |
Shamer | Shemer | 2 |
H8106-02 |
שֶׁ֖מֶר | shemer | HNp |
of Shemer | Shemer | 2 |
H8106-03 |
וָ/שָׁ֑מֶד | vashamed | HC/Np |
and Shemed | and Shemer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8106-02 |
1 Kings 16:24 | שֶׁ֖מֶר | shemer | HNp |
Shemer | Shemer |
H8106-02 |
1 Kings 16:24 | שֶׁ֔מֶר | shemer-2 | HNp |
of Shemer | Shemer |
H8106-01 |
1 Chronicles 6:31 | שָֽׁמֶר | shamer | HNp |
Shamer | Shemer |
H8106-01 |
1 Chronicles 7:34 | שָׁ֑מֶר | shamer | HNp |
Shemer | Shemer |
H8106-03 |
1 Chronicles 8:12 | וָ/שָׁ֑מֶד | vashamed | HC/Np |
and Shemed | and Shemer |