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שְׁמֻרָה

𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤄

shᵉmurâh

H8109 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שמר to keep, guard, watch

Definition

A thing that is kept, watched, or guarded; specifically, in context, refers to the eyelid as the part of the body that keeps watch or protection over the eye. By extension, may signify 'keeping a watch,' 'that which is watched,' or 'guarding.' The word focuses on the function of guarding or protecting, whether as an anatomical term or in a more abstract sense of watchfulness.

Semantic Range

that which is kept, something watched, guarding, eyelid, object of vigilance, object of protection

Root / Etymology

מ-ר (שמר), root meaning 'to keep, guard, watch.' שְׁמֻרָה is the feminine passive participle form, indicating 'that which is kept/guarded.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, שְׁמֻרָה appears in poetic contexts, notably in Psalms (e.g., Psalm 77:4[77:5]), where it helps evoke the image of the eyelid as that which keeps or guards sleep, or as a figurative expression of vigilance or wakefulness. The anatomical sense of 'eyelid' emerges from the functional aspect of the lid as the guardian of the eye, not as a technical medical term. In some contexts, particularly in later Hebrew, the term can broaden to mean 'watch' or 'guarding,' echoing more abstract senses of attentive watchfulness. English translations often render the word as 'eyelid,' but this does not always capture the nuance of preservation or watchfulness inherent in the root meaning. Related terms such as שָׁמַר can refer more generally to keeping, guarding, or observing, but שְׁמֻרָה narrows the focus to that which does the guarding, especially in a protective or vigilant sense.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of passive participle of שָׁמַר; something guarded, i.e. an eye-lid; waking.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שמר (sh-m-r) — 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

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8109-01 שְׁמֻר֣וֹת shemurot HNcfpc watchings guarded ones of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8109-01 Psalms 77:5 שְׁמֻר֣וֹת shemurot HNcfpc watchings guarded ones of
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