שֹׁמְרוֹן
𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤍
Shomeron
H8111 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Shomron is a proper noun referring to a geographic and political region, as well as the principal city of that region, within the northern kingdom of Israel during the monarchic period. Its semantic range includes both the fortified city established as the capital by King Omri and, by extension, the larger surrounding district ruled from that city. Later, in post-exilic and Hellenistic contexts, the name extends to the region known in Greek and Roman sources as Samaria.
Semantic Range
city of Shomron (capital of northern kingdom of Israel), central region around Shomron, territory governed from Shomron, (later) Roman and Hellenistic province of Samaria
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁמר (sh-m-r), which carries the core meaning of 'to keep, watch, guard.' Shomron is formed as a substantival proper noun from the active participle form, suggesting 'watch-place' or 'observatory.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Shomron originally designated the hill and settlement purchased by King Omri from Shemer, as described in 1 Kings 16:24, and then developed as the capital of the northern Israelite kingdom (House of Omri, later kings). The site became synonymous with the political and administrative center of northern Israel, standing in contrast to Jerusalem in the south. Over time, the term could refer either to the city itself or the region it dominated. In post-exilic and later periods (including Greek and Roman sources), 'Samaria' comes to denote the broader central hill country, home to a distinct population sometimes called Samaritans (Shomronim) in later literature. English translations often use 'Samaria,' but this can obscure the word's original Israelite associations and geographical boundaries. The name derives from the sale by Shemer, but the linguistic formation puts focus on its function as a place of watch or security, not necessarily denoting the ethnicity or religion of its inhabitants in all periods. Distinct from later ethnic and religious uses associated with 'Samaritans.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the active participle of שָׁמַר; watch-station; Shomeron, a place in Palestine; Samaria.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שׁמר (Shamur) — to guard, to keep, to observe, to watch
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4929 | מִשְׁמָר | in the guard-post |
| H4931 | מִשְׁמֶרֶת | in a guarding-duty |
| H8053 | שָׁמוּר | I will guard |
| H8069 | שָׁמִיר | in Shamir |
| H8113 | שִׁמְרִי | Shimri |
Word Forms
7 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8111-04 |
שֹׁמְרֽוֹן | shomeron | HNp |
Samaria | Watch-Place | Shomeron | 60 |
H8111-01 |
בְּ/שֹׁמְר֑וֹן | beshomeron | HR/Np |
in Samaria | in Watch-place | in Shomeron | 30 |
H8111-03 |
מִ/שֹּׁמְרֽוֹן | mishomeron | HR/Np |
from Samaria | from Watch-Place | from Shomeron | 5 |
H8111-07 |
בְ/שֹֽׁמְר֗וֹן | veshomeron | HR/Np |
in Samaria | Watch-Place Shomron | in Shomeron | 5 |
H8111-02 |
לְ/שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן | leshomeron | HR/Np |
to Samaria | to Watch-place Shomron | to Shomeron | 4 |
H8111-05 |
שֹׁמְרֽוֹנָ/ה | shomeronah | HNp/Sd |
to Samaria | toward Watch-Place | that Shomeron | 3 |
H8111-06 |
וּ/מִ/שֹּׁמְרֽוֹן | umishomeron | HC/R/Np |
and from Samaria | and from Watch-Place Shomron | and from Shomeron | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
109 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8111-04 |
Nehemiah 3:34 | שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן | shomeron | HNp |
of Samaria | Watch-Place | Shomeron |
H8111-02 |
2 Chronicles 18:2 | לְ/שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן | leshomeron | HR/Np |
to-Samaria | to Watch-place Shomron | to Shomeron |
H8111-04 |
2 Chronicles 18:9 | שֹׁמְר֑וֹן | shomeron | HNp |
of Samaria | Watch-Place | Shomeron |
H8111-07 |
2 Chronicles 22:9 | בְ/שֹֽׁמְר֗וֹן | veshomeron | HR/Np |
in Samaria | Watch-Place Shomron | in Shomeron |
H8111-03 |
2 Chronicles 25:13 | מִ/שֹּׁמְר֖וֹן | mishomeron | HR/Np |
from Samaria | from Watch-Place | from Shomeron |
H8111-04 |
2 Chronicles 25:24 | שֹׁמְרֽוֹן | shomeron | HNp |
to Samaria | Watch-Place | Shomeron |
H8111-02 |
2 Chronicles 28:8 | לְ/שֹׁמְרֽוֹן | leshomeron | HR/Np |
to Samaria | to Watch-place Shomron | to Shomeron |
H8111-02 |
2 Chronicles 28:9 | לְ/שֹׁמְר֔וֹן | leshomeron | HR/Np |
to-Samaria | to Watch-place Shomron | to Shomeron |
H8111-04 |
2 Chronicles 28:15 | שֹׁמְרֽוֹן | shomeron | HNp |
to Samaria | Watch-Place | Shomeron |