שׇׁמְרַיִן
𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤍
Shomrayin
H8115 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Shomrayin is the Aramaic form of the proper noun 'Samaria,' referring specifically to the city or region that served as the capital of the northern Israelite kingdom. In Aramaic usage, it designates the same location as the Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן (Shomron); primarily, it denotes the city but can also refer to the surrounding district or territory associated with it. In biblical Aramaic, the term marks a geographic or political center rather than an ethnic or religious identity.
Semantic Range
Samaria (the city), Samaria (the province or region); the capital of the northern Israelite kingdom; administrative district
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן (Shomron), which is rooted in the Semitic root שׁמר (sh-m-r; 'to guard, watch, protect'). The Aramaic form שׇׁמְרַיִן preserves the original name's root and meaning but adopts an Aramaic ending consistent with other place names in Aramaic.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Shomrayin appears in the Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (notably, Ezra 4:10, 17) as the name for Samaria, paralleling the standard Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן. The term is important for its context: during the Persian period, Aramaic was the administrative language, and place names appear in Aramaicized forms. English translations typically render שׇׁמְרַיִן simply as 'Samaria,' but this flattens the distinction between the Hebrew and Aramaic linguistic contexts. The term refers to the administrative region as recognized in Persian and later periods. In post-exilic texts, Shomrayin may also carry political connotations (e.g., as a provincial center under Persian rule), distinguishing it from ethnic or religious designations attached to Israelites or later Samaritans. The English 'Jew' for inhabitants of Judah and 'Samaritan' for those retaining connection to this region are later developments, not signaled by this term itself.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to שֹׁמְרוֹן; Shomrain, a place in Palestine; Samaria.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁמר (sh-m-r) — to guard, to keep, to watch, to protect
| 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 |
| H8111 | שֹׁמְרוֹן | to Watch-place Shomron |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8115-01 |
בְּ/שָֽׁמְרָ֑יִן | beshamerayin | AR/Np |
in Samaria | in Guard-City Shomrayin | 1 |
H8115-02 |
שָׁמְרָ֑יִן | shamerayin | ANp |
Samaria | Shomrayin the Watch-City | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences