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שְׁנַיִם

𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌

shᵉnayim

H8147 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

The cardinal number 'two' in Hebrew, indicating a pair or a set of two items. Used to express quantity (exactly two of something) and, in its dual form, frequently emphasizes the concept of pairs, parallels, or complementary parts. The masculine form is שְׁנַיִם (shᵉnayim), while the feminine is שְׁתַּיִם (shetayim).

Semantic Range

two (cardinal number), pair, both (as a dual set), in combination in compound numbers (twelve, twenty-two, etc.), twice (as adverb), double, couple, twofold

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root שנה (š-n-h), which in other forms means 'to repeat, to do again, to be double.' However, the cardinal number is likely a remnant of archaic Semitic numerals and its relation to the root is uncertain; thus, the exact etymology of שְׁנַיִם as 'two' is uncertain, although it shares forms with related Semitic languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שְׁנַיִם is used throughout the Hebrew Bible as the standard masculine form for 'two.' In construct state or when used to modify a feminine noun, the form שְׁתַּיִם appears. The number 'two' plays a significant role in legal, ritual, and narrative contexts, often marking completeness of a pair (e.g., the two tablets of the law, two witnesses, two pillars) or indicating alternate or doubled actions (such as 'twice'). Sometimes serves as an ordinal (second) in rare, formulaic contexts, though generally the derived adjective שֵׁנִי (sheni) is used for 'second.' Later English translations sometimes interpret these phrases contextually as 'both,' 'couple,' or 'pair,' each emphasizing the paired nature typical of the dual form in Hebrew. In numerals above ten (like twelve or twenty), the word is used in the traditional Hebrew construction. No significant shifts in meaning across periods, though later Jewish liturgical Hebrew often preserves the ancient usage. Compare שֵׁנִי for adjectives ('second') and consider the feminine usage in gendered noun agreement.

Translation Consistency

primary "two" 45 occurrences

'Two' is the natural, primary English rendering of the Hebrew שְׁנַיִם and reflects the overwhelming majority of occurrences. It captures the cardinal number, the idea of a pair/dual (both), and serves as the base for compound numerals; it is the most common and idiomatic choice across contexts.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"twelve" (4x) "you" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שנה (shinʼân) — to repeat, do again, change

Root שנה to repeat, to be double, to do again
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8136 שִׁנְאָן repeated multitude
H8138 שָׁנָה I will alter
H8139 שְׁנָה and his sleep
H8141 שָׁנֶה in the year

Word Forms

45 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8147-21 שְׁנֵ֣י sheney HAcmdc two two of two of 145
H8147-27 שְׁתֵּ֣י shetey HAcfdc two two two 94
H8147-20 שְׁנַיִם֩ shenayim HAcmda two two two 91
H8147-24 שְׁנֵ֥ים sheneym HAcmda twelve two twelve 65
H8147-22 שְׁנֵי/הֶֽם sheneyhem HAcmdc/Sp3mp both of them the two of them the two of them 58
H8147-32 וּ/שְׁנַ֥יִם ushenayim HC/Acmda and two and two and two 50
H8147-26 שְׁתַּ֛יִם shetayim HAcfda two two two 46
H8147-33 וּ/שְׁנֵ֧י usheney HC/Acmdc and two and two of and two of 30
H8147-30 שְׁתֵּ֥ים sheteym HAcfda two two two 29
H8147-37 וּ/שְׁתֵּי֮ ushetey HC/Acfdc and two and two of and two 26

Occurrences in Scripture

769 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8147-21 Genesis 1:16 שְׁנֵ֥י sheney HAcmdc two two of two of
H8147-22 Genesis 2:25 שְׁנֵי/הֶם֙ sheneyhem HAcmdc/Sp3mp both of them the two of them the two of them
H8147-22 Genesis 3:7 שְׁנֵי/הֶ֔ם sheneyhem HAcmdc/Sp3mp both of them the two of them the two of them
H8147-27 Genesis 4:19 שְׁתֵּ֣י shetey HAcfdc two two two
H8147-30 Genesis 5:8 שְׁתֵּ֤ים sheteym HAcfda twelve two twelve
H8147-26 Genesis 5:18 שְׁתַּ֧יִם shetayim HAcfda two two two
H8147-26 Genesis 5:20 שְׁתַּ֤יִם shetayim HAcfda two two two
H8147-26 Genesis 5:26 שְׁתַּ֤יִם shetayim HAcfda two two two
H8147-26 Genesis 5:28 שְׁתַּ֧יִם shetayim HAcfda two two two
H8147-20 Genesis 6:19 שְׁנַ֧יִם shenayim HAcmda two two two
H8147-20 Genesis 6:20 שְׁנַ֧יִם shenayim HAcmda two two two
H8147-20 Genesis 7:2 שְׁנַ֖יִם shenayim HAcmda two two two
H8147-20 Genesis 7:9 שְׁנַ֨יִם shenayim HAcmda two two two
H8147-20 Genesis 7:9 שְׁנַ֜יִם shenayim-2 HAcmda two two two
H8147-20 Genesis 7:15 שְׁנַ֤יִם shenayim HAcmda two two two
H8147-20 Genesis 7:15 שְׁנַ֨יִם֙ shenayim-2 HAcmda two two two
H8147-11 Genesis 9:22 לִ/שְׁנֵֽי lisheney HR/Acmdc his two to two of to two of
H8147-22 Genesis 9:23 שְׁנֵי/הֶ֔ם sheneyhem HAcmdc/Sp3mp their the two of them the two of them
H8147-21 Genesis 10:25 שְׁנֵ֣י sheney HAcmdc two two of two of
H8147-26 Genesis 11:20 שְׁתַּ֥יִם shetayim HAcfda thirty-two two two
H8147-30 Genesis 14:4 שְׁתֵּ֤ים sheteym HAcfda twelve two twelve
H8147-24 Genesis 17:20 שְׁנֵים sheneym HAcmda twelve two twelve
H8147-21 Genesis 19:1 שְׁנֵ֨י sheney HAcmdc two two of two of
H8147-27 Genesis 19:8 שְׁתֵּ֣י shetey HAcfdc two two two
H8147-27 Genesis 19:15 שְׁתֵּ֤י shetey HAcfdc two two two
H8147-27 Genesis 19:16 שְׁתֵּ֣י shetey HAcfdc of his two two two
H8147-37 Genesis 19:30 וּ/שְׁתֵּ֤י ushetey HC/Acfdc and his two and two of and two of
H8147-37 Genesis 19:30 וּ/שְׁתֵּ֥י ushetey-2 HC/Acfdc and his two and two of and two of
H8147-27 Genesis 19:36 שְׁתֵּ֥י shetey HAcfdc both two two
H8147-22 Genesis 21:27 שְׁנֵי/הֶ֖ם sheneyhem HAcmdc/Sp3mp both of them the two of them the two of them
H8147-22 Genesis 21:31 שְׁנֵי/הֶֽם sheneyhem HAcmdc/Sp3mp the two of them the two of them the two of them
H8147-21 Genesis 22:3 שְׁנֵ֤י sheney HAcmdc two two of two of
H8147-22 Genesis 22:6 שְׁנֵי/הֶ֖ם sheneyhem HAcmdc/Sp3mp both of them the two of them the two of them
H8147-22 Genesis 22:8 שְׁנֵי/הֶ֖ם sheneyhem HAcmdc/Sp3mp the two of them the two of them the two of them
H8147-33 Genesis 24:22 וּ/שְׁנֵ֤י usheney HC/Acmdc and two and two of and two of
H8147-24 Genesis 25:16 שְׁנֵים sheneym HAcmda twelve two twelve
H8147-21 Genesis 25:23 שְׁנֵ֤י sheney HAcmdc Two two of two of
H8147-33 Genesis 25:23 וּ/שְׁנֵ֣י usheney HC/Acmdc and two and two of and two of
H8147-21 Genesis 27:9 שְׁנֵ֛י sheney HAcmdc two two of two of
H8147-23 Genesis 27:45 שְׁנֵי/כֶ֖ם sheneykhem HAcmdc/Sp2mp of you your two of you
H8147-27 Genesis 29:16 שְׁתֵּ֣י shetey HAcfdc two two two
H8147-27 Genesis 31:33 שְׁתֵּ֥י shetey HAcfdc of the two two two
H8147-25 Genesis 31:37 שְׁנֵֽי/נוּ sheneynu HAcmdc/Sp1cp us two we two two of us
H8147-05 Genesis 31:41 בִּ/שְׁתֵּ֣י bishetey HR/Acfdc for two in two of in two of
H8147-11 Genesis 32:8 לִ/שְׁנֵ֥י lisheney HR/Acmdc into two to two of to two
H8147-11 Genesis 32:11 לִ/שְׁנֵ֥י lisheney HR/Acmdc two to two of to two of
H8147-27 Genesis 32:23 שְׁתֵּ֤י shetey HAcfdc his two two two
H8147-27 Genesis 32:23 שְׁתֵּ֣י shetey-2 HAcfdc his two two two
H8147-27 Genesis 33:1 שְׁתֵּ֥י shetey HAcfdc the two two two
H8147-21 Genesis 34:25 שְׁנֵֽי sheney HAcmdc two two of two of
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