שָׁעָה
𐤔𐤏𐤄
shâʻâh
H8160 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A period of time marked by a specific event, especially a brief interval, moment, or 'hour'; in Aramaic usage (as in Daniel and Ezra), denotes a distinct point in time, often corresponding to an 'hour' in the sense of a division of the day, or a decisive moment within a narrative context. The term does not always refer to a precise 60-minute period but indicates a segment of time, often a significant or appointed moment.
Semantic Range
moment, period, hour, short interval, appointed time
Root / Etymology
The term derives from the root שׁעה, which in Hebrew carries the sense of 'to look' or 'to gaze,' leading to the derived meaning of 'a turning of attention' or 'a moment looked at.' In Aramaic usage (especially in the biblical books of Daniel and Ezra), the form functions as a noun meaning 'an hour' or 'moment,' abstracted from the verbal root signifying 'to observe' or 'consider.' The development from the concrete idea of looking/gazing to the abstract sense of 'moment' aligns with the notion of time perceived or attended to.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word שָׁעָה appears six times in the biblical Aramaic portions of Daniel and Ezra. In these contexts, it regularly designates a segment of time—a 'moment' or 'hour'—during which a particular action or event occurs, rather than a strictly measured or standardized hour. There is no evidence that ancient Israelites or Aramaic-speaking Judeans divided the day into precise hours as in later Hellenistic or Roman contexts, so modern translations as 'hour' can be anachronistic if read as meaning exactly sixty minutes. In earlier Israelite Hebrew (where the root occurs as a verb), the meaning is 'to look at' or 'regard' (cf. Genesis 4:4–5). The noun שָׁעָה as 'period, hour' is limited to the Aramaic passages and should not be confused with Hebrew temporal terms such as עֵת ('appointed time, season') or פַּעַם ('occurrence, stroke'). English versions often render it as 'hour' due to tradition, but a broader term such as 'moment' or 'period' might better capture its contextual usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to שָׁעָה; properly, a look, i.e. a moment; hour.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שעה (š-ʿ-h) — to look, to gaze, to pay attention
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8160-03 |
שַׁעֲתָ֣/ה | shaatah | ANcfsd/Td |
hour | you | 2 |
H8160-02 |
שַׁעֲתָ֣/א | shaata | ANcfsd/Td |
hour | the appointed moment | 2 |
H8160-01 |
כְּ/שָׁעָ֣ה | keshaah | AR/Ncfsa |
like-[an]-hour | like a moment | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8160-02 |
Daniel 3:6 | שַׁעֲתָ֣/א | shaata | ANcfsd/Td |
in the same hour | the appointed moment |
H8160-03 |
Daniel 3:15 | שַׁעֲתָ֣/ה | shaatah | ANcfsd/Td |
the hour | you |
H8160-01 |
Daniel 4:16 | כְּ/שָׁעָ֣ה | keshaah | AR/Ncfsa |
like-[an]-hour | like a moment |
H8160-02 |
Daniel 4:30 | שַׁעֲתָ֗/א | shaata | ANcfsd/Td |
hour | the appointed moment |
H8160-03 |
Daniel 5:5 | שַׁעֲתָ֗/ה | shaatah | ANcfsd/Td |
hour | you |