שְׂעֹרִים
𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤌
Seorim
H8188 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Barley grains; the plural form refers broadly to barley as a cultivated grain, including its use as a foodstuff, offering, or agricultural product. In a secondary usage, 'Seorim' is found as a personal name, identifying a specific Israelite individual. The primary meaning pertains to the cereal grain, but context may determine reference to either the commodity or the Israelite name.
Semantic Range
barley grains, barley as a foodstuff, barley as an agricultural commodity, barley used in offerings or rituals, the personal name Seorim (an Israelite)
Root / Etymology
From the root שׂער, meaning 'to be hairy, shaggy, bristly.' The noun form שְׂעֹרָה (se‘orah) derives from this root in reference to the bristly or rough hull of the barley grain; שְׂעֹרִים is the masculine plural form. The personal name 'Seorim' likely originated as an attribution or association with barley cultivation or characteristics.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In ancient Israelite agrarian society, barley (שְׂעֹרִים) was one of the chief cereal crops, frequently mentioned in contexts relating to tithes (e.g., Num 5:15), festivals (the barley harvest marking the beginning of the agricultural year and the festival of Unleavened Bread), and sacrifices (as a grain offering). Barley was considered less prestigious than wheat but was crucial for subsistence, animal fodder, and as a unit of exchange. The name 'Seorim' (1 Chr 24:8), an Israelite, is attested only once in the genealogies of Levitical families. English translations often simply render the plural as 'barley,' though the Hebrew distinctly marks it as a grain type and as a collective plural. The use of the term as a personal name is rare and contextually distinct from the agricultural sense. No direct connection links the agricultural and anthroponymic uses beyond possible cultural association with grain cultivation or harvest.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
masculine plural of שְׂעֹרָה; barley grains; Seorim, an Israelite; Seorim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂער (ś-ʿ-r) — hairiness, bristliness, roughness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8163 | שָׂעִיר | the shaggy male-goat |
| H8164 | שָׂעִיר | tempestuous downpours |
| H8165 | שֵׂעִיר | in Seir |
| H8166 | שְׂעִירָה | she-goat of |
| H8167 | שְׂעִירָה | to the Seirah |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8188-01 |
לִ/שְׂעֹרִ֖ים | liseorim | HR/Np |
to Seorim | to Seorim | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8188-01 |
1 Chronicles 24:8 | לִ/שְׂעֹרִ֖ים | liseorim | HR/Np |
to Seorim | to Seorim |