{
  "id": "dict_005220",
  "term": "Shammah",
  "slug": "shammah",
  "letter": "S",
  "entry_type": "biblical_person_name",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Shammah is a Hebrew personal name borne by several men in the Old Testament, not a distinct theological concept.",
  "simple_one_line": "A biblical name shared by several Old Testament men, including one of David’s mighty warriors.",
  "tooltip_text": "Shammah is a Hebrew personal name that appears several times in the Old Testament; context determines which individual is meant.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "David's mighty men",
    "Jesse",
    "Reuel",
    "Shimea"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Shimea",
    "Samuel",
    "2 Samuel",
    "1 Samuel",
    "Genesis 36"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Shammah is a Hebrew personal name borne by several men in the Old Testament. The best-known Shammah is one of David’s mighty warriors, but the name also appears in other genealogical and narrative settings.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "Biblical personal name",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Not a doctrine or theological theme",
    "Shared by multiple Old Testament men",
    "Best known: Shammah, one of David’s mighty men",
    "Always identify by context"
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Shammah is an Old Testament personal name applied to more than one individual. Because it names specific men rather than a theological idea, it is better treated as a biblical person-name entry. The best-known bearer is Shammah, one of David’s mighty warriors in 2 Samuel 23.",
  "description_academic_full": "Shammah is an Old Testament personal name borne by several men in Scripture. The most widely recognized bearer is Shammah, one of David’s mighty men, identified in 2 Samuel 23:11–12. The name also appears in genealogical and family contexts, such as one of Jesse’s sons in 1 Samuel 16:9 and a descendant list in Genesis 36:13, 17. Because the term refers to multiple individuals rather than a single doctrine, motif, or theological category, it should be published and read as a disambiguated biblical-name entry rather than as a theological term. Any treatment should distinguish the different men clearly and avoid collapsing them into one figure.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Scripture uses Shammah as a personal name in different settings: royal history, family lists, and genealogies. The name therefore functions as an ordinary proper noun that requires context for identification.",
  "background_historical_context": "In the ancient Near East, repeating family names was common, so biblical genealogies and narrative contexts often require careful distinction between different people who shared the same name.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "Hebrew names often carried family or descriptive associations, but in the biblical text the main issue is identification rather than symbolic meaning. Shammah is simply one of several recurring Hebrew personal names.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "2 Samuel 23:11–12",
    "1 Samuel 16:9",
    "Genesis 36:13, 17"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "1 Chronicles 1:37",
    "1 Chronicles 11:27"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew שַׁמָּה (Shammāh), a male personal name borne by more than one Old Testament figure; related spellings or forms may appear in some parallel passages.",
  "theological_significance": "Shammah has no direct doctrinal content, but the name illustrates the historical concreteness of Scripture and the importance of reading each person in context. The best-known Shammah also stands as an example of faithful service among David’s mighty men.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "As a proper name, Shammah functions as a historical identifier rather than as an abstract concept. Its meaning depends on the specific person and passage in view.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not treat all occurrences of Shammah as one individual. Use surrounding context, genealogy, and parallel passages to identify which man is intended. Avoid building theology from the name itself.",
  "major_views_note": "There are no major doctrinal views attached to this entry. The main editorial issue is distinguishing the several biblical men who bear the name.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Shammah is a biblical person-name, not a doctrine, attribute, or theological system. Any interpretation should remain within the historical and literary context of the relevant passage.",
  "practical_significance": "This entry reminds readers to pay attention to context and to the many otherwise obscure people God includes in Scripture. Even lesser-known names matter in the biblical record.",
  "meta_description": "Shammah is a Hebrew personal name borne by several Old Testament men, including one of David’s mighty warriors.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/shammah/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/shammah.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}