Strong's Lexicon: H8104 שָׁמַר

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:	H8104
Word:	שָׁמַר
Part of Speech:	verb
Etymology:	a primitive root
Language:	Hebrew
Occurrences:	469
Transliteration:	shamar
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:	shaw-mar'
Meaning:	1. (properly) to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard 2. (generally) to protect, attend to, etc
KJV Renderings:	beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

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Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced

BDB8848

I. שָׁמַר₄₆₅ verb keep, watch, preserve (Late Hebrew id.; Phoenician שמר in proper name and (Punic) = watchman; Tel Amarna šimiru is perhaps overseer (Canaanism), Wkl^{No. 80, i. 23}; Mandean סמירא preserved Nö^{M 46}; compare Arabic [untranscribed source text 5622] converse by night, stay awake (see Lag^{BN 105} ); Ba^{NB 175 f.; ES 43} infers from [untranscribed source text 5623] eyelid (compare [שְׁמֻרָה] below), and Arabic [untranscribed source text 5624] support, aid, protect (l = r), that two √ √ are combined in Hebrew; but proof insufficient); —

Qal₄₂₅ Perfect 3 masculine singular ׳ שׁ Gen 37:11 +, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular יִשְׁמֹר 1Sam 2:9 +, יִשְׁמָרֿ Jer 5:24 +, suffix 3 masculine singular יִשְׁמְרֶנּוּ Exod 21:29; Exod 21:36 3 feminine singular suffix תִּשְׁמוּרֵ֑ם Prov 14:3 (read תִּשְׁמְרוּם, see Ges^{«GKC:47g»§ 47g} Toy), etc.; Imperative masculine singular שְׁמֹר Job 2:6 +, שָׁמְרָה 1Chr 29:18 +; masculine plural שִׁמְרוּ Josh 6:18 +, etc.; Infinitive absolute שָׁמוֺר Deut 5:12 +; construct שְׁמֹר Gen 3:24 +, suffix שָׁמְרָהּ Gen 2:15, etc.; Participle active שֹׁמֵר 1Sam 1:12 +, etc.; passive שָׁמוּר Eccl 5:12 (1Sam 9:24 see below), etc.; — [Synon. I. נָצַר, נָטַר, q. v.]:

1.

a. keep, have charge of, garden Gen 2:15 ( J ), ark 1Sam 7:1 , property in trust Exod 22:6; Exod 22:9 ( E ), compare 1Sam 25:31 tend flock Gen 30:31 ( E ), compare Zech 3:7; Num 3:8 ( P ); so perhaps (object omitted) Hos 12:13 (where ׳ שׁ chosen for parallelism Now Marti and others); Participle הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹ֑כִי Gen 4:9 ( J ), ׳ שׁ of sheep 1Sam 17:20, הַכֵּלִים ׳ שׁ 1Sam 17:22 , הַכְּגָדִים ׳ שׁ 2Kgs 22:14 ; 2Chr 34:22, הַנָּשִׁים ׳ שׁ Esth 2:3; Esth 2:8; Esth 2:15 , compare Esth 2:14 , etc.

b. keep, guard, captives Josh 10:18 ( J ), 1Kgs 20:39, דֶּרֶךְ Gen 3:24 ( J ); keep watch and ward, אֶל person for whom 1Sam 26:15 (Ps 59:10 see 3 end), עַל person Ps 59:16; Prov 6:22 בַּנַּעַר 2Sam 18:12 have a care of (read לִי for מִי ᵐ5 and modern); in hostile sense, אֶל הָעִיר (in siege) 2Sam 11:16, חַטָאתִי עַל Job 14:16 (but read תַּעֲבֹר with ᵐ5 Ew Di Du and others [not Hi Bu]); absolute with מֵעַל Eccl 5:7 watcheth above, etc.; keep one's mouth, be prudent of speech Prov 21:33 , compare Mic 7:5 keep = protect, save, one's life, נֶפֶשׁ Prov 13:3 ; Prov 16:17; Prov 19:16; Prov 22:5, another's Job 2:6 in Proverbs, accusative of person, subject wisdom, Job 4:6 she shall preserve thee, compare (+ מִן of evil) Job 6:24; Job 7:5 especially Participle watch, watchman, of city Isa 21:11 (twice in verse); Isa 21:12 ; Isa 62:5 (figurative), Song 3:3; Song 5:7 (twice in verse); Ps 127:1 הַמֶּלֶף ׳ שׁ (in temple) Jer 35:4 + (see סַף ), פֶּית הַמֶּלֶךְ ׳ הַפּ 1Kgs 14:27 = 2Chr 12:10, הַשְּׁעָרִים ׳ שׁ Neh 13:22 , שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת (figurative) Eccl 12:3 ׳ שׁ הַבַּיִתךֵסעוֺה ךֵהת פךֵךֵכ (of David's concubines) 2Sam 15:16; 2Sam 16:21; 2Sam 20:3 שֹׁמֵר הַכֵּלִים 1Sam 17:22, הַבְּגָדִים ׳ שׁ 2Kgs 22:14, חַפַּרְדֵּס ׳ שׁ Neh 2:8, הַנָּשִׁים ׳ שׁ Esth 2:3; Esth 2:14 ; Esth 2:15, שֹׁמְרִים absolute Judg 7:19; Jer 51:12.

c. hence watch for, wait for, accusative of person 1Sam 19:11 (to kill him), compare Ps 59:1 (title; accusative הַבַּיִת); with יֲקֵכַי Ps 56:7 = dog my steps, Ps 71:10; Jer 20:10 = watch (suspiciously) Job 10:14 ; Job 13:27; Job 33:11 absolute הַשֹּׁעמרִים Judg 1:24 wait for, נֶשֶׁף Job 24:15, לַבֹּקֶר Ps 130:6 (twice in verse).

d. watch, observe, accusative of thing 1Sam 1:12; Eccl 11:4; Job 39:1 ; Jer 8:7 (of birds), with intelligence Isa 42:20; Ps 107:43 accusative of person Ps 37:37 (|| ראה), Zech 11:11 accusative of sin Ps 31:7; Ps 130:3 accusative of thing, for the purpose of avoiding, Ps 17:4 .

2.

a. keep, retain, of storing up (food) Gen 41:35 ( E ); absolute Eccl 3:6 (opposed to הִשְׁלִיךְ); treasure up (in memory) Gen 37:11 ( E ), compare Mal 2:7; 1Chr 29:18; Prov 4:21 (בְּתוֺךְ לְבָבֶ֑ךְ), Prov 22:18 ( כְּבִטֱנ֑ךָ ); retain wrath Amos 1:11 (read שָׁמֶר לָנֶצַח We Now GASm Marti; see also נָטַר 1) + (anger omitted) Jer 3:5 (|| נטר).

b. keep within bounds, restrain, object שׁוֺר Exod 21:29 ; Exod 21:36 ( E ); with accusative hand, מִן of evil Isa 56:2 figurative keep thy foot , with temporal clause Eccl 4:17 לְֿפִי מַחְסוֺם ׳ אֶשׁ Ps 39:2 ( ᵐ5 Du and others אָשִׁימָה); apparently reflexive (= Niph`al), Josh 6:18 (+ מִןהַֿחֵרֶס), possibly sc. גַפְשְׁכֶם Di.

3.

a. observe, celebrate, accusative of festival, etc., Exod 23:15 ( E ), Exod 34:18 ( J ), Exod 12:17 of day Exod 12:17 ( P ), of month Deut 16:1.

b. keep Sabbath Deut 5:12; Lev 19:3; Lev 19:30 ; Lev 26:2 (all H ), Exod 31:13; Exod 31:14; Exod 31:16 ( P ), Isa 56:4, also (+ מֵחַלְּלוֺ) Isa 56:2 Isa 56:6.

c. of other obligations: keep convenant Ezek 17:14, especially convenant of ׳ י Deut 29:8; 1Kgs 11:11 + 5 t., ׳ שְׁבֻעַת י 1Kgs 2:43, perform vow Deut 23:24 keep commands Jer 35:18; Ezek 20:18 especially מִצָוֺת, תֻקִּים, יֲבֹדָה, etc., of ׳ י (sometimes || נצר), Exod 20:6 = Deut 5:10; Amos 2:4 ; 1Kgs 2:3; Ps 119:8; Ps 119:17; Ps 119:34 + very often (c. 120 t.); ׳ דֶּרֶח י ׳ שׁ Gen 18:19 ( J ) + 4 t., ׳ דַּרְכֵי י 2Sam 22:22 = Ps 18:22, ׳ י ׳ ד omitted Judg 2:22 b; אָרְחוֺת צַדַּיקִים ׳ שׁ Prov 2:20 (|| תֵּלֵח תְּלֵח בְּדֶרֶח טוֺבֹים), ׳ שׁ דְּרָכַי (ways of wisdom) Prov 8:32 (Ps 17:4 see 1.d.); keep discharge an office, כְּהֻנָּה Num 3:10; Num 18:7 (both P ), absolute 2Chr 5:11 a function or duty, especially מִשְׁמֶרֶת ׳ שׁ Lev 8:35; Num 1:53 + approximately 32 t. (see ׳ מ below); accusative of obligation often omitted, especially D (and R^D ) keep and do Deut 4:6; Deut 7:12 + 8 t.; to do Deut 5:1; Deut 5:29 + 16 t. D + 3 t., etc.

d. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom) Hos 12:7 (חֶסֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט ), Isa 56:1; Prov 4:4; Prov 5:2; Prov 7:1 ; Prov 7:2 bad sense, observe vanities Ps 31:7. — Doubtful are: לִשְׁמֹר absolute Hos 4:10, very strange (conjectures in We Now Marti); שָׁמוּר 1Sam 9:24, HPS אֵחַרְנוּ, compare Now Bu^Comm.; Ps 59:10 read עֻוִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲזַמֵּ֑רָה (as Ps 59:18 , ᵑ6 Che Bae).

4. sometimes ׳ י subject:

a. keep, preserve, protect, accusative of person, + ב of way, etc., Gen 28:15; Gen 28:20 ( J ), Exod 23:20 ( E ; of מַלְאָח), Ps 91:11 (׳ מ), Josh 24:17 ( E ); accusative of person (or נפשׁ) only: 1Sam 30:23 ; Jer 31:9 ; Num 6:24 ( P ), Job 29:2; Ps 16:1 + 10 t. Psalms; + מִן Ps 121:7 + 2 t.; accusative רַהְּלַי 1Sam 2:9 , compare Prov 3:26 (מִן); Participle שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ Ps 121:3; Ps 121:5, compare Ps 121:4, etc.; accusative of city Ps 127:1.

b. with accusative בְּרִית, ל person Deut 7:12, + חֶסֶד Deut 7:7 + 5 t., אֱמֶת לְעוֺלָם ׳ הַשּׁ Ps 146:6 הַשְּׁבֻעָה Deut 7:8 , etc.; passive of covenant (׳ י agent) עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמֻרָה 2Sam 23:5 (legal terminology, Dr).

5. keep, preserve, weeks of harvest Jer 5:24 (ל person).

Niph`al₃₆ Perfect 3 masculine singular נִשְׁמַד 2Sam 20:10, etc.; Imperfect 3 feminine singular תִּשָּׁמֵד Judg 13:13 2 masculine plural תִּשָּׁמַ֑רוּ Exod 23:13 Imperative masculine singular תִּשָּׁמֵד Isa 7:4 הִדָמשּׁ֫מֶר (לְךָׅ Gen 24:6 +; feminine singular הִשָּֽׁמְרִי Judg 13:4 , etc.; —

1. be on one's guard, with בַּחֶרֶב 2Sam 20:10 by reason of the sword, i.e. against it; with ב temporal 1Sam 19:2, שָׁם 2Kgs 6:10 take heed Exod 23:13 ( E ) Deut 2:4 with מִן person Exod 23:21 ( E ), Jer 9:3 מִן of thing Judg 13:13; Deut 23:10 מִן infinitive take care not to, etc. Gen 31:29 ( E ), 2Kgs 6:9 infinitive without מִן Exod 19:12 ( J ), but read probably מֵעֲלוֺת; followed by פֶּן lest Gen 24:6 ( J ) + 11 t. (especially Deuteronomy); with (וְ)אַל jussive Exod 10:23 ( J ), Judg 13:4; Job 36:21, with Imperative coordinate Isa 7:4 . — Very often Imperative (24 t.), especially in phrase הִשָּׁמֶרלְֿךָ (12 t.), הִשָּֽׁטְרוּ לָכֶם (3 t.); + לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם Deut 4:15; Josh 23:11 ( R^D ; + infinitive); + ׳ בְּנַפ Jer 17:21 apparently ב pret. on peril of your life (compare ב III. 3 a), so perhaps also בְּרוּחֲכֶם Mal 2:15; Mal 2:16 (We Now).

2. keep oneself, refrain, abstain, מֵאִשָּׁה 1Sam 21:5.

3. be kept, guarded, Hos 12:14 (compare ׳ שׁ of Jacob v.Hos 12:13); be preserved (by ׳ י) Ps 37:28 (לִיוֺלָם), but read probably עַוָּלִים (לְעוֺלָם) נִשְׁמָ֑דוּ Hup-Ri (Now ) Che Bae Du Dr.

Pi`el Participle plural מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵישָֿׁוְא Jonah 2:9 those paying regard to false vanities (compare Qal Ps 31:7).

Hithpa`el Imperfect 1 singular וָאֶשְׁתַּסֵּר מֵעֲוֺנַי Ps 18:24 I kept myself from, etc. = 2Sam 22:24 (verb cohortative); 3 masculine singular וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֺת עָמְרִי Mic 6:16 , but read וְתִשְׁמֹר thou keepest, observest, We Now GASm.

Other Resources

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke

Englishman's Hebrew Concordance

משמר (mish-mihr’)

Leviticus 24:12

KJV: And they put him in ward, that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them.that…: Heb. to expound unto them according to the mouth of the Lord

EHCC: they put him in ward,

1 Chronicles 26:16

KJV: To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.

EHCC: going up, ward against ward.

Nehemiah 4:9

KJV: Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

EHCC: (3). set a watch against them day and night,

Job 7:12

KJV: Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

EHCC: that thou settest a watch

Proverbs 4:23

KJV: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.with…: Heb. above all keeping

EHCC: Keep thy heart with all diligence ; (marg.

Jeremiah 51:12

KJV: Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.ambushes: Heb. liers in wait

EHCC: make the wwateh stsong,

Ezekiel 38:7

KJV: Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

EHCC: be thou a guard unto them.

Strong's Lexicon