שֵׁם
shêm · H8034 · Hebrew · 864 occurrences
Meanings
-
name
One or more words by which a person, deity, place or object is known, addressed, remembered, or referred to; regarded as a core element of one's identity
ExamplesGenesis 2:11 The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
Genesis 2:13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush.
Genesis 2:14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
-
name, authority
Literally: name; hence: state in which someone acts with the authority of someone else
ExamplesExodus 5:23 “Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all.”
Exodus 23:21 “Be attentive to him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your rebellion, since My name is in him.
Deuteronomy 10:8 At that time the LORD singled out the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him and to bless in His name, until this day.
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name, renown, reputation
Literally: name; hence: the information that is generally known about a person or deity, which may either be good or bad and has a direct impact on the way this person or deity is regarded
ExamplesGenesis 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Genesis 11:4 And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.”
Genesis 12:2 And I will make you into a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing;
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name, self
Literally: name; hence: the core of one's identity, which reflect the essence of one's being
ExamplesLeviticus 18:21 ‘You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:12 ‘And you shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.
Leviticus 20:3 ‘I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his children to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name.
How it’s used In 10 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Whose, or of whatGenitive or possessive
773 occurrences in 65 groups
- הוּhis 182
- ךָyour 114
- יmy 91
- יְהֹוָהthe LORD, YHWH 87
- אֵםmother 30
- הּher 25
- Other words · 43 groups that occur once or twice (59) 59
Words describing itAdjectives, demonstratives, participles
21 occurrences in 13 groups
- גָּדוֹלgreat, large 8
- חָלַלto profane, to begin 3
- רַעevil, bad 3
- Other words · 10 groups that occur once or twice (12) 12
Named alongside itApposition
10 occurrences in 9 groups
- Other words · 9 groups that occur once or twice (11) 11
What it doesIt is the subject
78 occurrences in 26 groups
- קָרָאto call, to cry out 31
- הָיָהto be, to become 17
- יָצָאto go out 3
- שָׂגַבto be exalted, to be safe 3
- Other words · 22 groups that occur once or twice (25) 25
What is done to itIt is the object
262 occurrences in 44 groups
- קָרָאto call, to cry out 106
- שׂוּםto put, to set, to place 19
- חָלַלto profane, to begin 11
- יָדָהto give thanks, to praise, to confess 10
- הָלַלto praise 9
- עָשָׂהto do, to make 9
- Other words · 24 groups that occur once or twice (32) 32
Second object ofSecond object
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- שָׁכַחto forget 1
What it is said to bePredicate
208 occurrences in 134 groups
- אֵלֶּהthese 22
- יְהֹוָהthe LORD, YHWH 19
- מָהwhat?, why? 6
- מַעֲכָהMaacah 5
- גָּדוֹלgreat, large 4
- וֹhim 4
- Other words · 125 groups that occur once or twice (143) 143
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
11 occurrences in 6 groups
- אֵלֶּהthese 4
- הוּאhe, she, it 3
- זֶהthis 1
- עֵזֶרhelp 1
- שַׁעַרgate 1
- תַּאֲוָהdesire, longing, craving 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
245 occurrences in 6 groups
- בin/on/with 268
- לto/for 114
- עַלon, upon, over, against 34
- מַעַןfor the sake of, so that 33
- כlike/as 12
- מִןfrom 5
In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive
42 occurrences in 14 groups
- מִסְפָּרnumber 18
- כָּבוֹדglory, honor 5
- אִישׁman, person, each 4
- אָהַבto love 3
- Other words · 10 groups that occur once or twice (12) 12
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Near synonyms 1 word
- זֵכֶר zêker · H2143 · remembrance, memory, renown
- זֵכֶר (zêker, H2143) (memorial, remembrance) and שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) (name, renown) share overlap in the domain of preserved identity and lasting reputation — both can denote "how one is remembered." This is real near-synonymy, as in the idiom "may his name/memorial endure."
In the other Testament 2 words
- ὄνομα ónoma · G3686 · name, person, people
- Greek ὄνομα (ónoma, G3686) is the standard translation equivalent of Hebrew שֵׁם (shêm, H8034), both denoting 'name' in its literal sense (personal/divine designation) and extended senses (reputation, authority, renown).
- שֻׁם shum · H8036 · name
- שֻׁם (shum, H8036) (Aramaic שֻׁם) is the direct Aramaic cognate of שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) (Hebrew שֵׁם), sharing the same etymological root and core meaning 'name' across sister languages within the biblical corpus.
Semantic domains 5 entries
- Name002004002010
- This noun denotes the name given to a person or thing, as in Genesis 2:11's statement that the name of the first river is Pishon.
- Control002003002007
- The noun also underlies the act of naming as an exercise of authority over what is named, as in Genesis 2:20's account of the man giving names to all the livestock, the birds, and the animals of the field.
- Know002004002007
- שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) is a common noun meaning "name." The quotation "The name of the first is Pishon" at Genesis 2:11 shows this sense, which does not independently attest the "Know" domain; that classification is bundle-shared with שֵׁם (Shêm, H8035) in the source data and is not confirmed by this lexeme's own occurrences.
- Self003001016
- שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) is a common noun meaning "name." The quotation "The name of the first is Pishon" at Genesis 2:11 shows this sense, which does not independently attest the "Self" domain; that classification is bundle-shared with שֵׁם (Shêm, H8035) in the source data and is not confirmed by this lexeme's own occurrences.
- Names of People003001007
- שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) is the common noun "name," not itself a personal name. The quotation "The name of the first is Pishon" at Genesis 2:11 shows this common-noun sense. The "Names of People" classification is bundle-shared with שֵׁם (Shêm, H8035) (the personal name "Shem") in the source data and reflects שֵׁם (Shêm, H8035)'s own attested sense, not this common noun's.
Word family 2 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H8034. shem I. שֵׁם864 noun masculine2Sa 7:9 name (√ unknown; Thes שׁמה, compare BaZMG…
I. שֵׁם864 noun masculine2Sa 7:9 name (√ unknown; Thes שׁמה, compare BaZMG xli (1887), 635; LagBN 160 ושׁם, Arabic brand, mark, compare RSK 213, 303 ff. Köii. 1. 104; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew (especially הַשֵּׁם = יהוה); Phoenician שם Lzb377; Assyrian šumu; Sabean סם HomChr 124; Ethiopic Arabic , , , ; Aramaic שְׁמָא שֵׁם,, also שֻׁם שׁוּם, (Köii. 1. 512), , , Old Aramaic, Palmyrene שם Lzb377); — absolute ׳שׁ Gen 6:4 +; construct ׳שׁ Gen 12:8 +, rarely שֶׁםֿ 1Sa 8:2 +; suffix שְׁמִי Exo 3:15 +, שִׁמְךָ Gen 32:9 +, שְׁמֶ֑ךָ 1Ki 18:31 +, etc.; plural שֵׁמוֺת (rarely שֵׁמֹת) Gen 2:20 +; construct שְׁמוֺת Exo 6:16 +, suffix שְׁמוֺתָם Num 13:4 +, שְׁמוֺתָן Eze 23:4 (twice in verse); — name:
1 of river Gen 2:11, Gen 2:13, Gen 2:14, beasts Gen 2:19; Gen 2:20, city Gen 26:33 (all J) +; ׳שׁ היּוֺם Eze 24:2, i.e. exact designation of it (+ הַיּ ׳אֶתעֶֿצֶם הַזֶּה).
2. a. usually of person: Gen 4:17, Gen 4:19 (twice in verse) (J) +; as significant 1Sa 25:25, compare Pro 21:24; especially in phrase אֶלְקָנָה וּשְׁמוֺ ֗֗֗ אִישׁ וַיְהִי 1Sa 1:1, compare 1Sa 9:1-2, Jer 37:13 28t.; less often as שְׁמוֺ גָּלְיָת 1Sa 17:4, compare Zec 6:12 Zec 6:5t. (compare in Assyrian KraeBAS i. 430); frequently with קָרָא (q. v. 6, and Niph`al 2, Pu`al; note here, שׁ ׳נִקְרָא עַל in token of ownership 2Sa 12:28 (see Dr), Isa 4:1); rarely, אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֶתשְֿׁמוֺ שִׂים Jdg 8:31, compare 2Ki 17:34; Neh 9:7; שׁ לָהֶם ׳וַיָּ֫שֶׂם Dan 1:7; with יֵאָמֵר Gen 32:29 (J); change of name is without verb, as Gen 17:15 (P), or (usually) with יִהְיֶה Gen 35:10 (P) Israel shall be thy name. compare Gen 17:5; 1Ki 18:31; 1Ch 22:9, also יְהו אֶתשְֿׁמוֺ ׳וַיַסֵּב 2Ki 23:34 2Ch 36:4, compare 2Ki 24:17, and (suj. ׳י) ׳שׁ אֶתֶּןלֿוֺ עוֺלָם Isa 56:5; מַהשְּֿׁמֶ֑ךָ Gen 32:28, compare Exo 3:13; Pro 30:4, שְׁמֶ֑ךָ מִית Jdg 13:17; be explicitly mentioned is: בְּשֵׁמוֺת וְכֻלָּם Ezr 10:16, בְשׁ ׳נִקְּבוּ Num 1:17; 1Ch 16:41; 2Ch 28:15; 2Ch 31:10; Ezr 8:20, בְּשׁ ׳הַבָּאִים 1Ch 4:38, בְּשׁ ׳וַיָבזֹם 1Ch 4:41; of things, תִּקְדוּ וּבְשֵׁמוֺת Num 4:32 (P), + Num 4:27 (read ᵐ5 בְּשֵׁמֹת Di Baen Gray); בְּשֵׁם יְדַעְתִּיךָ Exo 33:12 (subject ׳י), i.e. acknowledge thee, personally (as mine), compare Exo 33:17 (both J); ׳בְּשׁ ׳פ as the representative of 1Sa 25:5, 1Sa 25:9; 1Ki 21:8; Jer 29:25; Est 2:22; Est 3:12; Est 8:8 (twice in verse); Est 8:10 (compare also 3).
b. = reputation; (1) שְׁמֶ֫ךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה Gen 12:2 (J), בָּאָרֶץ שׁ לִךָ ׳וְעָשִׂתִי אֲשֶׁר הַגְּדֹלִים כְּשֵׁם גָּדוֺל 2Sa 7:9; make oneself a name שׁ לָנוּ ׳וְנַעֲשֶׂח Gen 11:4 (J), שׁ לוֺ ׳וַיַּעַשׂ 2Sa 8:13, of ׳י Jer 32:20, hence Neh 9:10; Dan 9:15; Isa 63:12, Isa 63:14, so with שׂוּם 2Sa 7:23 = 1Ch 17:21; בְּ שֵׁם לָךְ ׳וַיֵּצֵא Eze 16:14 (compare 1Ch 14:17), 2Ch 26:15 עַדלְֿמֵרָחוֺק, 2Ch 26:8 עַדלְֿ שְׁמוֺ ׳וַיֵּלֶךְ; 2Sa 23:18, 2Sa 23:22; = fame, glory, Zep 3:19-20, Eze 39:13. — Eze 34:29 read perhaps ᵐ5 שָׁלֹם Siegf Be Toy; Co שָׁלֵם; Krae conjecture שָׁמֵן; הַשֵּׁם אַנְשֵׁי Gen 6:4 (J), Num 16:2 (J), שֵׁמוֺת אַנְשֵׁי 1Ch 5:24; 1Ch 12:31 (van d. H. v.1Ch 12:30); with negative בְלִישֵֿׁ בְּנֵי Job 30:3; (2) bad sense, רָ֑ע שֵׁם עָלָיהָ וְהוֺצִא Dan 22:14; compare Dan 22:19; Neh 6:13; = byword Eze 23:10; ׳הַשּׁ טְמֵאַת Eze 22:5.
c. especially as giving a man kind of posthumous life, especially in his sons, שְׁמִי הַזְכֵּיר בֵּעֲבוּר בֵן אֵיןלִֿי 2Sa 18:18, בְּ שֵׁם לְאָחִיו ׳לְהָקִים Deu 25:7, compare Deu 25:6; Rth 4:5, Rth 4:10, without whom it is blotted out, etc., Deu 25:6, compare Num 27:4 (P), Rth 4:10, so that to destroy one's name = extirpate family (and שֵׁם sometimes Is || צֶרַע) 1Sa 24:22 (Gi v.1Sa 24:21), 2Sa 14:7 (|| שְׁאֵרִית), so of peoples Deu 7:24; Deu 9:14; Deu 12:3; Isa 14:22 +; עוֺד מִשִּׁמְךָ יִוָּרַע לאֹ Nah 1:14 (of Nineveh); וְשִׁמְכֶם זַרְעֲכֶם יַעֲמֹד כֵּן Isa 66:22; more abstract (|| זֵכֶר) Job 18:17; Pro 10:7.
3 name, as designation of God, specifically of ׳י (especially Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isa2, 3, Psalms): — first (in Hexateuch) in phrase ׳ק ׳בְּשׁ ׳י Gen 4:26 (J), call with, i.e. use the name ׳י in worship, so Gen 12:8; Gen 13:4; Gen 21:33; Gen 26:35 + (see קרא
2c); hence, of place of worship, שָׁם מאתשְֿׁמִי אַוְּכִּיר אֲשֶׁר בְּכָלהַֿמָּקוֺם Exo 20:24 (Gi Exo 20:21); שָׁם אֶתשְֿׁמוֺ [לְשַׁכֵּן] לָשׂוּם Deu 12:5, Deu 12:11 +; לִשְׁמִי בַּיִת בָּנָה 2Sa 7:13 + often; people come ׳לְשׁ ׳י Jos 9:9 (RD), so שׁ ׳לְמֵעַן 1Ki 8:41 2Ch 6:32; Isa 60:9; seek it Psa 83:17; swear with ׳בְּשׁ ׳י 1Sa 20:42; Deu 6:13; Deu 10:20; Lev 19:12, compare (לַשָּׁוְא) Exo 20:7 (twice in verse)=Deu 5:11 (twice in verse); ׳תָּפַשׁ ׳י Pro 30:9; שְׁמִיעַלֿ נִקְרָא, etc., in token of ownership (compare 2a), Jer 7:10 + ; = his reputation, fame, with לוֺ עָשָׁה, see 1b (1), compare Jos 7:9; ׳בְּשׁ ׳י, i.e. as his representative Exo 5:23 (J), 1Sa 17:45; Deu 10:8; 2Sa 6:18; 2Ki 2:24 + (see
2a near the end); especially as embodying the (revealed) character of ׳י: ׳י שְׁמוֺ Amo 5:8; Amo 9:6; Jer 33:2, לְעֹלָם שְּׁמִי וֶה Exo 3:15 (E; || זֵכֶר; fundamental passage), Exo 6:3 (P); ׳י שְׁמוֺ׳(א עְבָאוֺת ) Amo 4:13; Amo 5:27; Jer 10:16; Jer 46:18 Jer 46:10t. Jeremiah, Isa2, ׳י שְׁמוֺ קַנָּא Exo 34:14 (J; compare Exo 20:5; Nah 1:2), שׁ ׳קָדוֺשׁ Isa 57:15, ׳שׁ [וֺ] קָדְשִׁי Amo 2:7; Eze 39:7; Eze 43:7; Psa 103:1 + often; hence object of knowledge Isa 52:6; Jer 48:17, שְׁמֶ֑ךָ יֹדְעֵי Psa 9:11 (|| דֹּרְשֶׁיךָ), love Isa 56:5, שׁ ׳אֹהֲבֵי Psa 5:12; Psalm 69:37; Psa 119:132, fear Psa 61:6, especially of praise, etc. (בֵּרַח הוֺדָה, הִןכִּיר, חִלֵּל,, etc.): אֲוַמֵּר לְשִׁמְךָ 2Sa 22:50 (|| אוֺדְךָ and so very often || ׳י) = Psa 18:50, compare 1Ch 16:10; 1Ch 29:13; Psalm 45:18; Isa 26:13; 1Ki 8:33, 1Ki 8:35 2Ch 6:24, 2Ch 6:26; Psa 8:2; Psalm 8:10 +; ׳חָבוּלי שְׁמוֺ כְּבוֺד Psa 29:2; Psa 96:8, and many comibinations; opposed to אֶתשֿׁ ׳חִלֵּל ׳א Lev 18:21 +, שׁ ׳נקב ׳י Lev 24:16, שׁ ׳נִאֵץ Psa 74:10; Psa 74:18, etc.; ׳הַשּׁ וְהַנּוֺרָא הַנִּכְבָּד Deu 28:58, compare Neh 1:11; שִׁמְךָ לְמַעַן, in appeals to ׳י to act according to his character Jer 14:7, Jer 14:21; Eze 20:9, Eze 20:14; Isa 48:9; Isa 66:5; Psa 25:11; Psa 31:4 +; ׳שׁ ׳י is powerful agent, הוֺשִׁיעֵנִי בְּשִׁמְךָ Psa 54:3 (|| בִּגְבוּרָֽתְךָ), compare Psa 124:8; of ׳י י, ׳מַלְאַךָ says בְּקִרְבּוֺ שְׁמִי Exo 23:21 (E); הַשֵּׁם Lev 24:11 is probably scribal substitution for word ׳י (already beginning to be thought ineffable, especially with וַיִקֹּב compare GeiUrschr.273 f. Di Dr-Wh Baen); on development of this usage, and Jewish use of ׳הַשּׁ as personified or hypostasis, see LevyNHWB under the word Jastrs.see — שְׁמֶ֑ךָ קָרוֺב Psa 75:2 is striking, but doubtful, < ᵐ5 Dy Che Gr Hup-Now שׁ ׳קֹרְאֵי, Du בִשׁ ׳קָרָנוּ (= קָרָאנוּ).
4 of false gods, use forbidden Exo 23:13 (E), Jos 23:7 (RD), compare Hos 2:19; Psa 16:4;speak אחרים אלהים בְּשֵׁם Deu 18:20; בְשׁ ׳קָרָא ׳א 1Ki 18:24-25, 1Ki 18:26; בְשׁ ׳יֵלְכוּ ׳א Mic 4:5.
5 = memorial, monument Isa 55:13 (|| אוֺת; so Che Du > = fame Di-Kit), וגו מִבָּנִים ׳טוֺב וָשֵׁם יָד Isa 56:5 (with word-play on ׳שׁ 1c).
שֻׁם noun masculine name (see Biblical Hebrew שֵׁם); — construct ׳שׁ Ezr 5:1 +; suffix שְׁמֵהּ Dan 2:20 +; plural construct שְׁמָהָת Ezr 5:4, suffix תְהֹם- Ezr 5:10; — name, of divinity: Dan 2:20; Dan 4:5; Ezr 5:1; Ezr 6:12; of a man: Dan 2:26; Dan 4:15; Dan 4:16; Dan 5:12 (all Daniel), Ezr 5:4, Ezr 5:10 (twice in verse) also Ezr 5:14, with which compare S-CK 4, 5, s f., 12 f.
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 5 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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