שְׁמִינִי
eight
Definition
The Hebrew word שְׁמִינִי (shᵉmîynîy) is an ordinal number meaning 'eighth'. It is used to denote the eighth day, month, or item in a sequence. In the Pentateuch, it most frequently specifies the 'eighth day' as a significant time marker for religious rituals, such as the circumcision of a male infant (Leviticus 12:3) or the presentation of sacrifices for purification (Leviticus 14:10, 23). It can also function as a simple numerical adjective, as seen in 1 Kings 6:1 where it references the eighth month.
Biblical Usage
This word appears 27 times, predominantly in the legal and ritual texts of the Torah (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers). Its primary usage is to designate the 'eighth day' for ceremonies, including the dedication of priests (Leviticus 9:1), the purification after childbirth (Leviticus 12:3), and various offerings for cleansing (Leviticus 14:10, 15:14, 29). It also appears in historical books (e.g., 1 Kings 6:1, 12:32; 2 Chronicles 7:9) to mark the eighth month. The pattern shows it is a formal, calendrical term for establishing ritual timing.
Etymology
Derived from the cardinal number שְׁמֹנֶה (shᵉmōneh, H8083), meaning 'eight'. The suffix -ִי (-î) forms the ordinal number, creating 'eighth'. It is part of the standard Hebrew system for forming ordinal numbers.
Semantic Range
The 'eighth day' holds profound theological significance in the Torah, symbolizing a new beginning or a fresh start in God's covenant. Circumcision on the eighth day (Leviticus 12:3) marked a male child's formal entry into the covenant community. Rituals concluding on the eighth day (e.g., Leviticus 14:10, 23) often signified the completion of purification and restoration to holiness and fellowship. This pattern prefigures New Testament concepts of resurrection and new creation, which are associated with the 'eighth day' (the day after the Sabbath).
In ancient Israelite culture, the first seven days of a newborn's life were a period of impurity for the mother (Leviticus 12:2). The eighth day marked a transition, when the child was circumcised and brought into the social and religious community. Ritually, the eighth day often concluded a period of waiting or separation, after which an individual or object was considered clean, consecrated, or fully integrated for sacred service.
שְׁמֹנֶה (shᵉmōneh, H8083) — The cardinal number 'eight', whereas שְׁמִינִי is the ordinal 'eighth'.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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