שִׁמְעָא
Shima, the name of four Israelites
Definition
Shimʻâʼ is a proper masculine name meaning 'hearing' or 'report,' derived from the Hebrew root for 'to hear.' In the Bible, it refers to four distinct individuals. The first is Shimea, a son of David and Bathsheba, listed among the royal lineage in 1 Chronicles 3:5. The second is Shimea, a brother of David, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:13. The third is Shimea, a Levite from the family of Merari, noted in 1 Chronicles 6:30. The fourth is Shimea, the father of one of David's mighty men, Jonadab, who fought against a giant in 2 Samuel 21:21 (also recorded in 1 Chronicles 20:7). Despite the identical name, their contexts and familial roles clearly distinguish them.
Biblical Usage
The name Shimʻâʼ appears six times in the Old Testament, exclusively in historical books (2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles). It is used to identify specific individuals within genealogical lists (1 Chronicles 2:13, 3:5, 6:30, 6:39) and in narratives of military exploits (2 Samuel 21:21, 1 Chronicles 20:7). The usage pattern shows it serves primarily for personal identification within Israel's tribal and royal records, with no narrative development attached to the characters themselves.
Etymology
Shimʻâʼ is a proper noun derived from the Hebrew root שָׁמַע (shamaʻ, H8085), meaning 'to hear.' It is a variant or shortened form of the name שִׁמְעָה (Shimʻah, H8093), which also means 'report' or 'hearing.' The name reflects a common Semitic practice of using words related to hearing or obedience in personal names, often expressing a theological idea like 'Yahweh has heard.'
Semantic Range
As a personal name meaning 'hearing,' Shimʻâʼ subtly connects to the core biblical theme of attentive listening to God. While the individuals bearing this name are not major theological figures, the name itself echoes the importance of heeding God's word, a concept foundational to Israel's identity (Deuteronomy 6:4). Understanding its root enriches reading by reminding us that biblical names often carried meaningful declarations about God's character or human response.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were significant and often descriptive. A name like Shimʻâʼ ('hearing') may have been given in acknowledgment of a answered prayer or as an expression of hope that the child would be attentive. Its use across different tribes (Judah and Levi) shows it was not confined to one family, indicating its meaning was appreciated broadly. The variation in English translations (Shimea, Shimei, Shamma) reflects later scribal and translational differences in vocalization.
שִׁמְעָה (Shimʻah, H8093) — A longer, more common form of the same name, borne by a brother of David. שָׁמַע (shamaʻ, H8085) — The root verb meaning 'to hear, obey,' from which the name is derived.
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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