Bible Word Study
שָׁמָע
Shâmâʻ · Shama, an Israelite
שָׁמָע
Shama, an Israelite
Definition
Shama is a proper noun referring to an Israelite warrior mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11:44. The name means 'obedient' or 'he has heard,' derived from the Hebrew verb 'to hear' (שָׁמַע). As a personal name, it signifies a characteristic of attentiveness or responsiveness, likely reflecting the parents' hope or the individual's recognized trait. In its single biblical occurrence, Shama is listed among King David's mighty men, specifically as one of the sons of Hotham the Aroerite.
Biblical Usage
The word appears only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 11:44, within a list of David's valiant warriors. It functions solely as a personal name, with no other usage patterns or contextual variations. This singular occurrence places it in the context of military honor and loyalty within David's kingdom.
Etymology
Shama (שָׁמָע) is derived directly from the common Hebrew root שָׁמַע (H8085), meaning 'to hear,' 'to listen,' or 'to obey.' As a proper noun, it is a qal passive participle, conveying the sense of 'one who is heard' or 'obedient.' It shares this root with many significant biblical words related to hearing and heeding, such as Shema (the central Jewish prayer from Deuteronomy 6:4).
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically central, its meaning—'obedient'—connects to a major biblical theme: the call for God's people to listen and obey His voice (e.g., Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Samuel 15:22). Understanding the name highlights how personal identities in Scripture often reflected spiritual ideals. The bearer, as one of David's mighty men, embodies the loyalty and responsive service that characterizes a faithful follower, mirroring the obedience due to God. In ancient Israelite culture, names were often descriptive, expressing a parent's prayer, a circumstance of birth, or a character trait. 'Shama' reflects the high cultural value placed on attentive listening and obedience, which were essential for maintaining covenant relationship with God and social cohesion. Being listed among David's mighty men was a mark of great honor, indicating valor and loyalty within the warrior culture of the early monarchy. Shemu'el (שְׁמוּאֵל, H8050) — Another name derived from 'to hear,' meaning 'name of God' or 'God has heard,' belonging to the prophet Samuel. Shim'ah (שִׁמְעָה, H8093) — A similar proper noun, also meaning 'hearing' or 'report,' the name of a brother of David (1 Chronicles 2:13).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]