Bible Word Study
שַׁמְשְׁרַי
Shamshᵉray · Shamsherai, an Israelite
שַׁמְשְׁרַי
Shamsherai, an Israelite
Definition
Shamshᵉray is a proper noun referring to an Israelite man named Shamsherai. He is listed as a son of Jeroham and a chief of the tribe of Benjamin in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 8:26. The name appears only in this context, identifying him as a notable figure within the tribal lineage. As a personal name, it does not carry multiple senses or meanings beyond this specific identification.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 8:26. It functions solely as a personal name within a detailed genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin. The context is a list of chiefs and mighty warriors, placing Shamshᵉray among the recorded leaders of his clan. There are no other patterns of usage, as it is a unique identifier for this individual.
Etymology
The name Shamshᵉray (שַׁמְשְׁרַי) is derived from the Hebrew root שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh, H8121), meaning 'sun.' The suffix likely indicates a possessive or relational form, giving the name a meaning such as 'sun-like,' 'belonging to the sun,' or 'my sun.' It is part of a category of Hebrew names incorporating celestial imagery, similar to Samson (Shimshon).
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful and descriptive. A name like Shamshᵉray, connected to the sun, may have conveyed positive attributes like radiance, strength, or glory, reflecting parental hopes or character. Its inclusion in a tribal genealogy underscores the importance of lineage and identity for the post-exilic community preserving these records in Chronicles. שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh, H8121) — The root noun meaning 'sun,' from which the name is derived. שִׁמְשׁוֹן (Shimshon, H8123) — Samson, another name derived from 'shemesh,' meaning 'little sun' or 'sun-man.'
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]