Bible Word Study
שָׁמוּר
Shâmûwr · Shamur, an Israelite
שָׁמוּר
Shamur, an Israelite
Definition
Shamur is a proper noun referring to an Israelite individual mentioned in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 24:24. The name appears in the lineage of the Levitical family of the Kohathites, specifically as a son of Michah. As a personal name, it carries the meaning 'observed' or 'guarded,' derived from its root. There are no other major senses or meanings for this specific term in the biblical text, as it is used exclusively to identify this single person.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 24:24. It functions strictly as a personal name within a genealogical list detailing the organization of the priestly and Levitical families during the time of King David. The context is administrative and historical, recording the divisions of the Levites for temple service.
Etymology
The name Shamur (שָׁמוּר) is derived from the Hebrew root שָׁמַר (shamar, H8103), meaning 'to keep, guard, observe, or preserve.' It is a passive participle form of this root, giving it the sense of 'one who is guarded' or 'preserved.' This root is very common in the Hebrew Bible, appearing in words related to covenant keeping, law observance, and divine protection.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not central to major doctrines, its etymological connection to the root 'shamar' (to guard/keep) is theologically significant. This root is foundational to concepts of covenant faithfulness, obedience to God's commands (e.g., Deuteronomy 6:6-9), and divine protection (e.g., Psalm 121:7-8). Understanding that this individual's name means 'guarded' can enrich a reader's appreciation for how biblical names often reflected spiritual truths or hopes, even in genealogical lists. In ancient Israelite culture, personal names were often meaningful, reflecting circumstances of birth, parental hopes, or attributes of God. A name meaning 'guarded' or 'preserved' likely expressed a parent's prayer or acknowledgment of God's protective care for the child. Genealogies like the one in 1 Chronicles were crucial for establishing tribal identity, inheritance rights, and priestly eligibility. As a proper name, direct synonyms are not applicable. However, it shares its root with: shamar (שָׁמַר, H8103) — the common verb meaning 'to keep, guard, observe,' from which the name is derived.
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]