BDB8848 [H8104]

I. שָׁמַר465 verb keep, watch, preserve (Late Hebrew id.; Phoenician שמר in proper name and (Punic) = watchman; Tel Amarna šimiru is perhaps overseer (Canaanism), WklNo. 80, i. 23; Mandean סמירא preserved M 46; compare Arabic converse by night, stay awake (see LagBN 105); BaNB 175 f.; ES 43 infers from eyelid (compare [שְׁמֻרָה] below), and Arabic support, aid, protect (l = r), that two √ √ are combined in Hebrew; but proof insufficient); —

Qal425 Perfect 3 masculine singular ׳שׁ Gen 37:11 +, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular יִשְׁמֹר 1Sam 2:9 +, יִשְׁמָרֿ Jer 5:24 +, suffix 3 masculine singular יִשְׁמְרֶנּוּ Exod 21:29; Exod 21:36 3 feminine singular suffix תִּשְׁמוּרֵ֑ם Prov 14:3 (read תִּשְׁמְרוּם, see Ges«GKC:47g»§ 47g Toy), etc.; Imperative masculine singular שְׁמֹר Job 2:6 +, שָׁמְרָה 1Chr 29:18 +; masculine plural שִׁמְרוּ Josh 6:18 +, etc.; Infinitive absolute שָׁמוֺר Deut 5:12 +; construct שְׁמֹר Gen 3:24 +, suffix שָׁמְרָהּ Gen 2:15, etc.; Participle active שֹׁמֵר 1Sam 1:12 +, etc.; passive שָׁמוּר Eccl 5:12 (1Sam 9:24 see below), etc.; — [Synon. I. נָצַר, נָטַר, q. v.]:
1. a. keep, have charge of, garden Gen 2:15 (J), ark 1Sam 7:1, property in trust Exod 22:6; Exod 22:9 (E), compare 1Sam 25:31 tend flock Gen 30:31 (E), compare Zech 3:7; Num 3:8 (P); so perhaps (object omitted) Hos 12:13 (where ׳שׁ chosen for parallelism Now Marti and others); Participle הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹ֑כִי Gen 4:9 (J), ׳שׁ of sheep 1Sam 17:20, הַכֵּלִים ׳שׁ v1Sam 17:22, הַכְּגָדִים ׳שׁ 2Kgs 22:14; 2Chr 34:22, הַנָּשִׁים ׳שׁ Esth 2:3; Esth 2:8; Esth 2:15, compare vEsth 2:14, etc.
\ \ b. keep, guard, captives Josh 10:18 (J), 1Kgs 20:39, דֶּרֶךְ Gen 3:24 (J); keep watch and ward, אֶל person for whom 1Sam 26:15 (Ps 59:10 see 3 end), עַל person vPs 59:16; Prov 6:22 בַּנַּעַר 2Sam 18:12 have a care of (read לִי for מִי ᵐ5 and modern); in hostile sense, אֶל הָעִיר (in siege) 2Sam 11:16, חַטָאתִי עַל Job 14:16 (but read תַּעֲבֹר with ᵐ5 Ew Di Du and others [not Hi Bu]); absolute with מֵעַל Eccl 5:7 watcheth above, etc.; keep one's mouth, be prudent of speech Prov 21:33, compare Mic 7:5 keep = protect, save, one's life, נֶפֶשׁ Prov 13:3; Prov 16:17; Prov 19:16; Prov 22:5, another's Job 2:6 in Proverbs, accusative of person, subject wisdom, Job 4:6 she shall preserve thee, compare (+ מִן of evil) Job 6:24; Job 7:5 especially Participle watch, watchman, of city Isa 21:11 (twice in verse); Isa 21:12; Isa 62:5 (figurative), Song 3:3; Song 5:7 (twice in verse); Ps 127:1 הַמֶּלֶף ׳שׁ (in temple) Jer 35:4 + (see סַף), פֶּית הַמֶּלֶךְ ׳הַפּ 1Kgs 14:27 = 2Chr 12:10, הַשְּׁעָרִים ׳שׁ Neh 13:22, שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת (figurative) Eccl 12:3 ׳שׁ הַבַּיִתךֵסעוֺה ךֵהת פךֵךֵכ (of David's concubines) 2Sam 15:16; 2Sam 16:21; 2Sam 20:3 שֹׁמֵר הַכֵּלִים 1Sam 17:22, הַבְּגָדִים ׳שׁ 2Kgs 22:14, חַפַּרְדֵּס ׳שׁ Neh 2:8, הַנָּשִׁים ׳שׁ Esth 2:3; Esth 2:14; Esth 2:15, שֹׁמְרִים absolute Judg 7:19; Jer 51:12.
\ \ c. hence watch for, wait for, accusative of person 1Sam 19:11 (to kill him), compare Ps 59:1 (title; accusative הַבַּיִת); with יֲקֵכַי Ps 56:7 = dog my steps, Ps 71:10; Jer 20:10 = watch (suspiciously) Job 10:14; Job 13:27; Job 33:11 absolute הַשֹּׁעמרִים Judg 1:24 wait for, נֶשֶׁף Job 24:15, לַבֹּקֶר Ps 130:6 (twice in verse).
\ \ d. watch, observe, accusative of thing 1Sam 1:12; Eccl 11:4; Job 39:1; Jer 8:7 (of birds), with intelligence Isa 42:20; Ps 107:43 accusative of person Ps 37:37 (|| ראה), Zech 11:11 accusative of sin Ps 31:7; Ps 130:3 accusative of thing, for the purpose of avoiding, Ps 17:4.
2. a. keep, retain, of storing up (food) Gen 41:35 (E); absolute Eccl 3:6 (opposed to הִשְׁלִיךְ); treasure up (in memory) Gen 37:11 (E), compare Mal 2:7; 1Chr 29:18; Prov 4:21 (בְּתוֺךְ לְבָבֶ֑ךְ), Prov 22:18 (כְּבִטֱנ֑ךָ); retain wrath Amos 1:11 (read שָׁמֶר לָנֶצַח We Now GASm Marti; see also נָטַר 1) + (anger omitted) Jer 3:5 (|| נטר).
\ \ b. keep within bounds, restrain, object שׁוֺר Exod 21:29; Exod 21:36 (E); with accusative hand, מִן of evil Isa 56:2 figurative keep thy foot, with temporal clause Eccl 4:17 לְֿפִי מַחְסוֺם׳אֶשׁ Ps 39:2 (ᵐ5 Du and others אָשִׁימָה); apparently reflexive (= Niph`al), Josh 6:18 (+ מִןהַֿחֵרֶס), possibly sc. גַפְשְׁכֶם Di.
3. a. observe, celebrate, accusative of festival, etc., Exod 23:15 (E), Exod 34:18 (J), Exod 12:17 of day vExod 12:17 (P), of month Deut 16:1.
\ \ b. keep Sabbath Deut 5:12; Lev 19:3; Lev 19:30; Lev 26:2 (all H), Exod 31:13; Exod 31:14; Exod 31:16 (P), Isa 56:4, also (+ מֵחַלְּלוֺ) vIsa 56:2 vIsa 56:6.
\ \ c. of other obligations: keep convenant Ezek 17:14, especially convenant of ׳י Deut 29:8; 1Kgs 11:11 + 5 t., ׳שְׁבֻעַת י 1Kgs 2:43, perform vow Deut 23:24 keep commands Jer 35:18; Ezek 20:18 especially מִצָוֺת, תֻקִּים, יֲבֹדָה, etc., of ׳י (sometimes || נצר), Exod 20:6 = Deut 5:10; Amos 2:4; 1Kgs 2:3; Ps 119:8; Ps 119:17; Ps 119:34 + very often (c. 120 t.); ׳דֶּרֶח י ׳שׁ Gen 18:19 (J) + 4 t., ׳דַּרְכֵי י 2Sam 22:22 = Ps 18:22, ׳י ׳ד omitted Judg 2:22 b; אָרְחוֺת צַדַּיקִים ׳שׁ Prov 2:20 (|| תֵּלֵח תְּלֵח בְּדֶרֶח טוֺבֹים), ׳שׁ דְּרָכַי (ways of wisdom) Prov 8:32 (Ps 17:4 see 1 d); keep discharge an office, כְּהֻנָּה Num 3:10; Num 18:7 (both P), absolute 2Chr 5:11 a function or duty, especially מִשְׁמֶרֶת ׳שׁ Lev 8:35; Num 1:53 + approximately 32 t. (see ׳מ below); accusative of obligation often omitted, especially D (and RD) keep and do Deut 4:6; Deut 7:12 + 8 t.; to do Deut 5:1; Deut 5:29 + 16 t. D + 3 t., etc.
\ \ d. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom) Hos 12:7 (חֶסֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט), Isa 56:1; Prov 4:4; Prov 5:2; Prov 7:1; Prov 7:2 bad sense, observe vanities Ps 31:7. — Doubtful are: לִשְׁמֹר absolute Hos 4:10, very strange (conjectures in We Now Marti); שָׁמוּר 1Sam 9:24, HPS אֵחַרְנוּ, compare Now BuComm.; Ps 59:10 read עֻוִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲזַמֵּ֑רָה (as vPs 59:18, ᵑ6 Che Bae).
4. sometimes ׳י subject:
\ \ a. keep, preserve, protect, accusative of person, + ב of way, etc., Gen 28:15; Gen 28:20 (J), Exod 23:20 (E; of מַלְאָח), Ps 91:11 (׳מ), Josh 24:17 (E); accusative of person (or נפשׁ) only: 1Sam 30:23; Jer 31:9; Num 6:24 (P), Job 29:2; Ps 16:1 + 10 t. Psalms; + מִן Ps 121:7 + 2 t.; accusative רַהְּלַי 1Sam 2:9, compare Prov 3:26 (מִן); Participle שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ Ps 121:3; Ps 121:5, compare vPs 121:4, etc.; accusative of city Ps 127:1.
\ \ b. with accusative בְּרִית, ל person Deut 7:12, + חֶסֶד vDeut 7:7 + 5 t., אֱמֶת לְעוֺלָם ׳הַשּׁ Ps 146:6 הַשְּׁבֻעָה Deut 7:8, etc.; passive of covenant (׳י agent) עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמֻרָה 2Sam 23:5 (legal terminology, Dr).
5. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest Jer 5:24 (ל person). Niph`al36 Perfect 3 masculine singular נִשְׁמַד 2Sam 20:10, etc.; Imperfect 3 feminine singular תִּשָּׁמֵד Judg 13:13 2 masculine plural תִּשָּׁמַ֑רוּ Exod 23:13 Imperative masculine singular תִּשָּׁמֵד Isa 7:4 הִדָמשּׁ֫מֶר (לְךָׅ Gen 24:6 +; feminine singular הִשָּֽׁמְרִי Judg 13:4, etc.; —
1. be on one's guard, with בַּחֶרֶב 2Sam 20:10 by reason of the sword, i.e. against it; with ב temporal 1Sam 19:2, שָׁם 2Kgs 6:10 take heed Exod 23:13 (E) Deut 2:4 with מִן person Exod 23:21 (E), Jer 9:3 מִן of thing Judg 13:13; Deut 23:10 מִן infinitive take care not to, etc. Gen 31:29 (E), 2Kgs 6:9 infinitive without מִן Exod 19:12 (J), but read probably מֵעֲלוֺת; followed by פֶּן lest Gen 24:6 (J) + 11 t. (especially Deuteronomy); with (וְ)אַל jussive Exod 10:23 (J), Judg 13:4; Job 36:21, with Imperative coordinate Isa 7:4. — Very often Imperative (24 t.), especially in phrase הִשָּׁמֶרלְֿךָ (12 t.), הִשָּֽׁטְרוּ לָכֶם (3 t.); + לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם Deut 4:15; Josh 23:11 (RD; + infinitive); + ׳בְּנַפ Jer 17:21 apparently ב pret. on peril of your life (compare ב III. 3 a), so perhaps also בְּרוּחֲכֶם Mal 2:15; Mal 2:16 (We Now).
2. keep oneself, refrain, abstain, מֵאִשָּׁה 1Sam 21:5.
3. be kept, guarded, Hos 12:14 (compare ׳שׁ of Jacob v.Hos 12:13); be preserved (by ׳י) Ps 37:28 (לִיוֺלָם), but read probably עַוָּלִים (לְעוֺלָם) נִשְׁמָ֑דוּ Hup-Ri (Now) Che Bae Du Dr. Pi`el Participle plural מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵישָֿׁוְא Jonah 2:9 those paying regard to false vanities (compare Qal Ps 31:7). Hithpa`el Imperfect 1 singular וָאֶשְׁתַּסֵּר מֵעֲוֺנַי Ps 18:24 I kept myself from, etc. = 2Sam 22:24 (verb cohortative); 3 masculine singular וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֺת עָמְרִי Mic 6:16, but read וְתִשְׁמֹר thou keepest, observest, We Now GASm.


The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
License: Public domain document; formatting developed for use in https://marvel.bible by Eliran Wong.
Source: provided by Tim Morton, the developer of Bible Analyzer