שָׁמַר
to keep
also: guard, observe, give heed fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Qal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Stem
- Qal
- The basic, simple active stem — the plain form of the verb (“he wrote”). Here: ‘keep’
- Niphal
- Usually the simple passive or reflexive of the Qal (“he was written”). Here: ‘be on one’s guard’
- Hithpael
- The reflexive or reciprocal stem (the subject acts on itself).
- Piel
- An intensive or resultative active stem. Here: ‘pl.’
Form
- Infinitive Construct
- A bound verbal noun, frequently with prepositions (“to write / in writing”).
- Participle Active
- A verbal adjective expressing ongoing or characteristic action (“writing / one who writes”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Imperative
- A direct command (“write!”).
- Perfect
- A completed action or state — Hebrew marks aspect (completeness) more than strict tense (“he wrote”).
- Cohortative
- A first-person volitional form expressing wish or resolve (“let me / let us write”).
- Infinitive Absolute
- An unbound verbal noun, often intensifying or standing in for a finite verb.
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
- Participle Passive
- A verbal adjective expressing action received (“written”).
- Jussive
- A third- or second-person volitional form expressing wish or command (“let him write”).
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Person
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 1st Person
- The speaker (“I / we”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Common
- Either gender — not distinguished for this form.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Grammatical forms 51 distinct
- Verb, Qal, Infinitive Construct 62 times (13%)
- Verb, Qal, Participle Active, Masculine, Singular, Absolute 37 times (8%)
- Verb, Qal, Participle Active, Masculine, Plural, Construct 33 times (7%)
- Verb, Qal, Imperative, 2nd Person, Masculine, Singular 25 times (5%)
- Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2nd Person, Masculine, Singular 24 times (5%)
- Verb, Qal, Sequential Perfect, 2nd Person, Masculine, Plural 23 times (5%)
- Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2nd Person, Masculine, Plural 21 times (4%)
- Verb, Qal, Participle Active, Masculine, Plural, Absolute 20 times (4%)
+43 more forms (224 occurrences)
Parsed forms decoded from the imported morphology (morphhb / Westminster Leningrad Codex — WLC text public domain, morphhb tagging CC BY 4.0), counted across 469 parsed occurrences — not distinct verses.
Page 2 of 3 — showing verses 201–400 of 440 distinct verses where H8104 appears, across 31 books. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
1 Kings 21 verses
- 1 Kings 14:27 הַ/שֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים ptcl def.art + Qal ptcp.act mp King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house.
- 1 Kings 20:39 שְׁמֹר֙ Qal impv 2ms As the king passed by, he cried to the king; and he said, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man to me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall your life be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.
2 Kings 18 verses
- 2 Kings 6:9 הִשָּׁ֕מֶר Niphal impv 2ms The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you not pass such a place; for there the Syrians are coming down.
- 2 Kings 6:10 וְ/נִשְׁמַ֣ר conj + Niphal wpf 3ms The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice.
- 2 Kings 9:14 שֹׁמֵ֜ר Qal ptcp.act ms So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria;
- 2 Kings 10:31 שָׁמַ֛ר Qal pf 3ms But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he didn't depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.
- 2 Kings 11:5 וְ/שֹׁ֣מְרֵ֔י conj + Qal ptcp.act mp cs He commanded them, saying, This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king's house;
- 2 Kings 11:6 וּ/שְׁמַרְתֶּ֛ם conj + Qal wpf 2mp A third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall you keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier.
- 2 Kings 11:7 וְ/שָֽׁמְר֛וּ conj + Qal wpf 3cp The two companies of you, even all who go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Yahweh about the king.
- 2 Kings 12:9 שֹׁמְרֵ֣י Qal ptcp.act mp cs But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of Yahweh: and the priests who kept the threshold put therein all the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh.
- 2 Kings 17:13 וְ/שִׁמְרוּ֙ conj + Qal impv 2mp Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, Turn you from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
- 2 Kings 17:19 שָׁמַ֔ר Qal pf 3ms Also Judah didn't keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
- 2 Kings 17:37 תִּשְׁמְר֥וּ/ן Qal impf 2mp + sfx n and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forevermore; and you shall not fear other gods:
- 2 Kings 18:6 וַ/יִּשְׁמֹר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms For he joined with Yahweh; he didn't depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which Yahweh commanded Moses.
- 2 Kings 21:8 יִשְׁמְר֣וּ Qal impf 3mp neither will I cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out of the land which I gave their fathers, if only they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
- 2 Kings 22:4 שֹׁמְרֵ֥י Qal ptcp.act mp cs Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money which is brought into the house of Yahweh, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people:
- 2 Kings 22:14 שֹׁמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her.
- 2 Kings 23:3 וְ/לִ/שְׁמֹ֨ר conj + prep + Qal inf.cs The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all [his] heart, and all [his] soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant.
- 2 Kings 23:4 שֹׁמְרֵ֣י Qal ptcp.act mp cs The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring forth out of the temple of Yahweh all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of the sky, and he burned them outside of Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel.
- 2 Kings 25:18 שֹׁמְרֵ֥י Qal ptcp.act mp cs The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold:
1 Chronicles 9 verses
- 1 Chronicles 9:19 שֹׁמְרֵ֥י שֹׁמְרֵ֖י Qal ptcp.act mp cs Qal ptcp.act mp cs Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father's house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent: and their fathers had been over the camp of Yahweh, keepers of the entry.
- 1 Chronicles 10:13 שָׁמָ֑ר Qal pf 3ms So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against Yahweh, because of the word of Yahweh, which he didn't keep; and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire [thereby],
- 1 Chronicles 12:29 שֹׁמְרִ֕ים Qal ptcp.act mp Of the children of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.
- 1 Chronicles 22:12 וְ/לִ/שְׁמ֕וֹר conj + prep + Qal inf.cs May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God.
- 1 Chronicles 22:13 תִּשְׁמ֗וֹר Qal impf 2ms Then shall you prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong, and of good courage. Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed.
- 1 Chronicles 23:32 וְ/שָׁמְר֞וּ conj + Qal wpf 3cp and that they should keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brothers, for the service of the house of Yahweh.
- 1 Chronicles 28:8 שִׁמְר֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the audience of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of Yahweh your God; that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever.
- 1 Chronicles 29:18 שֳׁמְרָ/ה Qal impv 2ms + sfx h Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart to you;
- 1 Chronicles 29:19 לִ/שְׁמוֹר֙ prep + Qal inf.cs and give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.
2 Chronicles 14 verses
- 2 Chronicles 5:11 לִ/שְׁמ֥וֹר prep + Qal inf.cs It happened, when the priests were come out of the holy place, (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, and did not keep their divisions;
- 2 Chronicles 6:14 שֹׁמֵ֤ר Qal ptcp.act ms and he said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven, or on earth; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;
- 2 Chronicles 6:15 שָׁמַ֗רְתָּ Qal pf 2ms who have kept with your servant David my father that which you did promise him: yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day.
- 2 Chronicles 6:16 שְׁ֠מֹר יִשְׁמְר֨וּ Qal impv 2ms Qal impf 3mp Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.
- 2 Chronicles 7:17 תִּשְׁמֽוֹר Qal impf 2ms As for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances;
- 2 Chronicles 12:10 הַ/שֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים ptcl def.art + Qal ptcp.act mp King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house.
- 2 Chronicles 13:11 שֹׁמְרִ֣ים Qal ptcp.act mp and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also [set they] in order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with the lamps of it, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of Yahweh our God; but you have forsaken him.
- 2 Chronicles 19:7 שִׁמְר֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Now therefore let the fear of Yahweh be on you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.
- 2 Chronicles 23:6 יִשְׁמְר֖וּ Qal impf 3mp But let none come into the house of Yahweh, save the priests, and those who minister of the Levites; they shall come in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the charge of Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 33:8 יִשְׁמְר֣וּ Qal impf 3mp neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances [given] by Moses.
- 2 Chronicles 34:9 שֹׁמְרֵ֨י Qal ptcp.act mp cs They came to Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 34:21 שָׁמְר֤וּ Qal pf 3cp Go you, inquire of Yahweh for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book.
- 2 Chronicles 34:22 שׁוֹמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs So Hilkiah, and they whom the king [had commanded], went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter;) and they spoke to her to that effect.
- 2 Chronicles 34:31 וְ/לִ/שְׁמ֤וֹר conj + prep + Qal inf.cs The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
Ezra 1 verse
Nehemiah 11 verses
- Nehemiah 1:5 שֹׁמֵ֤ר וּ/לְ/שֹׁמְרֵ֥י Qal ptcp.act ms conj + prep + Qal ptcp.act mp cs and said, I beg you, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments:
- Nehemiah 1:7 שָׁמַ֣רְנוּ Qal pf 1cp we have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.
- Nehemiah 1:9 וּ/שְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ conj + Qal wpf 2mp but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.
- Nehemiah 2:8 שֹׁמֵ֨ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle which appertains to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. The king granted me, according to the good hand of my God on me.
- Nehemiah 3:29 שֹׁמֵ֖ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his own house. After him repaired Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate.
- Nehemiah 9:32 שׁוֹמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keep covenant and loving kindness, don't let all the travail seem little before you, that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.
- Nehemiah 10:29 וְ/לִ/שְׁמ֣וֹר conj + prep + Qal inf.cs They joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;
- Nehemiah 11:19 הַ/שֹּׁמְרִ֣ים ptcl def.art + Qal ptcp.act mp Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two.
- Nehemiah 12:25 שֹׁמְרִ֤ים Qal ptcp.act mp Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the watch at the store-houses of the gates.
- Nehemiah 12:45 וַֽ/יִּשְׁמְר֞וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They kept the charge of their God, and the charge of the purification, and [so did] the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
- Nehemiah 13:22 שֹׁמְרִ֣ים Qal ptcp.act mp I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
Esther 6 verses
- Esther 2:3 שֹׁמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them;
- Esther 2:8 שֹׁמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs So it happened, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
- Esther 2:14 שֹׁמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, who kept the concubines: she came in to the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.
- Esther 2:15 שֹׁמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.
- Esther 2:21 מִ/שֹּׁמְרֵ֣י prep + Qal ptcp.act mp cs In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the threshold, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.
- Esther 6:2 מִ/שֹּׁמְרֵ֖י prep + Qal ptcp.act mp cs It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, of those who kept the threshold, who had sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.
Job 12 verses
- Job 2:6 שְׁמֹֽר Qal impv 2ms Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life."
- Job 10:12 שָֽׁמְרָ֥ה Qal pf 3fs You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.
- Job 10:14 וּ/שְׁמַרְתָּ֑/נִי conj + Qal wpf 2ms + sfx pers 1cs If I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.
- Job 13:27 וְ/תִשְׁמ֥וֹר conj + Qal impf 2ms You also put my feet in the stocks, And mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet:
- Job 14:16 תִ֝שְׁמ֗וֹר Qal impf 2ms But now you number my steps. Don't you watch over my sin?
- Job 22:15 תִּשְׁמֹ֑ר Qal impf 2ms Will you keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden,
- Job 23:11 שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי Qal pf 1cs My foot has held fast to his steps. His way have I kept, and not turned aside.
- Job 24:15 שָׁ֤מְרָֽה Qal pf 3fs The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, 'No eye shall see me.' He disguises his face.
- Job 29:2 יִשְׁמְרֵֽ/נִי Qal impf 3ms + sfx pers 1cs "Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;
- Job 33:11 יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר Qal impf 3ms He puts my feet in the stocks, He marks all my paths.'
- Job 36:21 הִ֭שָּׁמֶר Niphal impv 2ms Take heed, don't regard iniquity; For this you have chosen rather than affliction.
- Job 39:1 תִּשְׁמֹֽר Qal impf 2ms "Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
Psalms 67 verses
- Psalms 12:7 תִּשְׁמְרֵ֑/ם Qal impf 2ms + sfx pers 3mp You will keep them, Yahweh, You will preserve them from this generation forever.
- Psalms 16:1 שָֽׁמְרֵ֥/נִי Qal impv 2ms + sfx pers 1cs Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge.
- Psalms 17:4 שָׁ֝מַ֗רְתִּי Qal pf 1cs As for the works of men, by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
- Psalms 17:8 שָׁ֭מְרֵ/נִי Qal impv 2ms + sfx pers 1cs Keep me as the apple of your eye; Hide me under the shadow of your wings,
- Psalms 18:21 שָׁ֭מַרְתִּי Qal pf 1cs For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, And have not wickedly departed from my God.
- Psalms 18:23 וָ֝/אֶשְׁתַּמֵּ֗ר conj + Hithpael wimpf 1cs I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
- Psalms 19:11 בְּ֝/שָׁמְרָ֗/ם prep + Qal inf.cs + sfx pers 3mp Moreover by them is your servant warned. In keeping them there is great reward.
- Psalms 25:20 שָׁמְרָ֣/ה Qal impv 2ms + sfx h Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.
- Psalms 31:6 הַ/שֹּׁמְרִ֥ים ptcl def.art + Qal ptcp.act mp I hate those who regard lying vanities, But I trust in Yahweh.
- Psalms 34:20 שֹׁמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken.
- Psalms 37:28 נִשְׁמָ֑רוּ Niphal pf 3cp For Yahweh loves justice, And doesn't forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, But the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
- Psalms 37:34 וּ/שְׁמֹ֬ר conj + Qal impv 2ms Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way, And he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
- Psalms 37:37 שְׁמָר Qal impv 2ms Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, For there is a future for the man of peace.
- Psalms 39:1 אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה Qal coh 1cs Qal coh 1cs I said, "I will watch my ways, so that I don't sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me."
- Psalms 41:2 יִשְׁמְרֵ֣/הוּ Qal impf 3ms + sfx pers 3ms Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive, He shall be blessed on the earth, And he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.
- Psalms 56:6 יִשְׁמֹ֑רוּ Qal impf 3mp They conspire and lurk, Watching my steps, they are eager to take my life.
- Psalms 59:1 וַֽ/יִּשְׁמְר֥וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
- Psalms 59:9 אֶשְׁמֹ֑רָה Qal coh 1cs Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, For God is my high tower.
- Psalms 71:10 וְ/שֹׁמְרֵ֥י conj + Qal ptcp.act mp cs For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,
- Psalms 78:10 שָׁ֭מְרוּ Qal pf 3cp They didn't keep God's covenant, And refused to walk in his law.
- Psalms 78:56 שָׁמָֽרוּ Qal pf 3cp Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, And didn't keep his testimonies;
- Psalms 86:2 שָֽׁמְרָ֣/ה Qal impv 2ms + sfx h Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.
- Psalms 89:28 אשמור אֶשְׁמָר Qal impf 1cs Qal impf 1cs I will keep my loving kindness for him forevermore. My covenant will stand firm with him.
- Psalms 89:31 יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ Qal impf 3mp If they break my statutes, And don't keep my commandments;
- Psalms 91:11 לִ֝/שְׁמָרְ/ךָ֗ prep + Qal inf.cs + sfx pers 2ms For he will give his angels charge over you, To guard you in all your ways.
- Psalms 97:10 שֹׁ֭מֵר Qal ptcp.act ms You who love Yahweh, hate evil. He preserves the souls of his saints. He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
- Psalms 99:7 שָׁמְר֥וּ Qal pf 3cp He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, The statute that he gave them.
- Psalms 103:18 לְ/שֹׁמְרֵ֥י prep + Qal ptcp.act mp cs To those who keep his covenant, To those who remember to obey his precepts.
- Psalms 105:45 יִשְׁמְר֣וּ Qal impf 3mp That they might keep his statutes, And observe his laws. Praise Yah!
- Psalms 106:3 שֹׁמְרֵ֣י Qal ptcp.act mp cs Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
- Psalms 107:43 וְ/יִשְׁמָר conj + Qal impf 3ms Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh.
- Psalms 116:6 שֹׁמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms Yahweh preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me.
- Psalms 119:4 לִ/שְׁמֹ֥ר prep + Qal inf.cs You have commanded your precepts, That we should fully obey them.
- Psalms 119:5 לִ/שְׁמֹ֥ר prep + Qal inf.cs Oh that my ways were steadfast To obey your statutes!
- Psalms 119:8 אֶשְׁמֹ֑ר Qal impf 1cs I will observe your statutes. Don't utterly forsake me.
- Psalms 119:9 לִ֝/שְׁמֹ֗ר prep + Qal inf.cs How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
- Psalms 119:17 וְ/אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה conj + Qal coh 1cs Do good to your servant. I will live and I will obey your word.
- Psalms 119:34 וְ/אֶשְׁמְרֶ֥/נָּה conj + Qal impf 1cs + sfx pers 3fs Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.
- Psalms 119:44 וְ/אֶשְׁמְרָ֖ה conj + Qal coh 1cs So I will obey your law continually, Forever and ever.
- Psalms 119:55 וָֽ֝/אֶשְׁמְרָ֗/ה conj + Qal wimpf 1cs + sfx h I have remembered your name, Yahweh, in the night, And I obey your law.
- Psalms 119:57 לִ/שְׁמֹ֥ר prep + Qal inf.cs Yahweh is my portion. I promised to obey your words.
- Psalms 119:60 לִ֝/שְׁמֹ֗ר prep + Qal inf.cs I will hurry, and not delay, To obey your commandments.
- Psalms 119:63 וּ֝/לְ/שֹׁמְרֵ֗י conj + prep + Qal ptcp.act mp cs I am a friend of all those who fear you, Of those who observe your precepts.
- Psalms 119:67 שָׁמָֽרְתִּי Qal pf 1cs Before I was afflicted, I went astray; But now I observe your word.
- Psalms 119:88 וְ֝/אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה conj + Qal coh 1cs Preserve my life according to your loving kindness, So I will obey the statutes of your mouth.
- Psalms 119:101 אֶשְׁמֹ֥ר Qal impf 1cs I have kept my feet from every evil way, That I might observe your word.
- Psalms 119:106 לִ֝/שְׁמֹ֗ר prep + Qal inf.cs I have sworn, and have confirmed it, That I will obey your righteous ordinances.
- Psalms 119:134 וְ֝/אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה conj + Qal coh 1cs Redeem me from the oppression of man, So I will observe your precepts.
- Psalms 119:136 שָׁמְר֥וּ Qal pf 3cp Streams of tears run down my eyes, Because they don't observe your law.
- Psalms 119:146 וְ֝/אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה conj + Qal coh 1cs I have called to you. Save me! I will obey your statutes.
- Psalms 119:158 שָׁמָֽרוּ Qal pf 3cp I look at the faithless with loathing, Because they don't observe your word.
- Psalms 119:167 שָֽׁמְרָ֣ה Qal pf 3fs My soul has observed your testimonies. I love them exceedingly.
- Psalms 119:168 שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי Qal pf 1cs I have obeyed your precepts and your testimonies, For all my ways are before you.
- Psalms 121:3 שֹֽׁמְרֶֽ/ךָ Qal ptcp.act ms cs + sfx pers 2ms He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.
- Psalms 121:4 שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs Behold, he who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.
- Psalms 121:5 שֹׁמְרֶ֑/ךָ Qal ptcp.act ms cs + sfx pers 2ms Yahweh is your keeper. Yahweh is your shade on your right hand.
- Psalms 121:7 יִשְׁמָרְ/ךָ֥ יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר Qal impf 3ms + sfx pers 2ms Qal impf 3ms Yahweh will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul.
- Psalms 121:8 יִשְׁמָר Qal impf 3ms Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in, From this time forth, and forevermore.
- Psalms 127:1 יִשְׁמָר שׁוֹמֵֽר Qal impf 3ms Qal ptcp.act ms Unless Yahweh builds the house, They labor in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, The watchman guards it in vain.
- Psalms 130:3 תִּשְׁמָר Qal impf 2ms If you, Yah, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
- Psalms 130:6 מִ/שֹּׁמְרִ֥ים שֹׁמְרִ֥ים prep + Qal ptcp.act mp Qal ptcp.act mp My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; More than watchmen for the morning.
- Psalms 132:12 יִשְׁמְר֬וּ Qal impf 3mp If your children will keep my covenant, My testimony that I will teach them, Their children also will sit on your throne forevermore."
- Psalms 140:4 שָׁמְרֵ֤/נִי Qal impv 2ms + sfx pers 1cs Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.
- Psalms 141:9 שָׁמְרֵ֗/נִי Qal impv 2ms + sfx pers 1cs Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, From the traps of the workers of iniquity.
- Psalms 145:20 שׁוֹמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms Yahweh preserves all those who love him, But all the wicked he will destroy.
- Psalms 146:6 הַ/שֹּׁמֵ֖ר ptcl def.art + Qal ptcp.act ms Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever;
- Psalms 146:9 שֹׁ֘מֵ֤ר Qal ptcp.act ms Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, But the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
Proverbs 29 verses
- Proverbs 2:8 יִשְׁמֹֽר Qal impf 3ms That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints.
- Proverbs 2:11 תִּשְׁמֹ֥ר Qal impf 3fs Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,
- Proverbs 2:20 תִּשְׁמֹֽר Qal impf 2ms That you may walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous.
- Proverbs 3:26 וְ/שָׁמַ֖ר conj + Qal wpf 3ms For Yahweh will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being taken.
- Proverbs 4:4 שְׁמֹ֖ר Qal impv 2ms He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
- Proverbs 4:6 וְ/תִשְׁמְרֶ֑/ךָּ conj + Qal impf 3fs + sfx pers 2ms Don't forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
- Proverbs 4:21 שָׁ֝מְרֵ֗/ם Qal impv 2ms + sfx pers 3mp Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
- Proverbs 5:2 לִ/שְׁמֹ֥ר prep + Qal inf.cs That you may maintain discretion, That your lips may preserve knowledge.
- Proverbs 6:22 תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר Qal impf 3fs When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
- Proverbs 6:24 לִ֭/שְׁמָרְ/ךָ prep + Qal inf.cs + sfx pers 2ms To keep you from the immoral woman, From the flattery of the wayward wife's tongue.
- Proverbs 7:1 שְׁמֹ֣ר Qal impv 2ms My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
- Proverbs 7:2 שְׁמֹ֣ר Qal impv 2ms Keep my commandments and live; Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
- Proverbs 7:5 לִ֭/שְׁמָרְ/ךָ prep + Qal inf.cs + sfx pers 2ms That they may keep you from the strange woman, From the foreigner who flatters with her words.
- Proverbs 8:32 יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ Qal impf 3mp "Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
- Proverbs 8:34 לִ֝/שְׁמֹ֗ר prep + Qal inf.cs Blessed is the man who hears me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my door posts.
- Proverbs 10:17 שׁוֹמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms He is in the way of life who heeds correction, But he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.
- Proverbs 13:3 שֹׁמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
- Proverbs 13:18 וְ/שׁוֹמֵ֖ר conj + Qal ptcp.act ms Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline, But he who heeds correction shall be honored.
- Proverbs 14:3 תִּשְׁמוּרֵֽ/ם Qal impf 3fs + sfx pers 3mp The fool's talk brings a rod to his back, But the lips of the wise protect them.
- Proverbs 15:5 וְ/שֹׁמֵ֖ר conj + Qal ptcp.act ms A fool despises his father's correction, But he who heeds reproof shows prudence.
- Proverbs 16:17 שֹׁמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
- Proverbs 19:8 שֹׁמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.
- Proverbs 19:16 שֹׁמֵ֣ר שֹׁמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs Qal ptcp.act ms cs He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.
- Proverbs 21:23 שֹׁמֵ֣ר שֹׁמֵ֖ר Qal ptcp.act ms Qal ptcp.act ms Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
- Proverbs 22:5 שׁוֹמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: Whoever guards his soul stays from them.
- Proverbs 22:18 תִשְׁמְרֵ֣/ם Qal impf 2ms + sfx pers 3mp For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, If all of them are ready on your lips.
- Proverbs 27:18 וְ/שֹׁמֵ֖ר conj + Qal ptcp.act ms Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
- Proverbs 28:4 וְ/שֹׁמְרֵ֥י conj + Qal ptcp.act mp cs Those who forsake the law praise the wicked; But those who keep the law contend with them.
- Proverbs 29:18 וְ/שֹׁמֵ֖ר conj + Qal ptcp.act ms Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But one who keeps the law is blessed.
Ecclesiastes 9 verses
- Ecclesiastes 3:6 לִ/שְׁמ֖וֹר prep + Qal inf.cs A time to seek, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to cast away;
- Ecclesiastes 5:1 שְׁמֹ֣ר Qal impv 2ms Guard your steps when you go to God's house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don't know that they do evil.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8 שֹׁמֵ֔ר Qal ptcp.act ms If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don't marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.
- Ecclesiastes 5:13 שָׁמ֥וּר Qal ptcp.pass ms There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
- Ecclesiastes 8:2 שְׁמ֔וֹר Qal impv 2ms I say, "Keep the king's command!" because of the oath to God.
- Ecclesiastes 8:5 שׁוֹמֵ֣ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure.
- Ecclesiastes 11:4 שֹׁמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs He who observes the wind won't sow; And he who regards the clouds won't reap.
- Ecclesiastes 12:3 שֹׁמְרֵ֣י Qal ptcp.act mp cs In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, And the strong men shall bow themselves, And the grinders cease because they are few, And those who look out of the windows are darkened,
- Ecclesiastes 12:13 שְׁמ֔וֹר Qal impv 2ms This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
Song of Solomon 2 verses
- Song of Solomon 3:3 הַ/שֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים ptcl def.art + Qal ptcp.act mp The watchmen who go about the city found me; "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"
- Song of Solomon 5:7 הַ/שֹּׁמְרִ֛ים שֹׁמְרֵ֖י ptcl def.art + Qal ptcp.act mp Qal ptcp.act mp cs The watchmen who go about the city found me. They beat me. They bruised me. The keepers of the walls took my cloak away from me.
Isaiah 10 verses
- Isaiah 7:4 הִשָּׁמֵ֨ר Niphal impv 2ms Tell him, 'Be careful, and keep calm. Don't be afraid, neither let your heart be faint because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.
- Isaiah 21:11 שֹׁמֵר֙ שֹׁמֵ֖ר Qal ptcp.act ms Qal ptcp.act ms The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
- Isaiah 21:12 שֹׁמֵ֔ר Qal ptcp.act ms The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again."
- Isaiah 26:2 שֹׁמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms Open you the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps faith may enter in.
- Isaiah 42:20 תִשְׁמֹ֑ר Qal impf 2ms You see many things, but don't observe. His ears are open, but he doesn't hear.
- Isaiah 56:1 שִׁמְר֥וּ Qal impv 2mp Thus says Yahweh, Keep you justice, and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
- Isaiah 56:2 שֹׁמֵ֤ר וְ/שֹׁמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms conj + Qal ptcp.act ms Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.
- Isaiah 56:4 יִשְׁמְרוּ֙ Qal impf 3mp For thus says Yahweh of the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and hold fast my covenant:
- Isaiah 56:6 שֹׁמֵ֤ר Qal ptcp.act ms Also the foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh, to minister to him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant;
- Isaiah 62:6 שֹֽׁמְרִ֔ים Qal ptcp.act mp I have set watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day nor night: you who call on Yahweh, take no rest,
Jeremiah 13 verses
- Jeremiah 3:5 יִשְׁמֹ֖ר Qal impf 3ms Will he retain [his anger] forever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and have done evil things, and have had your way.
- Jeremiah 4:17 כְּ/שֹׁמְרֵ֣י prep + Qal ptcp.act mp cs As keepers of a field are they against her round about, because she has been rebellious against me, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 5:24 יִשְׁמָר Qal impf 3ms Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear Yahweh our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
- Jeremiah 8:7 שָׁמְר֖וּ Qal pf 3cp Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people don't know Yahweh's law.
- Jeremiah 9:4 הִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּ Niphal impv 2mp Take you heed everyone of his neighbor, and don't you trust in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders.
- Jeremiah 16:11 שָׁמָֽרוּ Qal pf 3cp Then shall you tell them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, says Yahweh, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshiped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;
- Jeremiah 17:21 הִשָּׁמְר֖וּ Niphal impv 2mp Thus says Yahweh, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
- Jeremiah 20:10 שֹׁמְרֵ֖י Qal ptcp.act mp cs For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, [say] all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
- Jeremiah 31:10 וּ/שְׁמָר֖/וֹ conj + Qal wpf 3ms + sfx pers 3ms Hear the word of Yahweh, you nations, and declare it in the isles afar off; and say, He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as shepherd does his flock.
- Jeremiah 35:4 שֹׁמֵ֥ר Qal ptcp.act ms cs and I brought them into the house of Yahweh, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the threshold.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
שמר — transliterated shâmar — is a Hebrew verb carrying the sense “to keep.” As a verb its force shifts by stem, across 4 stems (Qal, Niphal, and more). With 440 verses in 31 books, it is a common word in the Hebrew Bible. Debuting at Genesis 2:15, it then recurs through the corpus. Sharing its root, it stands alongside אשמרה, משמר and שמיר. Each statement above links to its evidence; the full detail follows below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H8104 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 440
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 440 distinct verses.
- 31 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 31 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #106
- by frequency
- Top 250 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 106 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 440 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Psalms 67 verses 15%
- Deuteronomy 65 verses 15%
- Proverbs 29 verses 7%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 440 distinct verses.
- Writings (Ketuvim) 161 verses · 37%
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 140 verses · 32%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 139 verses · 32%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Keep 94×, Kept 19×, Take heed 16×
- American Standard Version: Keep 74×, Observe 18×, Kept 17×
- Berean Standard Bible: Keep 76×, Be careful 26×, Kept 16×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Keep 96×, You shall keep 40×, Keeping 18×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H8104 across 468 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 136 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H8104 across 468 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 135 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H8104 across 462 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 161 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 6 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H8104 across 528 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 151 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
21 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
Hebrew verbs can shift meaning by stem (binyan): Qal is the basic action, Niphal is often passive or reflexive, Piel often intensifies or makes it factitive, and Hiphil is typically causative. The senses below are grouped under the stem BDB assigns to each. This entry also uses Hithpael (reflexive or reciprocal).
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 21 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
Qal
- Pf. 3 ms. שׁ׳ Gn 37:11 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִשְׁמֹר 1 S 2:9 +, יִשְׁמָר־ Je 5:24 +, sf. 3 ms. יִשְׁמְרֶנּוּ Ex 21:29, 36; 3 fs. sf. תִּשְׁמוּרֵ֑ם Pr 14:3 (read תִּשְׁמְרוּם, v. Ges§ 47 g Toy), etc.; Imv. ms. שְׁמֹר Jb 2:6 +, שָׁמְרָה 1 Ch 29:18 +; mpl. שִׁמְרוּ Jos 6:18 +, etc.; Inf. abs. שָׁמוֹר Dt 5:12 +; cstr. שְׁמֹר Gn 3:24 +, sf. שָׁמְרָהּ 2:15, etc.; Pt. act. שֹׁמֵר 1 S 1:12 +, etc.; pass. שָׁמוּר Ec 5:12 (1 S 9:24 v. infr.), etc.;—[Synon. I. נָצַר, נָטַר, q.v.]: e.g. Genesis 37:11
- 1.
- a. keep, have charge of, garden Gn 2:15 (J), ark 1 S 7:1, property in trust Ex 22:6, 9 (E), cf. 1 S 25:21; tend flock Gn 30:31 (E), cf. Zc 3:7 Nu 3:8 (P); so perhaps (obj. om.) Ho 12:13 (where שׁ׳ chosen for parallelism Now Marti al.); Pt. הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹ֑כִי Gn 4:9 (J), שׁ׳ of sheep 1 S 17:20, שׁ׳ הַכֵּלִים v 22, שׁ׳ הַבְּגָדִים 2 K 22:14 2 Ch 34:22, שׁ׳ הַנָּשִׁים Est 2:3, 8, 15, cf. v 14, etc. e.g. Genesis 2:15
- b. keep, guard, captives Jos 10:18 (J), 1 K 20:39, דֶּרֶךְ Gn 3:24 (J); keep watch and ward, אֶל pers. over whom 1 S 26:15 (ψ 59:10 v. 3 end), עַל pers. v 16 Pr 6:22; בַּנַּעַר 2 S 18:12 have a care of (read לִי for מִי 𝔊), cf. 2 K 9:14; in hostile sense, אֶל הָעִיר (in siege) 2 S 11:16, עַל חַטָּאתִי Jb 14:16 (but read תַּעֲבֹר c. 𝔊 Ew Di Du al. [not Hi Bu]); abs. c. מֵעַל Ec 5:7 watcheth above, etc. (v. p. 759 a d); keep one’s mouth, be prudent of speech †Pr 21:23, cf. Mi 7:5; keep = protect, save, one’s life, נֶפֶשׁ †Pr 13:3; 16:17; 19:16; 22:5, another’s Jb 2:6; in Pr, acc. pers., subj. wisdom, 4:6 she shall preserve thee, cf. (+ מִן of evil) 6:24; 7:5; especially Pt. watch, watchman, of city Is 21:11(×2), 12; 62:5 (fig.), Ct 3:3; 5:7(×2) ψ 127:1; שׁ׳ הַסַּף (in temple) Je 35:4 + (v. סַף), הַשּׁ׳ פֶּתַח בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ 1 K 14:27 = 2 Ch 12:10, שׁ׳ הַשְּׁעָרִים Ne 13:22, שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת (fig.) Ec 12:3; שׁ׳ הַבַּיִת keep the house (of David’s concubines) †2 S 15:16; 16:21; 20:3; שֹׁמֵר הַכֵּלִים 1 S 17:22, שׁ׳ הַבְּגָדִים 2 K 22:14, שׁ׳ הַפַּרְדֵּס Ne 2:8, שׁ׳ הַנָּשִׁים Est 2:3, 14, 15, שֹׁמְרִים abs. Ju 7:19 Je 51:12. e.g. Joshua 10:18
- c. hence watch for, wait for, acc. pers. 1 S 19:11 (to kill him), cf. ψ 59:1 (title; acc. הַבַּיִת); c. עֲקֵבַי ψ 56:7 = dog my steps, 71:10 Je 20:10; = watch (suspiciously) Jb 10:14; 13:27; 33:11; abs. הַשֹּׁמְרִים Ju 1:24; wait for, נֶשֶׁף Jb 24:15, לַבֹּקֶר ψ 130:6(×2). e.g. 1 Samuel 19:11
- d. watch, observe, acc. rei 1 S 1:12 Ec 11:4 Jb 39:1 Je 8:7 (of birds), with intelligence Is 42:20 ψ 107:43; acc. pers. 37:37 (‖ ראה), Zc 11:11; acc. of sin ψ 31:7; 130:3; acc. rei, for the purpose of avoiding, 17:4. e.g. 1 Samuel 1:12
- 2.
- a. keep, retain, of storing up (food) Gn 41:35 (E); abs. Ec 3:6 (opp. הִשְׁלִיךְ); treasure up (in memory) Gn 37:11 (E), cf. Mal 2:7 1 Ch 29:18 Pr 4:21 (בְּתוֹךְ לְבָבֶ֑ךָ), 22:18 (בְּבִטְנֶ֑ךָ); retain wrath Am 1:11 (read שָׁמַר לָנֶצַח We Now GASm Marti; v. also נָטַר 1) + (anger om.) Je 3:5 (‖ נטר). e.g. Genesis 41:35
- b. keep within bounds, restrain, obj. שׁוֹר Ex 21:29, 36 (E); c. acc. hand, מִן of evil Is 56:2; fig. keep thy foot, c. cl. temp. Ec. 4:17; אֶשׁ׳־לְפִי מַחְסוֹם ψ (39:2 𝔊 Du al. אָשִׂימָה); appar. reflex. (= Niph.), †Jos 6:18 (+ מִן־הַחֵרֶם), poss. sc. נַפְשְׁכֶם Di. e.g. Exodus 21:29
- 3.
- a. observe, celebrate, acc. of festival, etc., Ex 23:15 (E), 34:18 (J), 12:17, of day v 17 (P), of month Dt 16:1. e.g. Exodus 23:15
- b. keep sabbath †Dt 5:12 Lv 19:3, 30; 26:2 (all H), Ex 31:13, 14, 16 (P), Is 56:4, also (+ מֵחַלְּלוֹ) v 2, 6. e.g. Deuteronomy 5:12
- c. of other obligations: keep covenant Ez 17:14, especially covenant of י׳ Dt 29:8; 1 K 11:11 + 5 times, שְׁבֻעַת י׳ 1 K 2:43, perform vow Dt 23:24; keep commands Je 35:18; Ez 20:18; especially מִצְוֹת, חֻקִּים, עֲבֹדָה, etc., of י׳ (sometimes ‖ נצר), Ex 20:6 = Dt 5:10; Am 2:4; 1 K 2:3 ψ 119:8, 17, 34 + very often (c. 120 times); שׁ׳ דֶּרֶךְ י׳ Gn 18:19 (J) + 4 times, דַּרְכֵי י׳ 2 S 22:22 = ψ 18:22, ד׳ י׳ om. Ju 2:22b; שׁ׳ אָרְחוֹת צַדִּיקִים Pr 2:20 (‖ תֵּלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ טוֹבִים), שׁ׳ דְּרָכַי (ways of wisdom) 8:32 (ψ 17:4 v. 1 d); keep, discharge an office, כְּהֻנָּה Nu 3:10; 18:7 (both P), abs. 2 Ch 5:11; a function or duty, especially שׁ׳ מִשְׁמֶרֶת Lv 8:35; Nu 1:53 + c. 32 times (v. מ׳ infr.); acc. of obligation often om., especially D (and RD) keep and do Dt 4:6; 7:12 + 8 times; to do 5:1, 29 + 16 times D + 3 times, etc. e.g. Ezekiel 17:14
- d. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom) Ho 12:7 (חֶסֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט), Is 56:1; Pr 4:4; 5:2; 7:1, 2; bad sense, observe vanities ψ 31:7.—Doubtful are: לִשְׁמֹר abs. Ho 4:10, very strange (conj. in We Now Marti); שָׁמוּר 1 S 9:24, HPS אֵחַרְנוּ, cf. Now BuComm.; ψ 59:10 read עֻוִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲוַמֵּ֑רָה (as v 18, 𝔖 Che Bae). e.g. Hosea 12:7
- 4. sometimes י׳ subj.:
- a. keep, preserve, protect, acc. pers., + ב of way, etc., Gn 28:15, 20 (J), Ex 23:20 (E; of מַלְאָךְ), ψ 91:11 (מ׳), Jos 24:17 (E); acc. pers. (or נפשׁ) only: 1 S 30:23; Je 31:9; Nu 6:24 (P), Jb 29:2 ψ 16:1 + 10 times ψψ; + מִן ψ 121:7 + 2 times; acc. רַגְלַי 1 S 2:9, cf. Pr 3:26 (מִן); Pt. שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ ψ 121:3, 5, cf. v 4, etc.; acc. of city 127:1. e.g. Genesis 28:15
- b. c. acc. בְּרִית, ל pers. Dt 7:12, + חֶסֶד v 7 + 5 times, הַשּׁ׳ אֱמֶת לְעוֹלָם ψ 146:6; הַשְּׁבֻעָה Dt 7:8, etc.; pass. of covenant (י׳ agent) עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמֻרָה 2 S 23:5 (legal terminology, Dr). e.g. Deuteronomy 7:12
- 5. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest Je 5:24 (ל pers.). e.g. Jeremiah 5:24
Niphal
- Pf. 3 ms. נִשְׁמַר 2 S 20:10, etc.; Impf. 3 fs. תִּשָּׁמֵר Ju 13:13; 2 mpl. תִּשָּׁמִ֑רוּ Ex 23:13; Imv. ms. הִשָּׁמֵר Is 7:4 (לְךָ) הִשָּׁ֫מֶר Gn 24:6 +; fs. הִשָּֽׁמְרִי Ju 13:4, etc.;— e.g. 2 Samuel 20:10
- 1. be on one’s guard, c. בַּחֶרֶב 2 S 20:10 by reason of the sword, i.e. against it; c. ב temp. 1 S 19:2, שָׁם 2 K 6:10; take heed Ex 23:13 (E) Dt 2:4; c. מִן pers. Ex 23:21 (E), Je 9:3; מִן rei Ju 13:13; Dt 23:10; מִן inf. take care not to, etc. Gn 31:29 (E), 2 K 6:9; inf. without מִן Ex 19:12 (J), but read prob. מֵעֲלוֹת; sq. פֶּן lest Gn 24:6 (J) + 11 times (especially Dt); c. (וְ)אַל juss. Ex 10:28 (J), Ju 13:4; Jb 36:21, c. Imv. coörd. Is 7:4.—Very often Imv. (24 times), especially in phr. הִשָּׁמֶר־לְךָ (12 times), הִשָּׁמְרוּ לִכֶם (3 times); + לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם Dt 4:15; Jos 23:11 (RD; + inf.); + בְּנַפ׳ Je 17:21 appar. ב pret. on peril of your life (cf. ב III. 3 a), so perhaps also בְּרוּחֲכֶם Mal 2:15, 16 (We Now). e.g. 2 Samuel 20:10
- 2. keep oneself, refrain, abstain, מֵאִשָּׁה 1 S 21:5. e.g. 1 Samuel 21:5
- 3. be kept, guarded, Ho 12:14 (cf. שׁ׳ of Jacob v 13); be preserved (by י׳) ψ 37:28 (לִעוֹלָם), but read prob. נִשְׁמָ֑דוּ (לְעוֹלָם) עַוָּלִים Hup-Ri (Now) Che Bae Du Dr. e.g. Hosea 12:14
Piel
- Pt. pl. מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵי־שָׁוְא Jon 2:9 those paying regard to false vanities (cf. Qal ψ 31:7). e.g. Jonah 2:9
Hithpael
- Impf. 1 s. וָאֶשְׁתַּמֵּר מֵעֲוֹנִי ψ 18:24 I kept myself from, etc. = 2 S 22:24 (vb. cohort.); 3 ms. וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֹת עָמְרִי Mi 6:16, but read וְתִשְׁמֹר thou keepest, observest, We Now GASm. e.g. Psalms 18:24
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
vb. keep, watch, preserve (NH id.; Ph. שמר in n.pr. and (Pun.) = watchman; TelAm. šimiru is perhaps overseer (Canaanism), WklNo. 80, 1, 23; Mand. סמירא preserved NöM 46; cf. Arabic سَمَرَ converse by night, stay awake (v. LagBN 105); BaNB 175 f.; ES 43 infers from ܬܶܡܪܳܐ eyelid (cf. [שְׁמֻרָה] infr.), and Arabicثَمَلَ support, aid, protect (l = r), that two √ √ are combined in Heb.; but proof insuff.);—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Origin: a primitive root
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
שָׁמַר
- (b. h.) [to be still,] to watch, guard, wait; to observe; to keep. Snh. 63ᵇ לא … שְׁמוֹר לי וכ׳ one should not say to his neighbor, wait for me at such and such an idolatrous statue (or temple). B. Mets. 58ᵃ השוכר … לִשְׁמוֹר את וכ׳ if one hires a workingman to guard a cow, a child &c. Sabb. 118ᵇ אלמלי שָׁמְרוּ ישראל וכ׳ if Israel had observed the first Sabbath &c.; a v. fr.—Part. pass. שָׁמוּר; f. שְׁמוּרָה &c. Ib. XXII, 4 נותנין … בשביל שיהא ש׳ you may put a dish into the well that it be kept (cool); a. e.
- 1. same. Ib. 118ᵇ אילמלי מְשַׁמְּרִין ישראל וכ׳ if Israel would observe two Sabbaths as they ought do, they would at once be redeemed. Keth. 62ᵇ ענייה זו לשוא שִׁימְּרָה the poor woman has in vain waited (for her husband). Ab. Zar. IV, 11 אין … יושב ומְשַׁמֵּר וכ׳ the watchman (guarding wine against idolatrous defilement) need not sit and watch &c. Y. Kidd. I, 58ᵈ top המקום משמר וכ׳ God has watched, and such a case has never occurred. Y. M. Kat. III, 82ᶜ שי׳ הקב"ה … שבעה the Lord observed the seven days of mourning for his world (before the flood, ref. to Gen. VII, 10); a. fr. e.g. Genesis 7:10
- 2. (denom. of שְׁמָרִים) to clear wine from lees, filter, strain (v. מְשַׁמֶּרֶת). Sabb. 138ᵃ שי׳ חייב וכ׳ if one filtered wine (on the Sabbath), he is bound to bring a sin-offering; Y. ib. XX, 17ᶜ; VII, 10ᵇ, a. e. המשמר חייב שום בורר he who filters is guilty &c., v. בָּרַר. Ib. המשמר יין למטן וכ׳ when one filters, the wine goes down, and the lees remain above (in the filter); a. fr.—Bab. ib. 146ᵇ מקום העשוי לְשַׁמֵּר a place in the keg where a hole has been made for the purpose of letting the wine off, clear of lees (and has been closed again; Ar. s. v. חזק; Rashi: where the hole has been closed in order to preserve the flavor).—Part. pass. מְשׁוּמָּר a) guarded. Pes. 109ᵇ (ref. to שמרים, Ex. XII, 42) ליל המש׳ ובא מן המזיקין a night which is for all time guarded against dangers (v. מַזִּיק); R. Hash. 11ᵇ.—b) kept, preserved, designated. Ib. ליל המש׳ ובא מששת וכ׳ a night which has been designated for redemption since the six days of creation. Snh. 99ᵃ; Ber. 34ᵇ יין המש׳ וכ׳, v. עֵנָב; a. e. e.g. Exodus 12:42
- 1. to be on one’s guard, be observant. Mekh. Bo, s. 14 (ref. to שמרים, v. supra) מגיד … צריכין להִשְׁתַּמֵּר בו this intimates that all Israelites must be careful in it (to observe its ceremonies); Yalk. Ex. 210; Tanḥ. Bo 9.
- 2. to be guarded. B. Mets. 11ᵃ המִשְׁתַּמֶּרֶת, v. חָצֵר. Erub. 54ᵇ אם ראשון … מִשְׁתַּמֵּר וכ׳ if the fowler breaks the wings of each bird as he catches it, it is kept (from flying off) &c. Men. 99ᵇ כל המשמר … נשמתוֹ משתמרת who guards the Law (takes care not to forget it), his soul is guarded; a. e.
- same, to be on one’s guard. Ib. כל מקום שנאמר הִשָּׁמֶר פן ואל וכ׳ wherever the Scripture has the words, ‘be on thy guard, lest’, or ‘be on thy guard that not’, it is a prohibitive law; ib. השמר ופן וכ׳ ‘be on thy guard’ and ‘lest’ make two prohibitions. Ib. 36ᵇ השמר דלאו לאו hishshamer followed by a negative is a prohibitory law; השמר דעשה עשה hishshamer connected with a positive order, is a positive command (v. עָשָׂה).—[Tanḥ. Vayḥi 13 ומשמירין, v. שָׁפַר.]
שְׁמַר
- Ithpa. אִשְׁתַּמַּר, v. סְמַר II. Targ. Is. VII, 4 some ed.
שֶׁמֶר
- (preced.) sediment, lees. Sabb. 146ᵇ שניקבה למטה מן הש׳ when the jug has a hole below the line of the lees. B. Bath. 96ᵇ שִׁמְרֵי יין wine lees. Ib. ש׳ … טעם יין lees which have a taste (or flavor) of wine. B. Mets. IV, 11 אין מערבין שמרי … שְׁמָרָיו you dare not mix wine lees (left of one jug) with wine, but you may give the purchaser the lees belonging to the wine sold; a. fr.
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 298 distinct written forms H8104 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that stem’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 238 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H8104, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derived from this word
- אשמרה ʼashmurâh H821 watch
- משמר mishmâr H4929 guard
- שמיר shâmîyr H8068 thorn
- שמר shemer H8105 dregs
- שמר shimmur H8107 night watch
- שמרה shomrâh H8108 watch
- שמרה shᵉmurâh H8109 eyelid
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
- ישמרי Yishmᵉray H3461 Ishmerai
- שומר Shôwmêr H7763 Shomer
- שמרון Shômᵉrôwn H8111 Samaria
- שמריה Shᵉmaryâh H8114 Shemariah
- שמרת Shimrâth H8119 Shimrath
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 13 — not the complete family. 5 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 386 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 440 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 2:15
- Exodus 10:28
- Leviticus 8:35
- Numbers 1:53
- Deuteronomy 2:4
- Joshua 1:7
- Judges 1:24
- 1 Samuel 1:12
- 2 Samuel 11:16
- 1 Kings 2:3
- 2 Kings 6:9
- 1 Chronicles 9:19
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
