שְׁמַשׁ
to serve
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Stem
- Piel
- An intensive or resultative active stem.
Form
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
Person
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Every verse where H8120 appears — 1 distinct verse across 1 book. 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.
Daniel 1 verse
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.
שמש — transliterated shᵉmash — is a Hebrew verb carrying the sense “to serve.” It occurs a mere 1 verse across Scripture. More than three-quarters of its appearances fall in Daniel. Scripture uses it exactly once, at Daniel 7:10. It shares a root with שמש, שמש and שמשון. 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 H8120 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 →
- 1
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 1 distinct verse.
- 1 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 1 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #6,101
- by frequency
- Rank #6,101 (rank 6,101 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 1 occurrence in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Daniel 1 verse 100%
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 1 distinct verse.
- Writings (Ketuvim) 1 verse · 100%
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: Ministered 1×
- American Standard Version: Ministered 1×
- Berean Standard Bible: Attended him 1×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Served him 1×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H8120 across 1 tagged occurrence — most commonly:
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H8120 across 1 tagged occurrence — most commonly:
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H8120 across 1 tagged occurrence — most commonly:
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H8120 across 1 tagged occurrence — most commonly:
Senses in BDB
The 1 sense BDB distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency or importance). The full entry — with sub-senses — is in the Lexicon Entry tab.
- (Pael) to minister, serve
Word origin
[ שְׁמַשׁ ] vb. Pa. minister;— Dn 7:10
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from שמש (shemesh) (H8121) — sun.
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.
שָׁמַשׁ
- (Shaf. of מוש, משש)
- 1. [to handle, be busy,] to minister, officiate. Yoma VII, 5 כהן גדול מְשַׁמֵּשׁ וכ׳ the high priest officiates in eight garments, and the common priests in four. Y. ib. 44ᵇ bot. מפני מה אינו משמש וכ׳ why does he not officiate (on the Day of Atonement) dressed in gold? Lev. R. s. 21 מקדש ראשון ע"י שׁשִׁמְּשׁוּ בו וכ׳ during the first Temple, because they ministered in faithfulness, only eighteen high priests officiated in it. Yoma 47ᵃ ש׳ תחתיו officiated in his place. Ib. וכולן שמשו בכהונה וכ׳ and all of them performed the functions of high priesthood. Y. Sot. IX, 24ᵃ אלו שימשו פרנסות the former served in an administrative capacity (not merely as scholars). Tanḥ. Bo 4 חשך ואפלה שמשו … ולא עתידין לשַׁמֵּשׁ ‘darkness and mist’ served (as divine agents) in Egypt, but ‘void and waste’ never served, and never shall serve; Yalk. Is. 360. Gen. R. s. 33, end לא שמשו מזלות וכ׳ the planets did not perform their functions during all the twelve months (of the flood); שמשו אלא … ניכר they did act, only that their mark was not recognizable. Y. Yoma III, 41ᵃ top חמשה … הסגן משמש the Sagan had five functions to perform. Tam. V, 5 שלשה … מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת it served three purposes. Midd. I, 6 ומה היו מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹת and what were they used for? R. Hash. 3ᵃ כי משמש וכ׳ ki serves for four meanings &c., v. דִּילְמָא I; a. fr.—Euphem. ש׳ מטתו, or only ש׳ to perform the marital duty; in gen. to couple (also of animals). Nidd. 17ᵃ. Ib. II, 1. Bekh. 8ᵃ; Gen. R. s. 20; a. fr.—Mikv. VIII, 4 שִׁמְּשָׁה את ביתה, v. בַּיִת.—Ned. II, 1 קונם שאיני מְשַׁמְּשָׁךְ I vow that I will not have intercourse with thee. Ib. 15ᵇ; Keth. 71ᵇ מְשַׁמַּשְׁתּוֹ she must allow him marital intercourse; a. fr.
- 2. (denom. of שַׁמָּשׁ) to attend, serve, wait upon. Ab. I, 3 המְשַׁמְּשִׁין את הרב, v. עֶבֶד. Sabb. 32ᵇ זוכה ומשמשין לו וכ׳ he will live to see himself waited upon by two thousand … servants. Kidd. 32ᵇ מצינו גדול ממנו שש׳ we find that a greater man than he waited (upon his guests); Yalk. Ex. 229; a. fr.—Esp. (of students) to be in attendance upon a scholar as a disciple. Ber. 47ᵇ אפי׳ … ולא ש׳ תלמידי וכ׳ even if one has studied the Bible and the Mishnah, but has failed to wait upon scholars, he is considered an ʿam haarets (v. אֶרֶץ). Sot. 47ᵇ שלא שִׁימְּשׁוּ כל צורכן who did not wait upon scholars sufficiently. Y. Sabb. X, 12ᶜ bot. שִׁמַּשְׁתִּי את אבא וכ׳, v. יְשִׁיבָה Ib. III, 6ᵃ (in Chald. dict.) ולא שי׳, v. סָבוֹרָא; a. fr.
- (with ב) to be handled, be used for; (of persons) to make use of, be waited upon. Snh. 48ᵇ נ׳ בהן קודש אסור להִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בהן חול having once been used for a sacred purpose, it is forbidden to use them for a secular purpose. B. Mets. 84ᵇ כלי שנ׳ … יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בו חול shall a vessel that has been used for a sacred purpose, be used for a profane purpose (i.e. shall I marry one inferior to my first husband)? Midr. Till. to Ps. CXIX, 134 כלי שנ׳ בו מלך וכ׳ a vessel which the king has used &c., v. סָגָן. Ḥull. 60ᵇ שׁיִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ בכתר אחד, v. כֶּתֶר. Koh. R. to II, 5 ברוחות … מִשְׁתַּמֵשׁ וכ׳ Solomon made use of the spirits, and he sent to India &c. Ber. 52ᵇ אסור להשתמש בשמש וכ׳ you must not be waited upon by an ignorant waiter. Gen. R. s. 37; Yalk. ib. 62 שהיו מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין ברוה"ק (not משמשין) who made use of (acted under) holy inspiration; a. fr.
שְׁמַשׁ
- same, to minister, wait upon. Targ. Gen. XVIII, 8. Targ. I Kings I, 2; 4. Targ. I Sam. I, 3. Targ. Ex. XXVIII, 1; a. fr.—Part. pass. מְשַׁמַּשׁ. Targ. Koh. X, 6 בש׳ באצלחותא וכ׳ (not מְשַׁמֵּשׁ) enjoying happiness from above.—Ab. Zar. 10ᵇ אנטונינוס שַׁמְּשֵׁיה לרבי Antoninus waited upon (entertained) Rabbi; a. e.—Trnsf. to couple. Targ. Y. Lev. XV, 18; a. fr.
- to make use of. Ab. I, 13 ודיִשְׁתַּמַּשׁ בתגא חלף he who makes use of the crown (of the Law) goes to ruin. Meg. 16ᵃ לאו … לאִשְׁתַּמּוּשֵׁי במני וכ׳ it is unbecoming to make use of royal garments in such a condition; a. e.
שַׁמָּשׁ
- (preced.) attendant, servant, waiter. Pes. VII, 13 כשהש׳ עומד וכ׳ when the waiter (at a Passover meal of two parties) rises to serve the wine. Ber. 52ᵇ, v. שָׁמַשׁ; a. fr.—Snh. 59ᵇ חבל על ש׳ גדול וכ׳ woe for the great servant (the most useful instrument of comfort) that was lost to the world! for if the serpent had not been cursed &c.—Euphem. membrum virile. Nidd. 11ᵇ. Ib. 41ᵇ; a. fr.—Pl. שׁמָּשִׁים, שַׁמָּשִׁין. Mekh. Yithro, Baḥod., s. 10; R. Hash. 24ᵇ (ref. to Ex. XX, 23) לא תעשון כדמות שַׁמָּשַׁיי המשמשין לפני וכ׳ you shall not make an image like any of my servants (angels, Ḥayoth &c.) that are in attendance before me on high. Ib. ש׳ שבמדור העליון the servants of the higher dwelling (angels, Ḥayoth &c.); שבמדור התחתון of the lower dwelling (sun, moon &c.); a. e. e.g. Exodus 20:23
שֶׁמֶשׁ
- c. (b. h.;; v. Gen. I, 16 לממשלת וכ׳, a. Targ. Y. ib. I, 18; cmp. R. Hash. 24ᵇ, quot. in preced.) sun. Taan. 8ᵇ ש׳ בשבת וכ׳ sunshine on the Sabbath is a charity to the poor (who are cheered by it). Pes. 2ᵃ זריחת ש׳ וכ׳, v. זְרִיחָה. Mekh. Mishp., s. 13 (ref. to Ex. XXII, 2) וכי הש׳ עליו וכ׳ did the sun shine on him alone? אלא מה ש׳ שלום וכ׳ but (it means,) as the sun signifies peace to the world, so in this case, if it is sure that he has come in peace (without murderous intentions) &c. Gen. R. s. 58, beg. עד שלא ישקיע הקב"ה שִׁמְשׁוֹ וכ׳ before the Lord causes the sun of one righteous man to set, he causes the sun of another to rise. Cant. R. to I, 6 שִׁמְשָׁהּ של ע"ז, v. שָׁזַף; a. fr.—Pl. שְׁמָשׁוֹת.—בין הש׳ (abbrev. בה"ש) [between the two services, between the rulership of the day and that of the night,] at twilight. Sabb. 34ᵇ איזהו בה"ש … כל זמן שפני מזרח וכ׳ what time of the day is called ben-hash-sh’mashoth? From the time that the sun sets (and) as long as the eastern horizon is red (from the reflex); הכסיף … בה"ש when the lower horizon is pale, but the upper horizon is not, it is still ben-hash-sh’mashoth &c.; Y. Ber. I, 2ᵇ bot. Ib. בה"ש כהרף עין, v. הֶרֶף. Ab. V, 6 עשרה … בה"ש ten things were created on the Sabbath eve at twilight; a. fr. e.g. Genesis 1:16
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.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H8120, 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.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 5 — not the complete family. 2 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 1 verse that also exists in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 1 Hebrew verse 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
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.
