English · KJV
H8090

שְׁמָע

Shᵉmâʻ /shem-aw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfor שֶׁמַע
MeaningShema, a place in Palestine
KJV usageShema.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Shᵉmâʻ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word Shᵉmâʻ, represented by H8090, is the name for Shema, a place in Palestine. Its base definition is derived from a related term for report or fame. This word is exceptionally specific, appearing just 1 times across 1 unique verses in the Bible, where it serves to identify a particular town.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H8090 is in the book of Joshua, within a detailed list of the cities allotted to the tribe of Judah in the southernmost part of its territory. The verse lists it alongside two other towns, stating, "Amam, and Shema, and Moladah" Joshua 15:26. This placement firmly grounds the location within the geographical and historical context of Israel's settlement in the promised land.

Related Words & Concepts

The words associated with H8090 are the other towns listed in the same verse, which help to define its location:

  • H538 ʼĂmâm: Defined as a gathering-spot; Amam, a place in Palestine. It is mentioned only in conjunction with Shema, highlighting their close geographical proximity Joshua 15:26.
  • H4137 Môlâdâh: Meaning birth; Moladah, a place in Palestine. This town appears alongside Shema in Joshua 15:26 and is also mentioned in other allotment and census lists, including those in Joshua 19:2, 1 Chronicles 4:28, and Nehemiah 11:26, further cementing the region where Shema was located.

Theological Significance

While a single place name has limited direct theological weight, its inclusion in scripture is significant.

  • Historical Specificity: The mention of H8090 demonstrates the Bible's commitment to detailed historical and geographical record-keeping, particularly concerning the division of the promised land.
  • Fulfillment of Promise: Its presence in the list of cities in Judah Joshua 15:26 is part of the larger narrative of God fulfilling His covenant promise to give the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham.
  • Divine Allotment: The name functions as a marker within the sacred act of distributing the land by lot, a process overseen by God to provide an inheritance for each tribe.

Summary

In summary, H8090 Shᵉmâʻ is a precise geographical reference rather than a broad theological term. Its singular use in Joshua 15:26 serves a crucial purpose: to document the specific boundaries and cities of the inheritance given to the tribe of Judah. It stands as a testament to the detailed and historically-grounded nature of the biblical account of Israel's settlement.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • שְׁמַע

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H538 אֲמָם from אֵם; gathering-spot; Amam, a place in Palestine; Amam. H4137 מוֹלָדָה from יָלַד; birth; Moladah, a place in Palestine; Moladah.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Joshua — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.