English · KJV
H8298

שָׁרַי

Shâray /shaw-rah'-ee/ Ask about this word
Rootprobably from שָׁרַר
Meaninghostile; Sharay, an Israelite
KJV usageSharai.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Shâray — 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 Shâray, represented by H8298, is defined as Sharay, an Israelite. The name's origin is likely from שָׁרַר, carrying the meaning "hostile". This name is exceptionally rare in scripture, appearing just 1 times across 1 unique verses.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single biblical appearance of H8298 is in a list of names. In the book of Ezra, Sharay is mentioned as an Israelite, listed alongside several other men. The verse simply states "Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai" Ezra 10:40, placing him within a specific group of individuals recorded in the post-exilic period.

Related Words & Concepts

The context of its only appearance links H8298 to other specific individuals:

  • H4367 Maknadbay: This name means "what (is) like (a) liberal (man) ?; Maknadbai, an Israelite; Machnadebai." He is listed directly before Sharai in Ezra 10:40.
  • H8343 Shâshay: This name possibly means "whitish; Shashai, an Israelite; Shashai." He is also listed in the same verse, immediately preceding Sharai Ezra 10:40.

Theological Significance

The significance of H8298 is rooted in its specific, personal identification rather than broad theological concepts.

  • Personal Identity: The name serves to identify a specific Israelite named Sharay, marking his place in the biblical record.
  • Etymological Meaning: The potential definition of "hostile" provides a glimpse into the naming conventions or perceived character attributes of the time.
  • Historical Record: Its inclusion in the list in Ezra demonstrates the importance of recording the names of individuals within the community of Israel.

Summary

In summary, H8298 Shâray is a proper name that appears only once in the Bible. Its significance comes from its role in identifying a particular Israelite in the historical record of Ezra 10:40. While its etymological root may suggest the meaning "hostile," its primary function in scripture is to name an individual, preserving his identity as part of the biblical narrative.

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.

  • שָׁרָי

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.

H4367 מַכְנַדְבַי from מָה and נָדַב with a particle interposed; what (is) like (a) liberal (man) ?; Maknadbai, an Israelite; Machnadebai. H8343 שָׁשַׁי perhaps from שֵׁשׁ; whitish; Shashai, an Israelite; Shashai.

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 Ezra — 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.