I. שָׁמַר 465 verb keep, watch, preserve (Late Hebrew 
id.; Phoenician 
שמר in proper name and (Punic) = 
watchman; Tel Amarna 
šimiru is perhaps 
overseer (Canaanism), Wkl
No. 80, i. 23; Mandean 
סמירא preserved Nö
M 46; compare Arabic 
 converse by night, stay awake
 converse by night, stay awake (see Lag
BN 105); Ba
NB 175 f.; ES 43 infers from 
 eyelid
 eyelid (compare [
שְׁמֻרָה] below), and Arabic 
 support, aid, protect (l = r)
 support, aid, protect (l = r), that two √√ are combined in Hebrew; but proof insufficient); — 
Qal425 Perfect 3rd person masculine singular שׁ׳ Genesis 37:11 +, etc.; 
Imperfect 3rd person masculine singular יִשְׁמֹר 1 Samuel 2:9 +, 
יִשְׁמָרֿ Jeremiah 5:24 +, suffix 
3rd person masculine singular יִשְׁמְרֶנּוּ Exodus 21:29, 
36; 
3rd person feminine singular suffix 
תִּשְׁמוּרֵ֑ם Proverbs 14:3 (read 
תִּשְׁמְרוּם, see Ges
§ 47 g Toy), etc.; 
Imperative masculine singular 
שְׁמֹר Job 2:6 +, 
שָׁמְרָה 1 Chronicles 29:18 +; masculine plural 
שִׁמְרוּ Joshua 6:18 +, etc.; 
Infinitive absolute שָׁמוֺר Deuteronomy 5:12 +; construct 
שְׁמֹר Genesis 3:24 +, suffix 
שָׁמְרָהּ Genesis 2:15, etc.; 
Participle active שֹׁמֵר 1 Samuel 1:12 +, etc.; 
passive שָׁמוּר Ecclesiastes 5:12 (
1 Samuel 9:24 see below), etc.; — [Synon. I. 
נָצַר, 
נָטַר, which see]: 
    1.
    a. keep, have charge of, garden 
Genesis 2:15 (J), ark 
1 Samuel 7:1, property in trust 
Exodus 22:6; 
Exodus 22:9 (E), compare 
1 Samuel 25:31; 
tend flock 
Genesis 30:31 (E), compare 
Zechariah 3:7; 
Numbers 3:8 (P); so perhaps (object omitted) 
Hosea 12:13 (where 
שׁ׳ chosen for parallelism Now Marti and others); Participle 
הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹ֑כִי Genesis 4:9 (J), 
שׁ׳ of sheep 
1 Samuel 17:20, 
הַכֵּלִים שׁ׳ 1 Samuel 17:22, 
הַכְּגָדִים שׁ׳ 2 Kings 22:14; 
2 Chronicles 34:22, 
הַנָּשִׁים שׁ׳ Esther 2:3, 
8, 
15, compare 
Esther 2:14, etc.
 
    b. keep, guard, captives 
Joshua 10:18 (J), 
1 Kings 20:39, 
דֶּרֶךְ Genesis 3:24 (J); 
keep watch and ward, 
אֶל person for whom 
1 Samuel 26:15 (
Psalm 59:10 see 
3 end), 
עַל person 
Psalm 59:16; 
Proverbs 6:22; 
בַּנַּעַר 2 Samuel 18:12 have a care of (read 
לִי for 
מִי 
 and modern); in hostile sense, 
אֶל הָעִיר (in siege) 
2 Samuel 11:16, 
חַטָאתִי עַל Job 14:16 (but read 
תַּעֲבֹר with 

 Ew Di Du and others [not Hi Bu]); absolute with 
מֵעַל Ecclesiastes 5:7 watcheth above, etc.; 
keep one's mouth, be prudent of speech † 
Proverbs 21:33 [
Proverbs 21:23 ?],  compare 
Micah 7:5; 
keep = protect, save, one's life, 
נֶפֶשׁ Proverbs 13:3; 
Proverbs 16:17; 
Proverbs 19:16; 
Proverbs 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 
Isaiah 21:11 (twice in verse); 
Isaiah 21:12; 
Isaiah 62:5 (figurative), 
Songs 3:3; 
Songs 5:7 (twice in verse); 
Psalm 127:1; 
הַמֶּלֶף שׁ׳ (in temple) 
Jeremiah 35:4 + (see 
סַף), 
הַמֶּלֶךְ בֵּית פֶּתַח הַשּׁ׳ 1 Kings 14:27 2 Chronicles 12:10, 
הַשְּׁעָרִים שׁ׳ Nehemiah 13:22, 
שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת (figurative) 
Ecclesiastes 12:3; 
שׁ׳ הַבַּיִת keep the house (of David's concubines) † 
2 Samuel 15:16; 
2 Samuel 16:21; 
2 Samuel 20:3; 
שֹׁמֵר הַכֵּלִים 1 Samuel 17:22, 
הַבְּגָדִים שׁ׳ 2 Kings 22:14, 
הַפַּרְדֵּם שׁ׳ Nehemiah 2:8, 
הַנָּשִׁים שׁ׳ Esther 2:3, 
14, 
15, 
שֹׁמְרִים absolute 
Judges 7:19; 
Jeremiah 51:12.
 
    2.
    b. keep within bounds, 
restrain, object 
שׁוֺר Exodus 21:29, 
36 (E); with accusative hand, 
מִן of evil 
Isaiah 56:2; figurative 
keep thy foot, with temporal clause Ecclesiastes 4:17; 
לְֿפִי מַחְסוֺם אֶשׁ׳ Psalm 39:2 (

 Du and others 
אָשִׁימָה); apparently reflexive (= 
Niph.), † 
Joshua 6:18 (+ 
מִןהַֿחֵרֶס), possibly sc. 
גַפְשְׁכֶם Di.
 
    3.
    c. of other obligations: 
keep convenant 
Ezekiel 17:14, especially convenant of 
י׳ Deuteronomy 29:8; 
1 Kings 11:11 + 
5 times, 
שְׁבֻעַת י׳ 1 Kings 2:43, 
perform vow 
Deuteronomy 23:24; 
keep commands 
Jeremiah 35:18; 
Ezekiel 20:18; especially 
מִצָוֺת, 
תֻקִּים, 
יֲבֹדָה, etc., of 
י׳ (sometimes || 
נצר), 
Exodus 20:6 = 
Deuteronomy 5:10; 
Amos 2:4; 
1 Kings 2:3; 
Psalm 119:8; 
Psalm 119:17; 
Psalm 119:34 + very often (about + 
120 times); 
דֶּרֶח י׳ שׁ׳ Genesis 18:19 (J) + 
4 times, 
דַּרְכֵי י׳ 2 Samuel 22:22 = 
Psalm 18:22, 
י׳ ד׳ omitted 
Judges 2:22b; 
אָרְחוֺת צַדַּיקִים שׁ׳ Proverbs 2:20 (|| 
תֵּלֵח תְּלֵח בְּדֶרֶח טוֺבֹים), 
שׁ׳ דְּרָכַי (ways of wisdom) 
Proverbs 8:32 (
Psalm 17:4 see 
1d); 
keep discharge an office, 
כְּהֻנָּה Numbers 3:10; 
Numbers 18:7 (both P), absolute 
2 Chronicles 5:11; a function or duty, especially 
מִשְׁמֶרֶת שׁ׳ Leviticus 8:35; 
Numbers 1:53 + approximately + 
32 times (see 
מ׳ below); accusative of obligation often omitted, especially D (and R
D) 
keep and do Deuteronomy 4:6; 
Deuteronomy 7:12 + 
8 times; 
to do Deuteronomy 5:1, 
29 + 
16 times D + 
3 times, etc.
 
    d. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom) 
Hosea 12:7 (
וּמִשְׁפָּט חֶסֶד), 
Isaiah 56:1; 
Proverbs 4:4; 
Proverbs 5:2; 
Proverbs 7:1, 
2; bad sense, 
observe vanities 
Psalm 31:7. — Doubtful are: 
לִשְׁמֹר absolute 
Hosea 4:10, very strange (conjectures in We Now Marti); 
שָׁמוּר 1 Samuel 9:24, HPS 
אֵחַרְנוּ, compare Now Bu
Comm.; 
Psalm 59:10 read 
עֻוִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲזַמֵּ֑רָה (as Psalm 59:18, 

 Che Bae).
 
    4. sometimes י׳ subject:
    a. keep, preserve, protect, accusative of person, + 
ב of way, etc., 
Genesis 28:15, 
20 (J), 
Exodus 23:20 (E; of 
מַלְאָח), 
Psalm 91:11 (
מ׳), 
Joshua 24:17 (E); accusative of person (or 
נפשׁ) only: 
1 Samuel 30:23; 
Jeremiah 31:9; 
Numbers 6:24 (P), 
Job 29:2; 
Psalm 16:1 + 
10 times Psalms; + 
מִן Psalm 121:7 + 
2 times; accusative 
רַהְּלַי 1 Samuel 2:9, compare 
Proverbs 3:26 (
מִן); 
Participle שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ Psalm 121:3; 
Psalm 121:5, compare 
Psalm 121:4, etc.; accusative of city 
Psalm 127:1.
 
Niph.36 Perfect 3rd person masculine singular נִשְׁמַד 2 Samuel 20:10, etc.; 
Imperfect 3rd person feminine singular תִּשָּׁמֵד Judges 13:13; 
2nd person masculine plural תִּשָּׁמַ֑רוּ Exodus 23:13; 
Imperative masculine singular 
תִּשָּׁמֵד Isaiah 7:4 (לְךָ) הִשָּׁ֫מֶר Genesis 24:6 +; 
feminine singular הִשָּֽׁמְרִי Judges 13:4, etc.; — 
    1. be on one's guard, with 
בַּחֶרֶב 2 Samuel 20:10 by reason of the sword, i.e. against it; with 
ב temporal 
1 Samuel 19:2, 
שָׁם 2 Kings 6:10; 
take heed Exodus 23:13 (E) 
Deuteronomy 2:4; with 
מִן person 
Exodus 23:21 (E), 
Jeremiah 9:3; 
מִן of thing 
Judges 13:13; 
Deuteronomy 23:10; 
מִן infinitive 
take care not to, etc. 
Genesis 31:29 (E), 
2 Kings 6:9; infinitive without 
מִן Exodus 19:12 (J), but read probably 
מֵעֲלוֺת; followed by 
פֶּן lest Genesis 24:6 (J) + 
11 times (especially Deuteronomy); with 
(וְ)אַל jussive 
Exodus 10:23 (J), 
Judges 13:4; 
Job 36:21, with Imperative coordinate 
Isaiah 7:4. — Very often Imperative (
24 times), especially in phrase 
הִשָּׁמֶרלְֿךָ (
12 times), 
הִשָּֽׁטְרוּ לָכֶם (
3 times); + 
לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם Deuteronomy 4:15; 
Joshua 23:11 (R
D; + infinitive); + 
בְּנַפ׳ Jeremiah 17:21 apparently 
ב pret. 
on peril of your life (compare 
ב III. 3 a), so perhaps also 
בְּרוּחֲכֶם Malachi 2:15, 
16 (We Now).
 
    †3. be kept, guarded, 
Hosea 12:14 (compare 
שׁ׳ of Jacob 
Hosea 12:13); be preserved (by 
י׳) 
Psalm 37:28 (
לִיוֺלָם), but read probably 
עַוָּלִים (לְעוֺלָם) נִשְׁמָ֑דוּ Hup-Ri (Now) Che Bae Du Dr.
 
† 
Pi. Participle plural 
מְשַׁמְּרִים הַבְלֵישָֿׁוְא Jonah 2:9 those paying regard to false vanities (compare Qal 
Psalm 31:7). 
† 
Hithp. Imperfect 1st person singular וָאֶשְׁתַּסֵּר מֵעֲוֺנַי Psalm 18:24 I kept myself from, etc. = 
2 Samuel 22:24 (verb cohortative); 
3rd person masculine singular וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֺת עָמְרִי Micah 6:16, but read 
וְתִשְׁמֹר thou keepest, observest, We Now GASm.
														
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database.
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