Lexical Definition

‎מִשְׁמֶרֶת‎ mishmereth (mish-mer'-reth) charge ^H:N-F
feminine of ‎מִשְׁמָר‎

charge, keep, or to be kept, office, ordinace, safeguard, ward, watch.

• watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post
• objectively preservation, or (concretely) safe
• figuratively observance, i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or party

1) guard, charge, function, obligation, service, watch
1a) guard, watch, house of detention or confinement
1b) keeping, preserving
1c) charge, injunction
1d) office, function (ceremonial)

See Greek: ἀποθήκη · ἐφημερία · παρεμβολή · φυλακή

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎מִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתּ‎₇₈ noun feminine guard, watch, also charge, function; — ‎׳‎‎מ‎ absolute 2Sam 20:3 +, construct 2Kgs 11:5 +; absolute ‎מִשְׁמָ֑רֶת‎ Exod 16:34 suffix ‎מִשְׁמַרְתִּי‎ Gen 26:5 +, etc.; plural ‎מִשְׁמָרוֺת‎ 1Chr 9:23 +; construct ‎מִשְׁמְרוֺת‎ Neh 7:3 suffix ‎רוֺתָם‎- 2Chr 7:6 +, ‎תֵיהֶם‎- 2Chr 31:17 —

1. guard, watch: ‎׳‎‎בֵּית מ‎ 2Sam 20:3 = house of detention, confinement; ‎אַתָּה עִמָּדִי‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ 1Sam 22:23 i.e. protected, secure; with ‎שָׁמַר‎ keep the watch 2Kgs 11:5; 2Kgs 11:6; 2Kgs 11:7; 1Chr 12:30* (van d. H. v.1Chr 12:29*); = post of watch (figurative) Isa 21:3 (|| ‎מִצְפֶה‎), Hab 2:1 (|| ‎מָצוֺר‎); plural = guards Neh 7:3; 1Chr 9:23.

2. keeping, preserving, ‎׳‎‎וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְמ‎ Exod 12:6 i.e. ye shall keep it; ‎׳‎‎הִנִּיחוּ לָכֶם לְמ‎ Exod 16:23 compare vExod 16:32 vExod 16:33 vExod 16:34; Num 19:9 (all P).

3. charge, injunction of ‎׳‎‎י‎, with ‎שָׁמַר‎, in general Deut 11:1 ( + ‎חֻקוֺת‎, ‎מִשְׁפָּטִים‎, ‎מִצְוֺת‎), compare Gen 26:5; 1Kgs 2:3, and (‎׳‎‎מִצְוַת י‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎) Josh 22:3 (all R^D), Mal 3:14 of specific injunctions Lev 18:30; Num 9:19; Num 9:23.

4. a. ceremonial office or function (AV RV usually charge) of priest or Levite (P [especially Numbers], Ezek 40; Ezek 44; Ezek 48 Chronicles, Zechariah), mostly with ‎שָׁמַר‎: ‎מִשְׁכַּן הָלֵדוּת‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 1:53, ‎׳‎‎מִשְׁכַּן י‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 31:30; Num 31:47, ‎הַמִּקְדָּשׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Ezek 44:15; Num 3:38, ‎אֹהֶל מוֺעֵד‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 18:4 compare vNum 18:3, 1Chr 23:32, ‎הַקֹּדֶשׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 3:28; Num 3:32; Num 18:5; 1Chr 23:32, ‎קָדָשַׁי‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ (of Israel in general) Ezek 44:8, ‎הַמִּזְבֵּחַ‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 18:5; Ezek 40:46, ‎תְּרוּמֹתָ֑י‎ Num 18:8, ‎הַבַּיִת‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Ezek 40:45; Ezek 44:14, ‎הַטָּהֳרָה‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Neh 12:45 with genitive (suffix) ‎׳‎‎מ‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ = perform the service imposed by, due to, Lev 8:35; Lev 22:9; Ezek 44:8; Ezek 44:16; Ezek 48:11; Zech 3:7, ‎אֱםהֵיהֶם‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Neh 12:45 (of Judah in general); ‎הָעֵדָה‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 3:7 a, ‎׳‎‎בְּנֵי יִשׂ‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 3:8; Num 3:38, ‎בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֺן‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 3:25 compare vNum 3:7a.,Num 3:31; Num 3:36; Num 4:27; Num 4:28; Num 4:31; Num 4:32; Num 18:3; 1Chr 23:32 also, in secular sense, ‎בֵּית שָׁאוּל‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ 1Chr 12:30* ‎מַשָּׂאָם‎ ‎׳‎‎מ‎ Num 4:31, ‎מַשָּׂאָם‎ ‎׳‎‎כְּלֵי מ‎ vNum 4:32 (Num 4:27 read with ᵐ5 Di Gr Gray, etc. ‎בְּשֵׁמוֺת‎ for ‎׳‎‎במ‎, and perhaps ‎מִשְׁמֶרֶת‎ after ‎אֵת‎, compare vNum 4:32); ‎׳‎‎עֲלֵיהֶם מ‎ 1Chr 9:27 i.e. the duty rested upon them; — 1Chr 25:8; 1Chr 26:12 see I. ‎עֻמָה‎ c, d (p. 769 above); ‎עֹמְדִים‎ ‎׳‎‎עַלמֿ‎ 2Chr 7:6 were standing according to (or in) their offices, ‎׳‎‎הֱעֶמִיד עַל מ‎ appoint to their offices 2Chr 8:14; 2Chr 35:2.
b. pl. of Levitical divisions for service Neh 12:9.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References