Lexical Definition

‎שָׁמַר‎ shâmar (shaw-mar') to keep: obey ^H:V
a primitive root

beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

• properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard
• generally, to protect, attend to, etc.

1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to keep, have charge of
1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)
1a3) to watch for, wait for
1a4) to watch, observe
1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)
1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain
1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)
1a8) to keep, preserve, protect
1a9) to keep, reserve
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware
1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain
1b3) to be kept, be guarded
1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed
1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from

See Greek: ἀγαπάω · ἀκοή · ἀκούω · ἀντέχομαι · διατάσσω · διατηρέω · διαφυλάσσω · εἰσακούω · ἐμβάλλω · ἐρείδω · εὐλαβέομαι · εὑρίσκω · παρατηρέω · ποιέω · προσέχω · συνάγω · συνίημι · συντηρέω · τηρέω · τίθημι · φύλαξ · φυλάσσω

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎שָׁמַר‎₄₆₅ 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 (see Lag^{BN 105}); Ba^{NB 175 f.; ES 43} infers from eyelid (compare [‎שְׁמֻרָה‎] below), and Arabic support, aid, protect (l = r), that two √ √ are combined in Hebrew; but proof insufficient); —

Qal₄₂₅ Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Gen 37:11 +, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יִשְׁמֹר‎ 1Sam 2:9 +, ‎יִשְׁמָרֿ‎ Jer 5:24 +, suffix 3 masculine singular ‎יִשְׁמְרֶנּוּ‎ Exod 21:29; Exod 21:36 3 feminine singular suffix ‎תִּשְׁמוּרֵ֑ם‎ Prov 14:3 (read ‎תִּשְׁמְרוּם‎, see Ges^{«GKC:47g»§ 47g} Toy), etc.; Imperative masculine singular ‎שְׁמֹר‎ Job 2:6 +, ‎שָׁמְרָה‎ 1Chr 29:18 +; masculine plural ‎שִׁמְרוּ‎ Josh 6:18 +, etc.; Infinitive absolute ‎שָׁמוֺר‎ Deut 5:12 +; construct ‎שְׁמֹר‎ Gen 3:24 +, suffix ‎שָׁמְרָהּ‎ Gen 2:15, etc.; Participle active ‎שֹׁמֵר‎ 1Sam 1:12 +, etc.; passive ‎שָׁמוּר‎ Eccl 5:12* (1Sam 9:24 see below), etc.; — [Synon. I. ‎נָצַר‎, ‎נָטַר‎, q. v.]:

1. a. keep, have charge of, garden Gen 2:15 (J), ark 1Sam 7:1, property in trust Exod 22:6*; Exod 22:9* (E), compare 1Sam 25:31 tend flock Gen 30:31 (E), compare Zech 3:7; Num 3:8 (P); so perhaps (object omitted) Hos 12:13* (where ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ chosen for parallelism Now Marti and others); Participle ‎הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹ֑כִי‎ Gen 4:9 (J), ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ of sheep 1Sam 17:20, ‎הַכֵּלִים‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ v1Sam 17:22, ‎הַכְּגָדִים‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ 2Kgs 22:14; 2Chr 34:22, ‎הַנָּשִׁים‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Esth 2:3; Esth 2:8; Esth 2:15, compare vEsth 2:14, etc.
b. keep, guard, captives Josh 10:18 (J), 1Kgs 20:39, ‎דֶּרֶךְ‎ Gen 3:24 (J); keep watch and ward, ‎אֶל‎ person for whom 1Sam 26:15 (Ps 59:10* see 3 end), ‎עַל‎ person vPs 59:16*; Prov 6:22 ‎בַּנַּעַר‎ 2Sam 18:12 have a care of *** (read ‎לִי‎ for ‎מִי‎ ᵐ5 and modern); in hostile sense, ‎אֶל הָעִיר‎ (in siege) 2Sam 11:16, ‎חַטָאתִי עַל‎ Job 14:16 (but read ‎תַּעֲבֹר‎ with ᵐ5 Ew Di Du and others [not Hi Bu]); absolute with ‎מֵעַל‎ Eccl 5:7** watcheth above, etc.; keep one's mouth, be prudent of speech Prov 21:33, compare Mic 7:5 keep = protect, save, one's life, ‎נֶפֶשׁ‎ Prov 13:3; Prov 16:17; Prov 19:16; Prov 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 Isa 21:11 (twice in verse); Isa 21:12; Isa 62:5 (figurative), Song 3:3; Song 5:7 (twice in verse); Ps 127:1 ‎הַמֶּלֶף‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ (in temple) Jer 35:4 + (see ‎סַף‎), ‎פֶּית הַמֶּלֶךְ‎ ‎׳‎‎הַפּ‎ 1Kgs 14:27 = 2Chr 12:10, ‎הַשְּׁעָרִים‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Neh 13:22, ‎שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת‎ (figurative) Eccl 12:3 ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ ‎הַבַּיִתךֵסעוֺה ךֵהת פךֵךֵכ (of David's concubines) 2Sam 15:16; 2Sam 16:21; 2Sam 20:3 שֹׁמֵר הַכֵּלִים‎ 1Sam 17:22, ‎הַבְּגָדִים‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ 2Kgs 22:14, ‎חַפַּרְדֵּס‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Neh 2:8, ‎הַנָּשִׁים‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Esth 2:3; Esth 2:14; Esth 2:15, ‎שֹׁמְרִים‎ absolute Judg 7:19; Jer 51:12.
c. hence watch for, wait for, accusative of person 1Sam 19:11 (to kill him), compare Ps 59:1* (title; accusative ‎הַבַּיִת‎); with ‎יֲקֵכַי‎ Ps 56:7* = dog my steps, Ps 71:10; Jer 20:10 = watch (suspiciously) Job 10:14; Job 13:27; Job 33:11 absolute ‎הַשֹּׁעמרִים‎ Judg 1:24 wait for, ‎נֶשֶׁף‎ Job 24:15, ‎לַבֹּקֶר‎ Ps 130:6 (twice in verse).
d. watch, observe, accusative of thing 1Sam 1:12; Eccl 11:4; Job 39:1; Jer 8:7 (of birds), with intelligence Isa 42:20; Ps 107:43 accusative of person Ps 37:37 (|| ‎ראה‎), Zech 11:11 accusative of sin Ps 31:7*; Ps 130:3 accusative of thing, for the purpose of avoiding, Ps 17:4.

2. a. keep, retain, of storing up (food) Gen 41:35 (E); absolute Eccl 3:6 (opposed to ‎הִשְׁלִיךְ‎); treasure up (in memory) Gen 37:11 (E), compare Mal 2:7; 1Chr 29:18; Prov 4:21 (‎בְּתוֺךְ לְבָבֶ֑ךְ‎), Prov 22:18 (‎כְּבִטֱנ֑ךָ‎); retain wrath Amos 1:11 (read ‎שָׁמֶר לָנֶצַח‎ We Now GASm Marti; see also ‎נָטַר‎ 1) + (anger omitted) Jer 3:5 (|| ‎נטר‎).
b. keep within bounds, restrain, object ‎שׁוֺר‎ Exod 21:29; Exod 21:36 (E); with accusative hand, ‎מִן‎ of evil Isa 56:2 figurative keep thy foot, with temporal clause Eccl 4:17* ‎לְֿפִי מַחְסוֺם‎‎׳‎‎אֶשׁ‎ Ps 39:2* (ᵐ5 Du and others ‎אָשִׁימָה‎); apparently reflexive (= Niph`al), Josh 6:18 (+ ‎מִןהַֿחֵרֶס‎), possibly sc. ‎גַפְשְׁכֶם‎ Di.

3. a. observe, celebrate, accusative of festival, etc., Exod 23:15 (E), Exod 34:18 (J), Exod 12:17 of day vExod 12:17 (P), of month Deut 16:1.
b. keep Sabbath Deut 5:12; Lev 19:3; Lev 19:30; Lev 26:2 (all H), Exod 31:13; Exod 31:14; Exod 31:16 (P), Isa 56:4, also (+ ‎מֵחַלְּלוֺ‎) vIsa 56:2 vIsa 56:6.
c. of other obligations: keep convenant Ezek 17:14, especially convenant of ‎׳‎‎י‎ Deut 29:8*; 1Kgs 11:11 + 5 t., ‎׳‎‎שְׁבֻעַת י‎ 1Kgs 2:43, perform vow Deut 23:24* keep commands Jer 35:18; Ezek 20:18 especially ‎מִצָוֺת‎, ‎תֻקִּים‎, ‎יֲבֹדָה‎, etc., of ‎׳‎‎י‎ (sometimes || ‎נצר‎), Exod 20:6 = Deut 5:10; Amos 2:4; 1Kgs 2:3; Ps 119:8; Ps 119:17; Ps 119:34 + very often (c. 120 t.); ‎׳‎‎דֶּרֶח י‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Gen 18:19 (J) + 4 t., ‎׳‎‎דַּרְכֵי י‎ 2Sam 22:22 = Ps 18:22*, ‎׳‎‎י‎ ‎׳‎‎ד‎ omitted Judg 2:22 b; ‎אָרְחוֺת צַדַּיקִים‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Prov 2:20 (|| ‎תֵּלֵח תְּלֵח בְּדֶרֶח טוֺבֹים‎), ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ ‎דְּרָכַי‎ (ways of wisdom) Prov 8:32 (Ps 17:4 see 1 d); keep discharge an office, ‎כְּהֻנָּה‎ Num 3:10; Num 18:7 (both P), absolute 2Chr 5:11 a function or duty, especially ‎מִשְׁמֶרֶת‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Lev 8:35; Num 1:53 + approximately 32 t. (see ‎׳‎‎מ‎ below); accusative of obligation often omitted, especially D (and R^D) keep and do Deut 4:6; Deut 7:12 + 8 t.; to do Deut 5:1; Deut 5:29 + 16 t. D + 3 t., etc.
d. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom) Hos 12:7* (‎חֶסֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט‎), Isa 56:1; Prov 4:4; Prov 5:2; Prov 7:1; Prov 7:2 bad sense, observe vanities Ps 31:7*. — Doubtful are: ‎לִשְׁמֹר‎ absolute Hos 4:10, very strange (conjectures in We Now Marti); ‎שָׁמוּר‎ 1Sam 9:24, HPS ‎אֵחַרְנוּ‎, compare Now Bu^Comm.; Ps 59:10* read ‎עֻוִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲזַמֵּ֑רָה‎ (as vPs 59:18*, ᵑ6 Che Bae).

4. sometimes ‎׳‎‎י‎ subject:
a. keep, preserve, protect, accusative of person, + ‎ב‎ of way, etc., Gen 28:15; Gen 28:20 (J), Exod 23:20 (E; of ‎מַלְאָח‎), Ps 91:11 (‎׳‎‎מ‎), Josh 24:17 (E); accusative of person (or ‎נפשׁ‎) only: 1Sam 30:23; Jer 31:9; Num 6:24 (P), Job 29:2; Ps 16:1 + 10 t. Psalms; + ‎מִן‎ Ps 121:7 + 2 t.; accusative ‎רַהְּלַי‎ 1Sam 2:9, compare Prov 3:26 (‎מִן‎); Participle ‎שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ‎ Ps 121:3; Ps 121:5, compare vPs 121:4, etc.; accusative of city Ps 127:1.
b. with accusative ‎בְּרִית‎, ‎ל‎ person Deut 7:12, + ‎חֶסֶד‎ vDeut 7:7 + 5 t., ‎אֱמֶת לְעוֺלָם‎ ‎׳‎‎הַשּׁ‎ Ps 146:6 ‎הַשְּׁבֻעָה‎ Deut 7:8, etc.; passive of covenant (‎׳‎‎י‎ agent) ‎עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמֻרָה‎ 2Sam 23:5 (legal terminology, Dr).

5. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest Jer 5:24 (‎ל‎ person). Niph`al₃₆ Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎נִשְׁמַד‎ 2Sam 20:10, etc.; Imperfect 3 feminine singular ‎תִּשָּׁמֵד‎ Judg 13:13 2 masculine plural ‎תִּשָּׁמַ֑רוּ‎ Exod 23:13 Imperative masculine singular ‎תִּשָּׁמֵד‎ Isa 7:4 ‎הִדָמשּׁ֫מֶר (לְךָׅ‎ Gen 24:6 +; feminine singular ‎הִשָּֽׁמְרִי‎ Judg 13:4, etc.; —

1. be on one's guard, with ‎בַּחֶרֶב‎ 2Sam 20:10 by reason of the sword, i.e. against it; with ‎ב‎ temporal 1Sam 19:2, ‎שָׁם‎ 2Kgs 6:10 take heed Exod 23:13 (E) Deut 2:4 with ‎מִן‎ person Exod 23:21 (E), Jer 9:3* ‎מִן‎ of thing Judg 13:13; Deut 23:10* ‎מִן‎ infinitive take care not to, etc. Gen 31:29 (E), 2Kgs 6:9 infinitive without ‎מִן‎ Exod 19:12 (J), but read probably ‎מֵעֲלוֺת‎; followed by ‎פֶּן‎ lest Gen 24:6 (J) + 11 t. (especially Deuteronomy); with ‎(וְ)אַל‎ jussive Exod 10:23 (J), Judg 13:4; Job 36:21, with Imperative coordinate Isa 7:4. — Very often Imperative (24 t.), especially in phrase ‎הִשָּׁמֶרלְֿךָ‎ (12 t.), ‎הִשָּֽׁטְרוּ לָכֶם‎ (3 t.); + ‎לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם‎ Deut 4:15; Josh 23:11 (R^D; + infinitive); + ‎׳‎‎בְּנַפ‎ Jer 17:21 apparently ‎ב‎ pret. on peril of your life (compare ‎ב‎ III. 3 a), so perhaps also ‎בְּרוּחֲכֶם‎ Mal 2:15; Mal 2:16 (We Now).

2. keep oneself, refrain, abstain, ‎מֵאִשָּׁה‎ 1Sam 21:5*.

3. be kept, guarded, Hos 12:14* (compare ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ of Jacob v.Hos 12:13*); be preserved (by ‎׳‎‎י‎) Ps 37:28 (‎לִיוֺלָם‎), but read probably ‎עַוָּלִים (לְעוֺלָם) נִשְׁמָ֑דוּ‎ Hup-Ri (Now) Che Bae Du Dr. Pi`el Participle plural ‎מְשַׁמְּרִים‎ ‎הַבְלֵישָֿׁוְא‎ Jonah 2:9* those paying regard to false vanities (compare Qal Ps 31:7*). Hithpa`el Imperfect 1 singular ‎וָאֶשְׁתַּסֵּר מֵעֲוֺנַי‎ Ps 18:24* I kept myself from, etc. = 2Sam 22:24 (verb cohortative); 3 masculine singular ‎וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֺת עָמְרִי‎ Mic 6:16, but read ‎וְתִשְׁמֹר‎ thou keepest, observest, We Now GASm.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References