שָׁמֵם
To stun (or intransitively, grow numb ), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does שָׁמֵם (shāmēm) mean in the Bible?
שָׁמֵם (shāmēm) is a Hebrew word meaning "to stun (or intransitively, grow numb ), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense)". to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i. The word conveys the total and lasting character of Babylon’s ruin. This term runs through the canonical themes of Revelation.
Meaning
Devastation that numbs or stuns the observer; desolation as both physical destruction and psychological shock.
to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense) BDB: be desolated Usage: make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder.
Why This Word Matters
The word conveys the total and lasting character of Babylon’s ruin. Isaiah 13:17-22
The term underscores the completeness of judgment. Isaiah 15:1-9
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 26×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 12×
Poel 4×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 7×
Hithpolel 2×
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Showing 8 of 86 occurrences in the biblical text.
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.