שָׁמַר
Shamar
To keep, guard, watch over
Shamar (שָׁמַר) is a Hebrew word meaning “to keep, guard, watch over,” pronounced “sha-MAR.” Derived from the root ש-מ-ר, shamar appears 468 times in the Hebrew Bible (Strong's H8104).
| Hebrew | שָׁמַר |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | Shamar |
| Pronunciation | sha-MAR |
| Meaning | To keep, guard, watch over |
| Root Letters | ש-מ-ר |
| Occurrences in Hebrew Bible | 468× |
| Key Verse | Numbers 6:24 |
| Strong's Number | H8104 |
| Category | Spiritual Concepts |
Shamar (שָׁמַר) means to keep, to guard, to watch over. We meet it first as our job: Adam is placed in the garden 'to work it and keep it' (Genesis 2:15), and Israel is told to keep the commandments — so the word can feel like a duty, one more thing we must hold onto. The Aaronic Blessing turns it around. In 'the LORD bless you and keep you' (Numbers 6:24), shamar is God's action, not ours — He is the one who guards, watches, holds. Psalm 121 makes it a name: 'He who keeps (shomer) Israel will neither slumber nor sleep… the LORD is your keeper (shomrecha)' (Psalm 121:4-5). The word for the guard on the wall becomes a word for God, awake over you all night.
Key Bible Verse: Numbers 6:24
“The LORD bless you and keep you (v'yishmerecha).”
What Is the Root of Shamar in Hebrew?
Shamar comes from the root ש-מ-ר (shin-mem-resh), 'to keep, guard, watch.' The active participle shomer means 'a keeper' or 'watchman,' and mishmar is a watch or guard-post.
What Does Shamar Mean in the Bible?
Shamar appears over 460 times in the Hebrew Bible. It describes tending and guarding (Genesis 2:15), keeping the commandments (Deuteronomy 5:12), and — most tenderly — God keeping His people (Psalm 121). The same verb covers a human duty and a divine promise.
How Is Shamar Used in Modern Hebrew?
In modern Hebrew a shomer is still a guard or watchman, and shomer Shabbat describes someone who 'keeps' the Sabbath — the same verb that Psalm 121 turns into a name for God, the Keeper who never sleeps.
How to Use Shamar in Prayer & Worship
When you feel you must hold everything together, pray Psalm 121 back to God: You are my shomer, my keeper, and You neither slumber nor sleep. Let the verb be His before it is yours — rest under the Guardian who never once closes His eyes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shamar
How do you say “To keep” in Hebrew?
“To keep” in Hebrew is Shamar (שָׁמַר), pronounced “sha-MAR.” Shamar comes from the root ש-מ-ר (shin-mem-resh), 'to keep, guard, watch.' The active participle shomer means 'a keeper' or 'watchman,' and mishmar is a watch or guard-post.
What does Shamar mean in the Bible?
Shamar (שָׁמַר) means “To keep, guard, watch over” in Biblical Hebrew. Shamar appears over 460 times in the Hebrew Bible. It describes tending and guarding (Genesis 2:15), keeping the commandments (Deuteronomy 5:12), and — most tenderly — God keeping His people (Psalm 121). The same verb covers a human duty and a divine promise.
How do you pronounce Shamar?
Shamar is pronounced “sha-MAR.” The word comes from the Hebrew root ש-מ-ר.
What does shamar mean in the Bible?
Shamar (שָׁמַר) means 'to keep, guard, or watch over.' It describes both a human task — keeping the garden (Genesis 2:15) or the commandments — and God's own care, as when 'the LORD is your keeper' in Psalm 121:5.
Who is the keeper in 'the LORD bless you and keep you'?
In Numbers 6:24 the keeper is God. Though shamar often names our duty, the Aaronic Blessing makes it God's action: He is the one who guards and watches over you — the Keeper of Israel who 'will neither slumber nor sleep' (Psalm 121:4).
How do you pronounce shamar?
Shamar is pronounced 'sha-MAR,' with the stress on the second syllable.
Sources & Further Study
- Blue Letter Bible — H8104: Shamar
- Bible Gateway — Numbers 6:24 (ESV)
- Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB) — entry for ש-מ-ר
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