Original Word: שְׁמַם
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shmam
Pronunciation: sheh-MAHM
Phonetic Spelling: (shem-am')
NASB: appalled
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H8074 (שָׁמֵם - desolate)]

1. be astonished

be astonished

(Aramaic) corresponding to shamem -- be astonied.

see HEBREW shamem

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to shamem
Definition
to be appalled
NASB Translation
appalled (1).

[שְׁמַם] verb Ethpo`l. be appalled (ᵑ7 (rare); see Biblical Hebrew; Christian-Palestinian Aramaic , Schulth²⁰⁹); — Perfect3masculine singular אֶשְׁתּוֺמַם (K^{§ 36}) Daniel 4:16.

Semantic Range and Root Connections

The verb encapsulated in Strong’s Hebrew number 8075 occurs only once, yet it sits within a larger family of words that convey shock, devastation, or stunned desolation. While its cognates often describe ruined landscapes or temples left in shambles, the single usage of 8075 focuses the same force on the inner life of a man of God. Thus the term moves seamlessly between physical desolation and emotional paralysis, reminding readers that the Lord’s word can level the soul as surely as it levels cities.

Contextual Setting in Daniel

Daniel 4:19 records the moment Daniel receives revelation concerning Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great tree:

“For a moment Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was stunned, and his thoughts alarmed him” (Daniel 4:19).

The narrative locates Daniel in the Babylonian royal court, already renowned for wisdom, yet suddenly struck silent. His reaction bridges two worlds: he bears the burden of prophetic truth while standing in loyal service to a pagan monarch. The verb portrays a brief but genuine paralysis that precedes faithful proclamation.

Prophetic and Emotional Intensity

Daniel’s stunned silence is not mere surprise; it is the cost of bearing God-given insight into looming judgment. Like Isaiah who cried, “Woe to me, for I am ruined” (Isaiah 6:5), Daniel is shaken by the weight of holiness. The word highlights how revelation can overwhelm the messenger before it corrects the hearer. In ministry, moments of holy shock often precede clarity and courage.

Theological Implications

1. Holiness Exposes Frailty—The same God who humbles emperors first humbles His servants.
2. Judgment and Mercy Intertwine—Daniel’s pause underscores compassion; he wishes the dream applied to the king’s enemies, not the king himself.
3. Revelation Demands Response—Daniel’s stunned state quickly yields to obedient speech (Daniel 4:24–27). Scripture never leaves the servant immobilized for long.

Pastoral Application

• Preachers may find themselves momentarily overwhelmed by hard texts or hard truths. Scripture validates that reaction but also calls for eventual proclamation.
• Believers facing cultural pressure can look to Daniel’s brief paralysis and subsequent boldness as a template for faithful witness amid hostile powers.
• Intercessors learn to let divine disclosure break their hearts before they intercede; Daniel’s compassion leads him to counsel repentance.

Intertextual Resonances

Though 8075 itself does not recur, its root family appears in descriptions of desolated Zion (Jeremiah 9:11), devastated idolatrous centers (Ezekiel 6:6), and even the prophetic astonishment of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:15). These parallels reinforce that the Lord’s word can bring both external ruin and internal awe, binding history and heart in a single semantic thread.

Conclusion

Strong’s 8075 captures the hush that falls when finite humanity collides with infinite revelation. Daniel’s stunned pause invites every reader to linger before speaking, to let the gravity of God’s purposes settle in, and then—like Daniel—to offer truth laced with compassion, confident that the same sovereign hand that appalls also restores.

אֶשְׁתּוֹמַם֙ אשתומם ’eš·tō·w·mam ’eštōwmam eshtoMamInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts