Lexical Summary Shemer: Shemer Original Word: שֶׁמֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shamer, Shemer The same as shemer; Shemer, the name of three Israelites -- Shamer, Shemer. see HEBREW shemer NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shamar Definition three Isr. NASB Translation Shemer (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׁ֑מֶד proper name, masculine 1 Chronicles 8:12 Gi Baer, see שֶׁמֶר I. שֶׁ֫מֶר proper name, masculine (properly clan-name, compare StaZAW v (1885). 166 f., compare Sabean שמר Os13, but Northern Aramaic 1 ׳שׁ original owner of hill where Samaria was built 1 Kings 16:24 (twice in verse). 2 שָׁ֑מֶר a. Levite 1 Chronicles 6:31. b. in Asher 1 Chronicles 7:34, A ᵐ5L Σωμηρ; = שֹׁמֵר 1 Chronicles 7:32. c. in Benjamin 1 Chronicles 8:12 van d. H.; > שֶׁטֶד q. v. Topical Lexicon Occurrences and IdentityStrong’s Hebrew 8106, Shemer, appears five times. Two refer to the landowner from whom Omri purchased the hill that became Samaria (1 Kings 16:24). Three occur in temple-service and tribal genealogies (1 Chronicles 6:46; 7:34; 8:12), where the name marks otherwise little-known Levites and Benjamites. Although each mention is brief, the contexts link Shemer to decisive moments in Israel’s national account and to the quiet faithfulness of unnamed families who sustained worship in Israel. The Hill Transaction and Birth of Samaria “Omri bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he built a city on the hill and named it Samaria after Shemer, the owner of the hill” (1 Kings 16:24). With one commercial exchange, Shemer’s property became the political and military capital of the Northern Kingdom for the next two centuries. Samaria would witness the ministries of Elijah, Elisha, Amos, and Hosea; it would fall to Assyria in 722 BC and later feature in New Testament narratives as the homeland of the despised but spiritually receptive Samaritans (John 4). Thus, the unassuming mention of Shemer ties his name to a site central to redemptive history. Impact on the Northern Kingdom Samaria’s elevation and strategic location gave Omri a defensible capital and a fresh start after the instability of Tirzah. The Omride dynasty—Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, and Joram—reigned from the city named after Shemer. While the dynasty promoted idolatry, the prophets called Israel back to covenant faithfulness from this very hill. In divine providence, the city that bore Shemer’s name became a stage on which God’s holiness, patience, and judgment were dramatically displayed (1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 17). Genealogical Mentions 1 Chronicles 6:46 lists “Shemer” among the sons in the Gershonite line of Levites, men tasked with caretaking the tabernacle’s fabrics and furnishings (Numbers 3:21-26). 1 Chronicles 7:34 places another Shemer within the tribe of Asher, while 1 Chronicles 8:12 includes a Benjaminite of the same name. These sparse details remind readers that the LORD records every servant, even those who never headline biblical events. Their hidden faithfulness supported ongoing worship and preserved tribal identity during the chaotic pre-exilic centuries. Theological Reflections 1. God weaves ordinary lives into extraordinary purposes. Shemer likely viewed the sale of his hill as routine business; yet that transaction positioned nations, prophets, and empires. Practical Ministry Applications • Stewardship: Shemer surrendered land for silver, but believers today are called to yield possessions for Kingdom advance (Luke 12:33-34). What appears as a simple sale may open doors for gospel impact beyond imagination. Christological and Eschatological Echoes Samaria—born from Shemer’s land—became a testimony to God’s inclusive grace. Jesus “had to pass through Samaria” (John 4:4) to reveal Himself as Messiah to the Samaritan woman, foreshadowing the gospel’s reach to the nations. Philip’s revival in Samaria (Acts 8:4-8) likewise previews Revelation’s vision of worship from every tribe and tongue. Thus the legacy of Shemer’s hill extends all the way to the consummation, where redeemed multitudes will confess that “salvation belongs to our God” (Revelation 7:10). Summary Though the biblical data concerning Shemer is scant, the name links real estate, royal politics, prophetic ministry, and quiet genealogical service. His hill became Samaria, a focal point for both judgment and grace. His namesakes, embedded in Levite and tribal records, bear witness to God’s concern for every servant. Together they illustrate how the Lord sovereignly works through ordinary transactions and obscure individuals to advance His redemptive plan. Forms and Transliterations וָשָׁ֑מֶד ושמד שֶׁ֔מֶר שֶׁ֖מֶר שָֽׁמֶר׃ שָׁ֑מֶר שמר שמר׃ šā·mer šāmer še·mer šemer Shamer Shemer vaShamed wā·šā·meḏ wāšāmeḏLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 16:24 HEB: שֹׁמְר֛וֹן מֵ֥אֶת שֶׁ֖מֶר בְּכִכְּרַ֣יִם כָּ֑סֶף NAS: Samaria from Shemer for two talents KJV: Samaria of Shemer for two talents INT: the hill Samaria Shemer talents of silver 1 Kings 16:24 1 Chronicles 6:46 1 Chronicles 7:34 1 Chronicles 8:12 5 Occurrences |