Original Word: שַׁמָּא
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Shamma'
Pronunciation: SHAM-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (sham-maw')
KJV: Shamma
NASB: Shamma
Word Origin: [from H8074 (שָׁמֵם - desolate)]

1. desolation
2. Shamma, an Israelite

Shamma

From shamem; desolation; Shamma, an Israelite -- Shamma.

see HEBREW shamem

Word Origin
from shamem
Definition
an Asherite
NASB Translation
Shamma (1).

שַׁמָּא proper name, masculine in Asher,1 Chronicles 7:37, Σεμ(μ)α, etc.

Overview

שַׁמָּא (Shamma) occurs only twice in the Hebrew Old Testament and functions as a proper name. Although rare, the name is attached to two different individuals whose stories, read together, illustrate both the valor God empowers and the covenant continuity He preserves.

Scriptural Occurrences

• 2 Samuel 23:11–12 – Shamma son of Agee, the Hararite, one of the three elite warriors in David’s mighty men.
• 1 Chronicles 7:37 – Shamma, a descendant of the tribe of Asher listed among the clan leaders.

Shamma son of Agee: A Portrait of Courage and Faith

The narrative in 2 Samuel 23 places Shamma alongside Josheb-Basshebeth and Eleazar in the select trio who distinguished themselves above “the thirty.” When the Philistines overran a field of lentils, “Shamma took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory” (2 Samuel 23:12).

Key features:
• Solitary resolve – While others retreated, he remained, embodying steadfast faith.
• Sacred land – By defending a seemingly ordinary field, he safeguarded covenant territory and the provision it represented.
• Divine enablement – The victory is explicitly credited to the LORD, emphasizing that courageous obedience invites supernatural aid.

Shamma thus models how personal faithfulness can secure communal blessing, a timeless lesson for believers confronting cultural or spiritual opposition.

Shamma of Asher: Genealogical Continuity and Tribal Identity

1 Chronicles 7:30–40 traces Asher’s lineage during the monarchy’s early centuries. Verse 37 reads, “Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera”. Though no exploits are recorded, his inclusion signals:
• Preservation – Even in fragmented times, God maintained every tribe’s record, underscoring His faithfulness to the patriarchal promises.
• Participation – Asher supplied leaders and warriors; Shamma’s name stands within that covenant service.
• Ordinary faithfulness – Most believers serve without public fame, yet Scripture preserves their names, affirming that obscurity before men does not negate honor before God.

Historical Significance

Both occurrences fall within literature shaped by Israel’s monarchy and post-exilic reflection. 2 Samuel celebrates God’s establishment of Davidic kingship; 1 Chronicles, compiled after the exile, reaffirms Israel’s identity. The dual appearance of the name in heroic and genealogical settings bridges public triumph and quiet continuity, illustrating that God’s redemptive plan advances through both dramatic deliverance and steady lineage.

Theological Themes

1. Divine sovereignty and human agency – Shamma’s stand shows how God works through courageous individuals.
2. Covenant land theology – Defending a field signals the sacredness of inheritance.
3. Remembrance – Chronicles underscores God’s concern to remember every faithful name.
4. Community blessing through individual faithfulness – One man’s resolve secured victory for an entire people.

Ministry Application

• Stand firm where God places you, even if the assignment appears small; ordinary spaces become arenas for extraordinary victories.
• Trust that obedience, not prominence, secures eternal remembrance.
• Encourage congregations that God still “brings about great victories” through believers who hold their ground against prevailing pressures.

Intertextual Echoes

Shamma’s lone defense anticipates prophetic calls such as Ezekiel’s “man who would build the wall and stand before Me in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30). In the New Testament, individual steadfastness resurfaces in exhortations like “be steadfast, immovable” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Both Testaments converge on the truth that God delights to work through the resolute faith of His people.

Summary

Though appearing only twice, the name שַׁמָּא highlights two complementary truths: God remembers the obscure and strengthens the courageous. Whether guarding a lentil patch or sustaining a family line, every act of faith fits into the larger tapestry of His unbroken covenant purposes.

וְשַׁמָּ֧א ושמא שַׁמָּ֥א שמא šam·mā šammā shamMa veshamMa wə·šam·mā wəšammāInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts