Original Word: שֻׁמָתִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name
Transliteration: Shumathiy
Pronunciation: shoo-mah-TEE
Phonetic Spelling: (shoo-maw-thee')
KJV: Shumathites
NASB: Shumathites
Word Origin: [patronymically from an unused name from H7762 (שׁוּם - To put) probably meaning garlic-smell]

1. a Shumathite (collectively) or descendants of Shumah

Shumathites

Patronymically from an unused name from shuwm probably meaning garlic-smell; a Shumathite (collectively) or descendants of Shumah -- Shumathites.

see HEBREW shuwm

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a family of Kiriath-jearim
NASB Translation
Shumathites (1).

[שֻׁמָה] proper name, masculine whence

שֻׁמָתִי adjective, of a people in Caleb, with article as collective noun ׳הַשּׁ 1 Chronicles 2:53; Ησαμαθειμ[ν], δ Σαμαθι.

שׁמה (apparently √ of following; Sta^{§324 a.}; so Thes, compare Arabic be high, lofty (or is this secondary?); Jen^{Kosmol. (1890), 6} compare Assyrian šamû, id. (>šamû = sparkle, Id^{ZK ii (1885), 53}); compare Dl^WB).

Occurrence and Biblical Context

Shumathites appear once in Scripture: “The descendants of Kiriath-jearim were the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites. (From these the Zorathites and Eshtaolites came.)” (1 Chronicles 2:53). Their single mention situates them among the clans arising from Kiriath-jearim, a town in the hill country of Judah noted elsewhere as a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 7:1–2).

Genealogical Placement within Judah

1 Chronicles traces tribal lines to affirm Judah’s primacy in the royal and messianic promise (Genesis 49:10; Ruth 4:18–22). The Shumathites, grouped with Ithrites, Puthites, and Mishraites, descend through Hur, a son of Caleb, who in turn descends from Hezron, grandson of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:18–25, 50–55). Thus, although obscure, the clan shares in Judah’s covenant destiny that culminates in David and ultimately in Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1–16).

Historical and Geographical Setting

Kiriath-jearim lay on Judah’s northern frontier near the border with Benjamin and Philistia. After the Ark’s return from Philistine captivity, it remained in the house of Abinadab on the hill there for twenty years until David moved it to Jerusalem (1 Samuel 7:1–2; 2 Samuel 6:1–12). The Shumathites would have lived amid these sacred events, their hometown hallowed by proximity to the Ark. The mention that the Zorathites and Eshtaolites “came” from the same root community links the Shumathites to the region later associated with Samson (Judges 13:2, 25).

Theological Implications

1. Divine Knowledge of Every Lineage: Even a single-verse clan is preserved in the inspired text, underscoring God’s intimate knowledge of all His people (Psalm 139:1–4).
2. Holiness of Locale: The Ark’s stay in Kiriath-jearim highlights God’s willingness to dwell among ordinary Israelites. Families like the Shumathites carried daily responsibility to honor that presence, reinforcing the priesthood of all believers realized in the New Covenant (1 Peter 2:9).
3. Continuity of Promise: By embedding minor clans in Judah’s genealogy, Scripture demonstrates the unbroken chain leading to Christ, affirming the reliability of God’s redemptive plan (Romans 1:2–3).

Ministry Applications

• Value of Hidden Service: Many believers labor without public recognition; the Shumathites remind the church that every contribution is recorded in heaven (Hebrews 6:10).
• Heritage and Identity: Congregations can strengthen faith by recounting spiritual genealogy, knowing they stand in a long line of God’s covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9).
• Geographic Stewardship: Just as the Shumathites stewarded a town that hosted the Ark, modern Christians are called to sanctify their homes and communities as places where God’s presence is honored (Matthew 5:14–16).

Connections within Redemptive History

From Kiriath-jearim the Ark journeys to Jerusalem, foreshadowing the centrality of Zion in prophetic hope (Psalm 132:13–14). The thread that runs through obscure clans like the Shumathites weaves into the larger tapestry: Judah, David, Zion, and, ultimately, the worldwide reign of Christ (Revelation 5:5). Their fleeting mention is therefore a silent witness to the meticulous sovereignty of God, who orchestrates history through both the renowned and the forgotten for the glory of His Son.

וְהַשֻּׁמָתִ֖י והשמתי vehashshumaTi wə·haš·šu·mā·ṯî wəhaššumāṯîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts