שֵׁם
shem
name
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# The Hebrew Word שֵׁם (Shem): Name The Hebrew word *shem* appears 864 times throughout the Bible, making it one of the most frequently used nouns in biblical text. Its basic meaning is "name"—the word or designation by which a person, place, or thing is identified. This foundational definition encompasses both literal names given to individuals and locations, as well as broader applications where a name functions as a marker of identity. The high frequency of *shem* across biblical literature suggests its importance extended beyond mere labeling. Names in biblical contexts carried significant weight, often reflecting character, destiny, or divine purpose. The word's pervasiveness indicates that naming conventions and the power of names were central concerns throughout Hebrew scripture, whether in genealogies, covenant narratives, or accounts of divine revelation. The consistent translation as "name" across the Bible's diverse literary genres—from law codes to poetry to narrative—demonstrates the term's stable semantic range even as its applications varied widely.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
864 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying,
2 Chronicles 20:9‘If evil comes on us—the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this house, and before you (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’
2 Chronicles 20:26On the fourth day, they assembled themselves in Beracah Valley, for there they blessed Yahweh. Therefore the name of that place was called “Beracah Valley” to this day.
2 Chronicles 20:31Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
2 Chronicles 22:2Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
2 Chronicles 24:1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.
2 Chronicles 25:1Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 26:3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 26:8The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. His name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceedingly strong.
2 Chronicles 26:15In Jerusalem, he made devices, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad, because he was marvelously helped until he was strong.
2 Chronicles 27:1Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.
2 Chronicles 28:9But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, “Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven.
2 Chronicles 28:15The men who have been mentioned by name rose up and took the captives, and with the plunder clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 29:1Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
2 Chronicles 31:19Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the pasture lands of their cities, in every city, there were men who were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all who were listed by genealogy among the Levites.
2 Chronicles 33:4He built altars in Yahweh’s house, of which Yahweh said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.”
2 Chronicles 33:7He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in God’s house, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever.
2 Chronicles 33:18Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.
2 Chronicles 36:4The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
Ezra 2:61Of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, and the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.
Ezra 8:13Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males.
Ezra 8:20and of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty temple servants. All of them were mentioned by name.
Ezra 10:16The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
Nehemiah 1:9but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.’
Nehemiah 1:11Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cup bearer to the king.
Nehemiah 6:13He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Nehemiah 7:63Of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.
Nehemiah 9:5Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting! Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
Nehemiah 9:7You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave him the name of Abraham,
Nehemiah 9:10and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of his land; for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today.
Esther 2:5There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
Esther 2:14In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.
Esther 2:22This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.
Esther 3:12Then the king’s scribes were called in on the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month; and all that Haman commanded was written to the king’s local governors, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king’s ring.
Esther 8:8Write also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be reversed by any man.”
Esther 8:8Write also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be reversed by any man.”
Esther 8:10He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred from swift steeds.
Esther 9:26Therefore they called these days “Purim”, from the word “Pur.” Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and that which had come to them,
Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
Job 1:21He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name.”
Job 18:17His memory will perish from the earth. He will have no name in the street.
Job 30:8They are children of fools, yes, children of wicked men. They were flogged out of the land.
Job 42:14He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.
Job 42:14He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.
Job 42:14He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.
Psalms 5:11But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you.
Psalms 7:17I will give thanks to Yahweh according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High.
Psalms 8:1Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens!
Psalms 8:9Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalms 9:2I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.