שְׁמַעְיָ֫הוּ

# Shemaiah: A Hebrew Proper Name Shemaiah (שְׁמַעְיָ֫הוּ) is a Hebrew proper name that appears only once in the biblical text. The name is constructed from recognizable Hebrew elements: "Shema" (hear) and "yah" (a shortened form of Yahweh, the divine name), making it a theophoric name—one that incorporates a divine element. This naming pattern was common in ancient Hebrew culture, typically expressing a religious sentiment or prayer on behalf of a child. Given that this entry records a single occurrence, its significance cannot be determined from frequency of use or multiple contextual applications. Without additional lexical data showing the specific verse where it appears, the precise historical or narrative role of this particular Shemaiah cannot be analyzed. However, the name's structure indicates it belonged to someone within a religious or covenant community where invoking the God of Israel in personal nomenclature was meaningful and appropriate. The lemma's classification as a proper noun means it functions as an identifier rather than as a word with semantic range or theological development. Its single attestation distinguishes it from other biblical names with the same root that appear more frequently and would thus provide richer evidence of usage patterns and cultural context.