נִשְׁמְר֥וּ

𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤓𐤅

shâmar

have been kept

To keep, guard, watch over, or observe; to exercise attentive care or protective oversight; to be heedful or conscientious concerning something. In different contexts, שָׁמַר can refer to guarding property or people, observing commandments or rules, paying careful attention, or maintaining a condition or state. The term implies vigilance and responsibility, encompassing both practical guardianship and conscientious observance.

H8104

1 Samuel 21:5 · Word #18

Lexicon H8104

Lemmaשָׁמַר
Lemma (Paleo)𐤔𐤌𐤓
Transliterationshâmar
Strong'sH8104
DefinitionTo keep, guard, watch over, or observe; to exercise attentive care or protective oversight; to be heedful or conscientious concerning something. In different contexts, שָׁמַר can refer to guarding property or people, observing commandments or rules, paying careful attention, or maintaining a condition or state. The term implies vigilance and responsibility, encompassing both practical guardianship and conscientious observance.

Morphology HVNp3cp All morphology codes

Part of Speech V — Verb — An action or state
Binyan N — Niphal — Simple passive or reflexive
Conjugation p — Perfect — Completed action
Person 3 — 3rd person — Third person ("he/she/they")
Gender c — Common — Common (both genders)
Number p — Plural — Plural

Common Translation

Phrasehave been kept

SIBI-P1 Translation H8104-24

they were guarded

Morphological NotesVerb, Niphal stem (passive/reflexive), perfect conjugation, 3rd person common plural.
Rendering RationaleThe Niphal stem conveys a passive sense of the root שמר, indicating that the subjects received the action of guarding or keeping. The perfect 3rd person common plural form is rendered as "they were guarded," preserving both the passive voice and plural number.

View full lexicon entry for H8104 →

SILEX v2

SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)

they were guarded

Same as P1Yes
RationaleP1 preserves the correct verbal passive form and sense of being watched or kept, which fits the grammar and context.