שׁוּנַמִּית
𐤔𐤅𐤍𐤌𐤉𐤕
Shunamit
H7767 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Shunammite; a woman originating from the town of Shunem in the territory allotted to the tribe of Issachar. The term designates female inhabitants or natives of Shunem and is used as a gentilic adjective (indicating origin) rather than a strictly genealogical or ethnic category. Its use identifies women by their geographic association with Shunem.
Semantic Range
woman from Shunem, female inhabitant of Shunem, Shunammite woman, woman associated with Shunem; used as a gentilic or demonym
Root / Etymology
Derived from the place name שׁוּנֵם (Shunem) with the gentilic suffix ־ִית forming a feminine adjective or demonym. The root of שׁוּנֵם is uncertain and not further attested as a verb or noun with a clear semantic range outside the place name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, שׁוּנַמִּית designates women hailing from the town of Shunem, which lay in the territory of Issachar in the northern hill country of ancient Israel. The most notable figure referred to as the Shunammite is Abishag, who appears in the narrative concerning King David's final days (1 Kings 1:3–15; 2:17–22). Another woman of Shunem, central to Elisha narratives (2 Kings 4), is also called a Shunammite, though unnamed. The term functions to indicate regional or local origin rather than tribal or broader ethnic identity. Later English translations often render the word as 'Shunammite,' which accurately preserves the adjective form but loses some of the original clarity regarding geographic association. The male equivalent form is שׁוּנַמִּי (Shunammite, masculine). The term does not carry connotations of religious, tribal, or ethnic status beyond geographic origin. In post-biblical materials, the term sometimes appears with generic meanings for residents of Shunem, but in the biblical text, it is exclusively applied to women. Compare with similar gentilics formed with ־ִי (masculine) or ־ִית (feminine), such as שׁוּנַמִּי or יִשְׁמְעֵאלִית ('Ishmaelite woman.').
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from שׁוּנֵם; a Shunammitess, or female inhabitant of Shunem; Shunamite.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שונם (š-w-n-m) — designation of origin, association with Shunem
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7767-01 |
הַ/שּׁ֣וּנַמִּ֔ית | hashunamit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | the woman from Shunem | 7 |
H7767-02 |
לַ/שּׁוּנַמִּ֣ית | lashunamit | HRd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | to the Shunemite woman | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7767-01 |
1 Kings 1:3 | הַ/שּׁ֣וּנַמִּ֔ית | hashunamit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | the woman from Shunem |
H7767-01 |
1 Kings 1:15 | הַ/שּׁ֣וּנַמִּ֔ית | hashunamit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | the woman from Shunem |
H7767-01 |
1 Kings 2:17 | הַ/שּׁוּנַמִּ֖ית | hashunamit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | the woman from Shunem |
H7767-01 |
1 Kings 2:21 | הַ/שֻּׁנַמִּ֑ית | hashunamit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | the woman from Shunem |
H7767-01 |
1 Kings 2:22 | הַ/שֻּׁנַמִּית֙ | hashunamit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | the woman from Shunem |
H7767-02 |
2 Kings 4:12 | לַ/שּׁוּנַמִּ֣ית | lashunamit | HRd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | to the Shunemite woman |
H7767-01 |
2 Kings 4:25 | הַ/שּׁוּנַמִּ֥ית | hashunamit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | the woman from Shunem |
H7767-01 |
2 Kings 4:36 | הַ/שֻּׁנַמִּ֣ית | hashunamit | HTd/Ngfsa |
the Shunammite | the woman from Shunem |