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שׁוֹעֵר

𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤓

shôwʻêr

H7778 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A person charged with watching and controlling entry at a gateway, door, or threshold, especially to a communal space such as a city gate, palace entry, or the courts of the temple; by extension, a gatekeeper or doorkeeper in religious, civic, or royal settings. The term emphasizes the functional role of guarding, monitoring, and sometimes regulating who may enter or exit a protected space.

Semantic Range

gatekeeper, doorkeeper, temple officer responsible for entrances, official guarding entry or exit, porter, watchman at a threshold

Root / Etymology

From the root שׁער (shaʻar), meaning 'gate' or 'entrance.' The form שׁוֹעֵר (shôʻēr) is a participial noun meaning 'one who is at the gate, gatekeeper.' The root itself refers to a physical opening in a wall or enclosure, and the noun denotes an individual associated with this location by function (i.e., one stationed at the gate).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שׁוֹעֵר primarily designates both civic and cultic personnel responsible for the supervision of entrances. In city life (monarchic and post-exilic periods), שׁוֹעֲרִים (plural) are named as an official class entrusted with protecting city gates and controlling access. Within the cultic context, particularly in temple narratives (notably Chronicles), they are responsible for the orderly conduct and sanctity of temple precincts, sometimes in hierarchical divisions. The semantic range encompasses both practical regulation and ritual guardianship. The term is sometimes rendered 'porter' or 'doorkeeper' in older English versions; however, 'gatekeeper' more accurately reflects the breadth of the role, as it includes both civil and cultic application. Related terms include שָׁעַר (gate), but the office of שׁוֹעֵר should be contrasted with sacerdotal or Levitical titles, though in later texts (especially Chronicles) the two functions sometimes overlap. The translation as 'janitor' is misleading outside ritual context, as the ancient role carried authority and responsibility beyond mere maintenance. Modern translations occasionally use 'gatekeeper' but often do not distinguish between the civic and cultic degrees of the term. In later periods (Second Temple literature), the role expands to include additional security and ritual duties related to synagogue spaces.

Translation Consistency

primary "gatekeeper" 36 occurrences

Most occurrences are rendered as “gatekeepers”/“gatekeeper,” and the term naturally covers doorkeepers, porters, and officials who guard or control entry to gates, courts, or temple thresholds. “Gatekeeper” is the most common, natural, and broadly accurate English noun to use consistently for this Hebrew term.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"gate-guardians of" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שֹׁעֵר active participle of שָׁעַר (as denominative from שַׁעַר); a janitor; doorkeeper, porter.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שׁער (sh-ʿ-r) — gate, entrance, control access, guard

Root שׁער to gate, to control access, to guard
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8179 שַׁעַר in the gate
H8180 שַׁעַר reckoned measures
H8182 שֹׁעָר the detestable ones
H8186 שַׁעֲרוּרָה appalling outrage
H8187 שְׁעַרְיָה and Yahweh-has-opened

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7778-01 הַ/שֹּֽׁעֲרִ֑ים hashoarim HTd/Ncmpa the gatekeepers the gatekeepers the gatekeepers 13
H7778-07 וְ/הַ/שּׁוֹעֲרִ֛ים vehashoarim HC/Td/Ncmpa and the gatekeepers and the gate-guards and the gatekeepers 11
H7778-05 שֽׁוֹעֲרִים֙ shoarim HNcmpa gatekeepers gatekeepers gatekeepers 4
H7778-04 לְ/שֹׁעֲרִ֣ים leshoarim HR/Ncmpa as gatekeepers to gate-guarders to gatekeepers 3
H7778-02 הַ/שֹּׁעֵ֔ר hashoer HTd/Ncmsa the gatekeeper the gate-guard the gatekeeper 2
H7778-06 שֹׁעֵ֣ר shoer HNcmsc gatekeeper gate-guard gatekeeper 2
H7778-08 וְ/שׁוֹעֲרִֽים veshoarim HC/Ncmpa and gatekeepers and gatekeepers and gatekeepers 1
H7778-03 לְ/שֹֽׁעֲרֵ֖י leshoarey HR/Ncmpc gatekeepers of gate-guardians of gate-guardians of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

37 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7778-02 2 Samuel 18:26 הַ/שֹּׁעֵ֔ר hashoer HTd/Ncmsa the gatekeeper the gate-guard the gatekeeper
H7778-06 2 Kings 7:10 שֹׁעֵ֣ר shoer HNcmsc gatekeeper gate-guard gatekeeper
H7778-01 2 Kings 7:11 הַ/שֹּֽׁעֲרִ֑ים hashoarim HTd/Ncmpa the gatekeepers the gatekeepers the gatekeepers
H7778-01 Ezra 2:42 הַ/שֹּֽׁעֲרִ֗ים hashoarim HTd/Ncmpa the gatekeepers the gatekeepers the gatekeepers
H7778-07 Ezra 2:70 וְ/הַ/שּׁוֹעֲרִ֛ים vehashoarim HC/Td/Ncmpa and the gatekeepers and the gate-guards and the gatekeepers
H7778-07 Ezra 7:7 וְ/הַ/שֹּׁעֲרִ֛ים vehashoarim HC/Td/Ncmpa and the gatekeepers and the gate-guards and the gatekeepers
H7778-01 Ezra 10:24 הַ/שֹּׁ֣עֲרִ֔ים hashoarim HTd/Ncmpa the-gatekeepers the gatekeepers the gatekeepers
H7778-01 Nehemiah 7:1 הַ/שּׁוֹעֲרִ֥ים hashoarim HTd/Ncmpa the gatekeepers the gatekeepers the gatekeepers
H7778-01 Nehemiah 7:45 הַ/שֹּֽׁעֲרִ֗ים hashoarim HTd/Ncmpa the gatekeepers the gatekeepers the gatekeepers
H7778-07 Nehemiah 7:72 וְ/הַ/שּׁוֹעֲרִים֩ vehashoarim HC/Td/Ncmpa and-the-gatekeepers and the gate-guards and the gatekeepers
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