שֶׁמְאֵבֶר
𐤔𐤌𐤀𐤁𐤓
Shemeever
H8038 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name, designating an individual—Shemêber—king of Zeboim, a city among the 'Cities of the Plain' in the account of Genesis 14. The name may connote 'reputation of strength,' 'renown is mighty,' or possibly 'illustrious one of Eber,' depending on how the elements are understood. Used only as a personal name in the Hebrew Bible, not as an appellative noun or common term.
Semantic Range
personal name Shemêber; (by compound) may connote 'renown is strong,' 'name of strength,' 'illustrious Eber,' but only attested as a proper name
Root / Etymology
Compound of שֵׁם (shem, 'name, reputation') and אֵבֶר (ʿeber, 'wing, pinion, region beyond'), though the formation and exact sense of the compound is uncertain. The second element could also reflect a theophoric or ethnonymic association (e.g. 'Eber'—ancestor of certain Semitic peoples), though this is not explicit in the biblical context. Thus, etymology is uncertain, but likely relates to 'renown/strength' or 'illustrious Eber.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Shemêber appears once in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 14:2), as the king of Zeboim, allied with other city rulers in the campaigns of the kings of the east. The name is a typical example of Northwest Semitic personal names compounded of significant noun elements. The conventions of biblical nomenclature frequently attribute positive qualities or notable lineage in proper names, and Shemêber may thus suggest fame, renown, or strength. Modern translations generally transliterate the name directly due to its rarity and proper noun status. There is no evidence this figure should be associated anachronistically with later scriptural or ethnic concepts (e.g., Judean or Israelite identities), and the use is limited to the Genesis context. The etymological elements resonate with other Semitic names that incorporate 'shem' and with 'ʿeber' (which separately occurs as a personal name and eponymous ancestor of related peoples), but the specific cultural resonance in the historical context remains unclear.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently from שֵׁם and אֵבֶר; name of pinion, i.e. illustrious; Shemeber, a king of Zeboim; Shemeber.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁם, עבר (š-m, ʿ-b-r) — name, reputation, fame; wing, region beyond, the other side
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8038-01 |
וְ/שֶׁמְאֵ֨בֶר֙ | veshemeever | HC/Np |
and Shemeber | and Shemêber | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8038-01 |
Genesis 14:2 | וְ/שֶׁמְאֵ֨בֶר֙ | veshemeever | HC/Np |
and Shemeber | and Shemêber |