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שִׂמְחָה

𐤔𐤌𐤇𐤄

simchâh

H8057 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A state or emotion of joy, happiness, gladness, or rejoicing, often marked by an outward expression or celebration. שִׂמְחָה refers both to the feeling of inner joy and the manifestation of that feeling, especially in communal settings or religious festivals. Its semantic range encompasses natural emotional response as well as ritualized communal rejoicing.

Semantic Range

joy, gladness, rejoicing, mirth, delight, festive happiness, communal celebration, individual emotional pleasure, ritual or religious celebration, exultation

Root / Etymology

From the root שׂמח, which expresses the idea of 'being glad, rejoicing, experiencing joy.' שִׂמְחָה is the noun form, derived from the verbal root but denoting the state, act, or experience of joy. While the core meaning of the root is emotional gladness, the noun is frequently contextualized in settings of collective celebration and festivity.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שִׂמְחָה appears across multiple genres—narrative, poetry, wisdom literature, and liturgical texts—indicating its pervasive significance. In patriarchal and monarchic contexts, it frequently describes communal emotions during religious festivals (such as Sukkot or Passover), covenant ceremonies, victories, or familial gatherings. The term often carries connotations of overt, communal celebration, though it can also refer to individual, internal joy. Prophetic literature sometimes uses שִׂמְחָה to denote inappropriate or fleeting joy, contrasting it with enduring covenant fidelity. Later liturgical and post-exilic uses increasingly associate it with temple worship and the observance of appointed times. Although often translated as 'joy' or 'rejoicing,' these English terms may underrepresent the depth of communal, religious, and emotional engagement implied in biblical Hebrew. The verb שָׂמֵחַ and the related noun שָׂשׂוֹן ('gladness, exultation') can overlap in meaning, though שִׂמְחָה tends to emphasize collective, outward rejoicing.

Translation Consistency

primary "joy" 41 occurrences

Most natural and frequent rendering in the P2 data (31 occurrences) and covers both inner feeling and outward celebration. 'Joy' is a simple, flexible noun that naturally conveys personal gladness, communal rejoicing, and ritual festal happiness better than adjective or gerund options like 'glad' or 'rejoicing.' It supports consistent rendering across all forms of שִׂמְחָה.

Alternatives (9 occurrences):
"rejoicing" (4x) "joy-of" (3x) "like rejoicing-of" (1x) "rejoicings" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׂמֵחַ; blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival); [idiom] exceeding(-ly), gladness, joy(-fulness), mirth, pleasure, rejoice(-ing).

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Bemba Nsansamuka To have joy and gladness
Kikuyu gũthũmaka to rejoice, to make merry
Kinyarwanda Samka Joy, gladness
Kirundi gushamika to rejoice, to make merry
Luganda okwesanyuka to be happy, to rejoice, to be glad

See all 7 languages →

Root Family

שׂמח (sâmach) — to rejoice, be glad, bring joy

Root שׂמח to rejoice, to be glad, to experience joy
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8055 שָׂמַח in him
H8056 שָׂמֵחַ the rejoicing ones

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8057-09 שִׂמְחָ֖ה simechah HNcfsa joy glad rejoicing glad joy 34
H8057-16 בְ/שִׂמְחָ֖ה vesimechah HR/Ncfsa and gladness rejoicing and joy 17
H8057-01 בְּ/שִׂמְחָֽה besimechah HR/Ncfsa with joy in rejoicing in joy 13
H8057-10 שִׂמְחַ֥ת simechat HNcfsc joy joy of joy of 5
H8057-17 וְ/שִׂמְחַ֣ת vesimechat HC/Ncfsc and gladness and joy-of and joy-of 4
H8057-02 בְּ/שִׂמְחַ֥ת besimechat HR/Ncfsc in the gladness of in rejoicing-of in the joy of 3
H8057-04 הַ/שִּׂמְחָ֔ה hasimechah HTd/Ncfsa the joy the rejoicing the rejoicing 3
H8057-07 לְ/שִׂמְחָֽה lesimechah HR/Ncfsa for joy for rejoicing for joy 3
H8057-13 וּ/לְ/שִׂמְחָ֖ה ulesimechah HC/R/Ncfsa and-for-gladness and for rejoicing and for joying 3
H8057-03 בִּ/שְׂמָחֹ֣ת bisemachot HR/Ncfpa in-joys in rejoicings in rejoicings 1

Occurrences in Scripture

94 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8057-01 Genesis 31:27 בְּ/שִׂמְחָ֥ה besimechah HR/Ncfsa with mirth in rejoicing in joy
H8057-11 Numbers 10:10 שִׂמְחַתְ/כֶ֥ם simechatekhem HNcfsc/Sp2mp of-your-gladness your rejoicing your rejoicing
H8057-01 Deuteronomy 28:47 בְּ/שִׂמְחָ֖ה besimechah HR/Ncfsa with joy in rejoicing in joy
H8057-13 Judges 16:23 וּ/לְ/שִׂמְחָ֑ה ulesimechah HC/R/Ncfsa and to rejoice and for rejoicing and for joying
H8057-01 1 Samuel 18:6 בְּ/שִׂמְחָ֖ה besimechah HR/Ncfsa with joy in rejoicing in joy
H8057-01 2 Samuel 6:12 בְּ/שִׂמְחָֽה besimechah HR/Ncfsa with rejoicing in rejoicing in joy
H8057-09 1 Kings 1:40 שִׂמְחָ֣ה simechah HNcfsa joy glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-04 Isaiah 9:2 הַ/שִּׂמְחָ֑ה hasimechah HTd/Ncfsa the joy the rejoicing the rejoicing
H8057-05 Isaiah 9:2 כְּ/שִׂמְחַ֣ת kesimechat HR/Ncfsc like the joy like rejoicing-of like rejoicing-of
H8057-09 Isaiah 16:10 שִׂמְחָ֤ה simechah HNcfsa joy glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-16 Isaiah 22:13 וְ/שִׂמְחָ֗ה vesimechah HC/Ncfsa and gladness rejoicing and joy
H8057-09 Isaiah 24:11 שִׂמְחָ֔ה simechah HNcfsa joy glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-09 Isaiah 29:19 שִׂמְחָ֑ה simechah HNcfsa joy glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-17 Isaiah 30:29 וְ/שִׂמְחַ֣ת vesimechat HC/Ncfsc and gladness and joy-of and joy-of
H8057-17 Isaiah 35:10 וְ/שִׂמְחַ֥ת vesimechat HC/Ncfsc and joy and joy-of and joy-of
H8057-16 Isaiah 35:10 וְ/שִׂמְחָה֙ vesimechah HC/Ncfsa and gladness rejoicing and joy
H8057-16 Isaiah 51:3 וְ/שִׂמְחָה֙ vesimechah HC/Ncfsa and gladness rejoicing and joy
H8057-17 Isaiah 51:11 וְ/שִׂמְחַ֥ת vesimechat HC/Ncfsc and-joy and joy-of and joy-of
H8057-16 Isaiah 51:11 וְ/שִׂמְחָה֙ vesimechah HC/Ncfsa and-joy rejoicing and joy
H8057-16 Isaiah 55:12 בְ/שִׂמְחָ֣ה vesimechah HR/Ncfsa with joy rejoicing with joy
H8057-10 Isaiah 61:7 שִׂמְחַ֥ת simechat HNcfsc joy joy of joy of
H8057-18 Isaiah 66:5 בְ/שִׂמְחַתְ/כֶ֖ם vesimechatekhem HR/Ncfsc/Sp2mp your joy in your rejoicing in your rejoicing
H8057-09 Jeremiah 7:34 שִׂמְחָ֔ה simechah HNcfsa gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-14 Jeremiah 15:16 וּ/לְ/שִׂמְחַ֣ת ulesimechat HC/R/Ncfsc and for delight and for joy-of and for joy
H8057-09 Jeremiah 16:9 שִׂמְחָ֔ה simechah HNcfsa of gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-09 Jeremiah 25:10 שִׂמְחָ֔ה simechah HNcfsa of-gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-09 Jeremiah 31:7 שִׂמְחָ֔ה simechah HNcfsa gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-09 Jeremiah 33:11 שִׂמְחָ֗ה simechah HNcfsa of gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-09 Jeremiah 48:33 שִׂמְחָ֥ה simechah HNcfsa joy glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-06 Ezekiel 35:15 כְּ/שִׂמְחָ֨תְ/ךָ֜ kesimechatekha HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms as your rejoicing as your rejoicing as your rejoicing
H8057-02 Ezekiel 36:5 בְּ/שִׂמְחַ֤ת besimechat HR/Ncfsc with joy in rejoicing-of in the joy of
H8057-09 Joel 1:16 שִׂמְחָ֥ה simechah HNcfsa joy glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-09 Jonah 4:6 שִׂמְחָ֥ה simechah HNcfsa gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-01 Zephaniah 3:17 בְּ/שִׂמְחָ֗ה besimechah HR/Ncfsa with gladness in rejoicing in joy
H8057-13 Zechariah 8:19 וּ/לְ/שִׂמְחָ֔ה ulesimechah HC/R/Ncfsa and-for-gladness and for rejoicing and for joying
H8057-09 Psalms 4:8 שִׂמְחָ֣ה simechah HNcfsa gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-08 Psalms 16:11 שְׂ֭מָחוֹת semachot HNcfpa of-joys rejoicings joys
H8057-16 Psalms 21:7 בְ֝/שִׂמְחָ֗ה vesimechah HR/Ncfsa with joy rejoicing with joy
H8057-09 Psalms 30:12 שִׂמְחָֽה simechah HNcfsa with joy glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-10 Psalms 43:4 שִׂמְחַ֪ת simechat HNcfsc of the joy joy of joy of
H8057-03 Psalms 45:16 בִּ/שְׂמָחֹ֣ת bisemachot HR/Ncfpa in-joys in rejoicings in rejoicings
H8057-16 Psalms 51:10 וְ/שִׂמְחָ֑ה vesimechah HC/Ncfsa and gladness rejoicing and joy
H8057-16 Psalms 68:4 בְ/שִׂמְחָֽה vesimechah HR/Ncfsa with gladness rejoicing and joy
H8057-09 Psalms 97:11 שִׂמְחָֽה simechah HNcfsa gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-01 Psalms 100:2 בְּ/שִׂמְחָ֑ה besimechah HR/Ncfsa with gladness in rejoicing in joy
H8057-02 Psalms 106:5 בְּ/שִׂמְחַ֣ת besimechat HR/Ncfsc in the gladness of in rejoicing-of in the joy of
H8057-09 Psalms 137:3 שִׂמְחָ֑ה simechah HNcfsa mirth glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-12 Psalms 137:6 שִׂמְחָתִֽ/י simechati HNcfsc/Sp1cs of my joy my rejoicing my joy
H8057-09 Proverbs 10:28 שִׂמְחָ֑ה simechah HNcfsa gladness glad rejoicing glad joy
H8057-09 Proverbs 12:20 שִׂמְחָֽה simechah HNcfsa joy glad rejoicing glad joy
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