שָׁמַיִם
𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌
shâmayim
H8064 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The expanse above the earth; the visible heavens or sky, including the atmosphere, the realm of clouds, and the celestial sphere (sun, moon, stars). In biblical contexts, also refers to the realm associated with divine presence or activity. The semantic range includes the sky as seen from earth, weather phenomena, the locus of celestial bodies, and a metaphorical or theological realm of the divine.
Semantic Range
the sky, atmosphere, celestial sphere, abode of deities or God, source of weather, region of celestial bodies, figurative realm of the divine, ultimate cosmic expanse
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁ-מ-ם, meaning 'to be high, lofty, or elevated,' though the precise root form is not found in biblical Hebrew; the form שָׁמַיִם is a plural or dual form, possibly reflecting the perceived layering of the sky (lower and upper heavens). The word is morphologically plural, though usually functions as a singular entity.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׁמַיִם is used throughout the Hebrew Bible to denote the physical sky (Genesis 1:8; Deuteronomy 11:11), the space where birds fly and clouds form (Genesis 7:23; Jeremiah 4:25), and the celestial realm where sun, moon, and stars are set (Genesis 1:14–17). It is also the locus of rain and weather (1 Kings 8:35) and, by extension, the dwelling of deities, especially the God of Israel (Deuteronomy 26:15; Isaiah 66:1). In theological contexts, it may refer to the domain beyond human access, the 'highest heaven.' Though English translations often use 'heaven' or 'heavens,' the biblical concept is multivalent, ranging from the everyday sky to the ultimate divine realm. Later Jewish and Christian concepts of 'heaven' developed subsequently; in most pre-exilic Israelite contexts, שָׁמַיִם emphasizes physical and cosmic notions rather than theological afterlife imagery. The singular form is unattested; the plural form emphasizes completeness or vastness. By the Second Temple period, influenced by Perso-Babylonian cosmology, 'heavens' could denote multiple cosmological layers.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
dual of an unused singular שָׁמֶה; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve); air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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שׁמם (š-m-m) — to be high, to be lofty, to be elevated
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4923 | מְשַׁמָּה | to desolations |
| H8047 | שַׁמָּה | for utter desolation |
| H8049 | שַׁמְהוּת | Shamhuth |
| H8054 | שַׁמּוֹת | Shammoth |
| H8060 | שַׁמַּי | Shammay |
Word Forms
18 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8064-05 |
הַ/שָּׁמַ֖יִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the heavens | the lofty-heights | 236 |
H8064-10 |
שָׁמָ֑יִם | shamayim | HNcmpa |
the heavens | the lofty heights | 90 |
H8064-01 |
בַּ/שָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ | bashamayim | HRd/Ncmpa |
in the heavens | in the lofty-heights | 31 |
H8064-08 |
מִ/שָּׁמַ֖יִם | mishamayim | HR/Ncmpa |
from heaven | from the lofty-heavens | 16 |
H8064-04 |
הַ/שָּׁמַ֗יְמָ/ה | hashamayemah | HTd/Ncmpa/Sd |
toward the heavens | the lofty expanses-ward | 11 |
H8064-16 |
בַ/שָּׁמַ֔יִם | vashamayim | HRd/Ncmda |
in heaven | in the lofty heights | 9 |
H8064-06 |
לַ/שָּׁמַ֨יִם | lashamayim | HRd/Ncmpa |
to the heavens | to the lofty heavens | 5 |
H8064-13 |
שְׁמֵי | shemey | HNcmpc |
of heavens | lofty heavens of | 4 |
H8064-18 |
וְ/שָׁמָֽיִם | veshamayim | HC/Ncmpa |
and heaven | the lofty heights | 4 |
H8064-15 |
וּ/שְׁמֵ֣י | ushemey | HC/Ncmpc |
and the heaven | and the high expanses of | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
421 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:1 | הַ/שָּׁמַ֖יִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the heavens | the lofty-heights |
H8064-10 |
Genesis 1:8 | שָׁמָ֑יִם | shamayim | HNcmpa |
Heaven | the lofty heights |
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:9 | הַ/שָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the heavens | the lofty-heights |
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:14 | הַ/שָּׁמַ֔יִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the heavens | the lofty-heights |
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:15 | הַ/שָּׁמַ֔יִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the heavens | the lofty-heights |
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:17 | הַ/שָּׁמָ֑יִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the heavens | the lofty-heights |
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:20 | הַ/שָּׁמָֽיִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of heaven | the lofty-heights |
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:26 | הַ/שָּׁמַ֗יִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the heavens | the lofty-heights |
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:28 | הַ/שָּׁמַ֔יִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the sky | the lofty-heights |
H8064-05 |
Genesis 1:30 | הַ/שָּׁמַ֜יִם | hashamayim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the heavens | the lofty-heights |