שֶׁמֶץ
𐤔𐤌𐤑
shemets
H8102 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A tiny amount or slight trace of something, particularly of a sound, rumor, report, or any slight evidence of a matter. The term often connotes the faintest or barest hint, with an emphasis on minimalness or insubstantiality in what is being referenced.
Semantic Range
a trace, hint, slight evidence, faint sound, rumor, mere whisper, fragmentary report
Root / Etymology
Root: שמץ. Although Strong's conjectures an unused root meaning 'to emit a sound', the root and its derivation are uncertain and not attested elsewhere in known Hebrew texts. The form appears to be a nominal pattern indicating a small portion or slightness.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שֶׁמֶץ appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Job 4:12; 26:14; Isaiah 28:19). In these contexts, it conveys the idea of something minimal or barely perceptible—a rumor, whisper, or the smallest portion of information. For example, in Job 4:12, it refers to a secretive message subtly received. In Job 26:14, it means a mere whisper or fragment compared to the fullness of the subject (God's works). English Bible translations vary—common renderings are 'a whisper,' 'a little,' or 'a hint,' but these do not always capture the nuance of 'slightest trace' or 'faint indication.' The term is not bound to a particular historical period or genre but tends to appear in poetic or wisdom contexts to express faintness or limitation. No strong evidence connects שֶׁמֶץ with the English term 'inkling' in the sense of suspicion; its emphasis is on the smallness and about-to-evanesce nature of the thing being described, whether sound, report, or evidence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to emit a sound; an inkling; a little.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁמץ (sh-m-ts) — smallness, slightness, minimal amount
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8103 | שִׁמְצָה | for a scornful whisper |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8102-01 |
שֵׁ֣מֶץ | shemets | HNcmsa |
a whisper | a mere trace | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences