שָׁמַר shamar

Hebrew word for “to keep” · Strong’s H8104 · used 469 times in 440 verses

Explore it in the Word Atlas

Meaning

: obey/observe; 1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed;

Senses in the lexicon

• to keep: obey (202)
• to keep: guard (161)
• to keep: careful (77)
• to keep: look at (29)

How it is translated

Glosses given for shamar in context, with how often each is used:

• will keep 76
• keep 67
• kept 25
• will take care 20
• take heed 19
• have kept 17
• take care 17
• keepers 12
• keeper 11
• keeping 10
• those who keep 9
• guard 8

Where it is used

Also in 19 more books.

Chapters where it is used most

Psalms 119 (21), Numbers 3 (6), Deuteronomy 4 (6), Deuteronomy 12 (6), Deuteronomy 28 (6), Deuteronomy 5 (5), Deuteronomy 6 (5), Deuteronomy 11 (5), 1 Kings 8 (5), Esther 2 (5)

Forms

• שׁמר 62
• לשׁמר 35
• ושׁמרתם 25
• שׁמרו 22
• תשׁמר 20
• השׁמר 20
• שׁמרי 19
• תשׁמרו 18
• ושׁמרו 18
• ישׁמרו 16

Words used with it

Words that share verses with shamar more often than their overall frequency would suggest:

• מִצְוָה mitsvah “commandment” 74
• צָוָה tsavah “to command” 64
• חֻקָּה chuqqah “statute” 42
• מִשְׁמֶרֶת mishmeret “charge” 39
• מִשְׁפָּט mishpat “justice” 46
• חֹק choq “statute” 33
• הָלַךְ halakh “to go” 60
• תּוֹרָה torah “instruction” 35
• דֶּרֶךְ derekh “way” 42
• אִם im “if” 44
• ךָּ ka “you” 36
• אָנֹכִי anokhi “I” 28

Key verses

The verses using shamar that are most connected by cross-references (King James Version):

• Genesis 18:19 — For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the…
• Exodus 15:26 — And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his…
• Exodus 19:5 — Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
• Deuteronomy 4:9 — Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the…
• Deuteronomy 8:2 — And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in…
• Deuteronomy 28:15 — But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command…
• 1 Samuel 2:9 — He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
• Psalms 127:1 — [A Song of degrees for Solomon.] Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in…
• Ecclesiastes 5:8 — If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than…
• Jeremiah 20:10 — For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he…
• Ezekiel 37:24 — And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
• Malachi 2:7 — For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

See all 440 verses in the Word Atlas

Hebrew and Greek text, tagging, glosses and lexicon definitions: STEPBible.org, Tyndale House Cambridge (TAHOT, TAGNT, TBESH, TBESG; CC BY 4.0), adapted. Counts follow King James verse numbering; a word counts each time it is written.