שָׁמַר
sha.mar (H8104G)
to keep: obey
AI Word Study
# The Hebrew Word שׁמַר (shamar): "To Keep" and "To Obey" The Hebrew verb שׁמַר (shamar) appears 202 times throughout the Bible and carries the primary sense of "to keep" with a secondary dimension of "to obey." This dual meaning reflects an important semantic relationship in Hebrew thought: keeping something and obeying an instruction are conceptually linked. Whether the object is a physical item (keeping watch, guarding a place) or an abstract commitment (keeping a law, maintaining a covenant), the verb captures the idea of preserving, protecting, or maintaining something in its proper state. The frequency of this word—over 200 occurrences—indicates its importance in biblical discourse, particularly in contexts involving covenant responsibility and obedience to divine instruction. The lexical data provided does not specify which occurrences emphasize the "keep" sense versus the "obey" sense, but the inclusion of both in the definition suggests that biblical writers understood these meanings as fundamentally related rather than entirely distinct. To obey a command is to "keep" it; to maintain a covenant is to "keep" its terms. Understanding shamar as encompassing both "to keep" and "to obey" provides insight into how biblical authors expressed commitment and responsibility. Rather than treating physical safekeeping and moral obedience as separate concepts, Hebrew utilized this single
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
God said to Abraham, “As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.
For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.
You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this same day I have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations by an ordinance forever.
You shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons forever.
It shall happen when you have come to the land which Yahweh will give you, as he has promised, that you shall keep this service.
You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.
He said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”
Yahweh said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;
and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib (for in it you came out of Egypt), and no one shall appear before me empty.
“Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Most certainly you shall keep my Sabbaths; for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.
You shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
Observe that which I command you today. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
“You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.
You shall stay at the door of the Tent of Meeting day and night seven days, and keep Yahweh’s command, that you don’t die: for so I am commanded.”
You shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am Yahweh your God.
You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Yahweh.
You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you
Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am Yahweh your God.’ ”
“ ‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am Yahweh your God.
“ ‘You shall keep my statutes. “ ‘You shall not cross-breed different kinds of animals. “ ‘You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; “ ‘Don’t wear a garment made of two kinds of material.
“ ‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am Yahweh.
“ ‘You shall observe all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them. I am Yahweh.’ ”
You shall keep my statutes, and do them. I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.
“ ‘You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out.
“ ‘They shall therefore follow my commandment, lest they bear sin for it and die in it, if they profane it. I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.
“Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am Yahweh.
“ ‘Therefore you shall do my statutes, and keep my ordinances and do them; and you shall dwell in the land in safety.
“ ‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am Yahweh.
“ ‘If you walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, and do them,
When the cloud stayed on the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept Yahweh’s command, and didn’t travel.
At the commandment of Yahweh they encamped, and at the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. They kept Yahweh’s command, at the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.
You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh your God which I command you.
Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who shall hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
Only be careful, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children—
You shall keep his statutes and his commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for all time.
and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you.
Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
that you might fear Yahweh your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you—you, your son, and your son’s son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged.
You shall diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he has commanded you.
but because Yahweh loves you, and because he desires to keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, Yahweh has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Know therefore that Yahweh your God himself is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations,
It shall happen, because you listen to these ordinances and keep and do them, that Yahweh your God will keep with you the covenant and the loving kindness which he swore to your fathers.
You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
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