What does שְׁאָר (šĕʾār) mean in the Bible?
A remainder is what is left when a group or quantity has been partly accounted for, removed or affected. The passage identifies what remains and why that remainder matters.
Hebrew · H7605
שְׁאָר
A remainder is what is left when a group or quantity has been partly accounted for, removed or affected. The passage identifies what remains and why that remainder matters.
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שְׁאָרH7605
Pronunciationšĕʾār
What does שְׁאָר (šĕʾār) mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for שְׁאָר (H7605) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7605?
The BSB source-word alignment has 26 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the rest (5), and the rest (3), the remnant (3), A remnant (2), The remaining (2).
Where does שְׁאָר (šĕʾār) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Chronicles 11:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (12), Ezra (3), Nehemiah (3), 1 Chronicles (2).
What This Word Actually Means
A remainder is what is left when a group or quantity has been partly accounted for, removed or affected. The passage identifies what remains and why that remainder matters. Isaiah 10:20 describes Israel's remnant turning from reliance on the one who struck them to reliance on the Lord. Ezra 3:8 names the rest of the returned people's associates among those beginning work on the house of God.
Nehemiah 11:20 locates the rest of Israel, priests and Levites in Judah's villages. Those settings concern promised renewal, participation in rebuilding and ordinary distribution of a community. The noun does not automatically certify spiritual superiority or make every remaining group a prophetic remnant. Readers should name the whole from which something remains and follow any promise or responsibility actually stated, instead of treating small size or a chosen title as evidence of God's endorsement.
Passage contextPastoral application
How the Bible Uses It
Israel's promised remnant, associates joining temple work and people living outside Jerusalem give remaining groups different roles. The word names what is left; the surrounding passage supplies its particular promise, work or location.
- Isa.10.20
On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer depend on him who struck them, but they will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
The remnant no longer relies on the one who struck them but truly relies on the Lord; the promise identifies a changed allegiance rather than mere numerical survival.
- Ezra.3.8
In the second month of the second year after they had arrived at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years of age or older to supervise the construction of the house of the Lord.
The rest of the associates and returned people participate in beginning the temple work alongside named leaders; remainder here identifies participants rather than ranking their holiness.
- Neh.11.20
The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the villages of Judah, each on his own inheritance.
The rest of Israel with priests and Levites live in Judah's villages on their inheritances, an account of community location rather than a spiritual judgment against them.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe rest5×1 Chronicles 11:8, 2 Chronicles 24:14, Nehemiah 10:28, Nehemiah 11:20
and the rest3×1 Chronicles 16:41, Ezra 3:8, Nehemiah 11:1
the remnant3×Isaiah 10:20, Isaiah 11:11, Isaiah 17:3
A remnant2×Isaiah 10:21
The remaining2×Isaiah 10:19, Isaiah 21:17
and her remnant1×Isaiah 14:22
and the other1×Ezra 4:3
and the rest of1×Ezra 4:7
And those who are left1×Isaiah 16:14
As for the rest1×2 Chronicles 9:29
every remnant1×Zephaniah 1:4
for the remnant1×Isaiah 11:16
having a portion1×Malachi 2:15
in the rest1×Esther 9:12
only a remnant1×Isaiah 10:22
to the remnant1×Isaiah 28:5
Show sample aligned rows
1 Chronicles 11:8שְׁאָ֥רtothe restNoun - masculine singular construct1 Chronicles 16:41וּשְׁאָר֙toand the restConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct2 Chronicles 9:29וּשְׁאָר֙toAs for the restConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct2 Chronicles 24:14שְׁאָ֣רtothe restNoun - masculine singular constructEzra 3:8וּשְׁאָ֥רtoand the restConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructEzra 4:3וּשְׁאָ֨רtoand the otherConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructEzra 4:7וּשְׁאָ֣רtoand the rest ofConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructNehemiah 10:28וּשְׁאָ֣רtoThe restConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructNehemiah 11:1וּשְׁאָ֣רtoand the restConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructNehemiah 11:20וּשְׁאָ֨רtoThe restConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row1 Chronicles 11:8
Aligned rows26
Books represented8
1 Chronicles22 Chronicles2Ezra3Nehemiah3Esther2Isaiah12Zephaniah1Malachi1
Source forms
וּשְׁאָ֣ר5xū·šə·’ārEzra 4:7, Nehemiah 10:28, Nehemiah 11:1, Esther 9:16
וּשְׁאָ֥ר4xū·šə·’ārEzra 3:8, Isaiah 10:19, Isaiah 16:14, Malachi 2:15
שְׁאָ֣ר4xšə·’ār2 Chronicles 24:14, Isaiah 10:21, Isaiah 11:11, Zephaniah 1:4
וּשְׁאָר֙2xū·šə·’ār1 Chronicles 16:41, 2 Chronicles 9:29
וּשְׁאָ֨ר2xū·šə·’ārEzra 4:3, Nehemiah 11:20
שְׁאָ֥ר2xšə·’ār1 Chronicles 11:8, Isaiah 10:21
בִּשְׁאָ֛ר1xbiš·’ārEsther 9:12
וּשְׁאָ֛ר1xū·šə·’ārIsaiah 14:22
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct13x1 Chronicles 16:41, 2 Chronicles 9:29, Ezra 3:8, Ezra 4:3
Noun - masculine singular construct6x1 Chronicles 11:8, 2 Chronicles 24:14, Isaiah 10:20, Isaiah 10:21
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular2xIsaiah 14:22, Isaiah 16:14
Noun - masculine singular2xIsaiah 10:21, Isaiah 10:22
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct2xIsaiah 11:16, Isaiah 28:5
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct1xEsther 9:12
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Attend to the named community and received responsibilities rather than using minority status to avoid truthful examination.
- Ground hope in God's stated promise and grace while rejecting contemptuous claims of automatic superiority over others.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim every remainder is a specially holy minority; Nehemiah 11:20 uses the term for ordinary village distribution.
- Do not claim a remnant earns its status by being few; Romans 11:5-6 expressly identifies grace rather than works as its basis.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Remnant theology concept—the surviving portion preserved by divine grace after judgment or exile
Source Gloss
a remainder
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Remnant theology concept—the surviving portion preserved by divine grace after judgment or exile
a remainder BDB: rest Usage: × other, remnant, residue, rest.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
What remains after destruction.
That which remains after judgment.
That which remains after reduction.
What remains after reduction.
Those left or remaining.
A remaining group preserved after judgment.
Showing 6 selected witnesses from 26 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שְׁאָר is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The reduction of Assyria anticipates the broader remnant theme in Isaiah.Isaiah 10:12-19
The small remnant highlights both severity and measured scope of judgment.Isaiah 16:6-14
The small remainder highlights the severity yet limitation of judgment.Isaiah 21:13-17
The remnant concept shows both severity and preservation.Isaiah 24:7-13
Highlights God’s preserving grace amid judgment.Isaiah 28:1-6
The name Shear-Jashub embodies hope that God’s purposes continue despite crisis.Isaiah 7:1-9
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Isaiah places two kinds of remainder near each other: the few trees left from Assyria's judged forest and Israel's remnant that will rely on the Lord. The shared word does not make the two subjects equivalent. The prophet identifies both the judgment and the changed reliance that belong to his message. Ezra and Nehemiah provide ordinary uses for associates in a task and people located in villages, showing why remainder cannot always function as a spiritual title.
Romans explicitly cites Isaiah's remnant proclamation and later speaks of a remnant chosen by grace. Christian teaching should follow those stated arguments rather than declare its own group righteous because it is small. The word can help readers notice what remains while the passage directs attention to God's promise, received grace and the responsibilities of the people actually named.
Anchor passage
Isa.10.20
Doctrinal connections
- Isaiah 10:19-22 distinguishes Assyria's remaining forest from Israel's remnant returning in reliance on the Lord.
- Ezra 3:6-10 names the returned associates and people participating in the temple's rebuilding alongside appointed leaders.
- Nehemiah 11:18-22 distinguishes groups living in Jerusalem from the rest living in Judah's villages without making location a virtue ranking.
- Isaiah 10:22-24 places the remnant proclamation within announced judgment and encouragement against fear of Assyria.
- Nehemiah 10:28-29 includes the rest of the people in a communal commitment to God's law alongside their named leaders.
- Romans 9:27-28 explicitly cites Isaiah's remnant proclamation, while Romans 11:5-6 identifies a remnant chosen by grace rather than works.
The noun can name remaining people or quantities without stating their spiritual quality. Genitive descriptions and the surrounding account identify whose remainder is meant; a shared word does not merge Assyria's forest, Israel's promised remnant and ordinary village residents.
From Old to New Testament
Romans 9:27-28 explicitly cites Isaiah's proclamation concerning Israel's remnant. Romans 11:5-6 describes a remnant chosen by grace and excludes works as its basis. These canonical statements, rather than the noun's bare meaning or a group's size, guide the Christian comparison. They do not authorize contempt for outsiders or certify a present group that adopts the remnant title.
Passage contextCanonical parallelPastoral application