What does שָׂמֵחַ (šāmēḥa) mean in the Bible?
שָׂמֵחַ (šāmēḥa): Joy that wells up from inner gladness and overflows into outward celebration and merriment
Hebrew · H8056
שָׂמֵחַ
Blithe or gleeful
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שָׂמֵחַ H8056
Pronunciation šāmēḥa
What does שָׂמֵחַ (šāmēḥa) mean in the Bible?
שָׂמֵחַ (šāmēḥa): Joy that wells up from inner gladness and overflows into outward celebration and merriment
Full entry for שָׂמֵחַ (H8056) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8056?
The BSB source-word alignment has 21 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include A joyful (2), and rejoicing (2), joyful (2), were rejoicing (2), and enjoy yourself (1).
Where does שָׂמֵחַ (šāmēḥa) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 16:15. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Kings (4), Proverbs (4), Psalms (3), 2 Chronicles (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It A joyful 2× Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 17:22
and rejoicing 2× 1 Kings 1:40, 1 Kings 4:20
joyful 2× 1 Kings 8:66, 2 Chronicles 7:10
were rejoicing 2× 2 Kings 11:14, 2 Chronicles 23:13
and enjoy yourself 1× Esther 5:14
as a joyful 1× Psalms 113:9
filled with joy 1× Psalms 126:3
from those who enjoy 1× Proverbs 2:14
full of joy 1× Esther 5:9
May those who gloat 1× Psalms 35:26
so that your joy 1× Deuteronomy 16:15
the merrymakers 1× Isaiah 24:7
took delight 1× Ecclesiastes 2:10
who rejoice 1× Job 3:22
whoever gloats 1× Proverbs 17:5
with rejoicing 1× 1 Kings 1:45
you who rejoice 1× Amos 6:13
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 16:15 שָׂמֵֽחַ׃ to so that your joy Adjective - masculine singular 1 Kings 1:40 וּשְׂמֵחִ֖ים to and rejoicing Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural 1 Kings 1:45 שְׂמֵחִ֔ים to with rejoicing Adjective - masculine plural 1 Kings 4:20 וּשְׂמֵחִֽים׃ to and rejoicing Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural 1 Kings 8:66 שְׂמֵחִים֙ to joyful Adjective - masculine plural 2 Kings 11:14 שָׂמֵ֔חַ to were rejoicing Adjective - masculine singular 2 Chronicles 7:10 שְׂמֵחִים֙ to joyful Adjective - masculine plural 2 Chronicles 23:13 שָׂמֵ֗חַ to were rejoicing Adjective - masculine singular Esther 5:9 שָׂמֵ֖חַ to full of joy Adjective - masculine singular Esther 5:14 שָׂמֵ֑חַ to and enjoy yourself Adjective - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Deuteronomy 16:15
Aligned rows 21
Books represented 11
Deuteronomy 1 1 Kings 4 2 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 2 Esther 2 Job 1 Psalms 3 Proverbs 4 Ecclesiastes 1 Isaiah 1 Amos 1
Source forms
שָׂ֭מֵחַ 2x śā·mē·aḥ Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 17:22
שְׂמֵחִים֙ 2x śə·mê·ḥîm 1 Kings 8:66, 2 Chronicles 7:10
הַשְּׂמֵחִ֥ים 1x haś·śə·mê·ḥîm Job 3:22
הַ֭שְּׂמֵחִים 1x haś·śə·mê·ḥîm Proverbs 2:14
הַשְּׂמֵחִ֖ים 1x haś·śə·mê·ḥîm Amos 6:13
וּשְׂמֵחִ֖ים 1x ū·śə·mê·ḥîm 1 Kings 1:40
וּשְׂמֵחִֽים׃ 1x ū·śə·mê·ḥîm 1 Kings 4:20
שָׂמֵ֔חַ 1x śā·mê·aḥ 2 Kings 11:14
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine singular 9x Deuteronomy 16:15, 2 Kings 11:14, 2 Chronicles 23:13, Esther 5:9
Adjective - masculine plural 4x 1 Kings 1:45, 1 Kings 8:66, 2 Chronicles 7:10, Psalms 126:3
Article | Adjective - masculine plural 3x Job 3:22, Proverbs 2:14, Amos 6:13
Adjective - masculine plural construct 2x Psalms 35:26, Isaiah 24:7
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural 2x 1 Kings 1:40, 1 Kings 4:20
Adjective - feminine singular 1x Psalms 113:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Joy that wells up from inner gladness and overflows into outward celebration and merriment
Strong's H8056
Lexical occurrences 20 verses Word forms 1 form 17 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 15:13 Source Gloss
blithe or gleeful
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Joy that wells up from inner gladness and overflows into outward celebration and merriment
blithe or gleeful BDB: glad Usage: (be) glad, joyful, (making) merry((-hearted), -ily), rejoice(-ing).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 1 Aligned forms 17
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 1×
Imperfect 1Chr 16:31 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
emotional state of joy or happiness, reflecting inner contentment
Showing 1 selected witness from 20 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׂמֵחַ is built from this root:
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain