Hebrew · H8104, H4931 · unreviewed

וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתִּי

Properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard ; generally, to protect , attend to , etc. · watch , i.e. the act ( custody ), or (concretely) the sentry , the post ; objectively preservation , or (concretely) safe ; figuratively observance , i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or party

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

שָׁמַר H8104 properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard ; generally, to protect , attend to , etc.
Pronunciation šāmar
Protective vigilance—guarding through attentive observation; foundational to covenant obedience and divine watchfulness over creation.
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מִשְׁמֶרֶת H4931 watch , i.e. the act ( custody ), or (concretely) the sentry , the post ; objectively preservation , or (concretely) safe ; figuratively observance , i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or party
Pronunciation mishmar
Denotes both vigilant guarding and faithful observance—duty expressed through active watchfulness and protective responsibility.
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What does וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתִּי (weshāmeru et-mishmarti) mean in the Bible?

שָׁמַר · מִשְׁמֶרֶת is a Hebrew word meaning "to guard; keep a charge, duty, or entrusted responsibility".

Full entry for וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתִּי (H8104, H4931) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to guard; keep a charge, duty, or entrusted responsibility
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 225×
Participle active 1Chr 9:19 · 1Chr 12:30 · 1Kgs 8:23 · 1Sam 1:12 · 1Sam 17:20 · 1Sam 17:22 · 1Sam 28:2 · 2Chr 6:14 · 2Chr 13:11 · 2Chr 34:9 · 2Chr 34:22 · 2Kgs 9:14 · 2Kgs 12:10 · 2Kgs 22:4 · 2Kgs 22:14 · 2Kgs 23:4 73×
Imperfect 1Chr 22:13 · 1Kgs 9:4 · 2Chr 7:17 · Deut 19:9 · Deut 23:24 · Deut 28:9 · Deut 28:58 · Exod 23:15 · Exod 34:18 · Gen 17:9 · Isa 42:20 · Job 14:16 · Job 22:15 · Job 39:1 · Josh 1:8 · Prov 2:20 69×
Perfect 2Chr 34:21 · Amos 2:4 · Deut 33:9 · Ezek 20:21 · Ezek 44:15 · Ezek 48:11 · Jer 8:7 · Jer 16:11 · Judg 2:22 · Num 9:23 · Ps 78:10 · Ps 78:56 · Ps 99:7 · Ps 119:136 · Ps 119:158 · 1Chr 10:13 49×
Sequential imperfect 1Kgs 8:25 · 1Kgs 20:39 · 2Chr 6:16 · Deut 12:28 · Eccl 4:17 · Eccl 8:2 · Eccl 12:13 · Exod 34:11 · Hos 12:7 · Job 2:6 · Mic 7:5 · Prov 4:4 · Prov 7:1 · Prov 7:2 · Ps 37:37 · 1Chr 28:8 22×
Infinitive absolute Deut 5:12 · Deut 6:17 · Deut 11:22 · Deut 16:1 · Deut 27:1
Cohortative Ps 39:2 · Ps 59:10
Participle passive 1Sam 9:24 · Eccl 5:12
Infinitive construct Deut 8:11
Jussive Ezek 20:18
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 30×
Sequential imperfect 1Sam 19:2 · 2Kgs 6:9 · Deut 4:9 · Deut 6:12 · Deut 8:11 · Deut 12:13 · Deut 12:19 · Deut 12:30 · Deut 15:9 · Deut 24:8 · Exod 10:28 · Exod 23:21 · Exod 34:12 · Gen 24:6 · Gen 31:24 · Gen 31:29 24×
Perfect 1Sam 21:5 · Ps 37:28 · 2Sam 20:10 · Hos 12:14
Imperfect Exod 23:13 · Judg 13:13
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action
Participle active Jonah 2:9
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 256 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Participle 74 Imperfect 72 Perfect 53 Imperative 46 Infinitive absolute 5 Cohortative 3 Participle passive 2 Infinitive construct 1
Stem
Qal 225 Niphal 30 Piel 1
Mood
Indicative/jussive 64 Indicative 53 Imperative 46 Indicative/cohortative 7 Jussive 1
OT Occurrences
Gen 17:9 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Gen 17:10 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Gen 24:6 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Gen 30:31 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/cohortative Gen 31:24 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Gen 31:29 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Gen 37:11 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Exod 10:28 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Exod 19:12 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Exod 23:13 Niphal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Exod 23:15 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Exod 23:21 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Exod 31:13 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Exod 34:11 Qal · Imperative · Imperative Exod 34:12 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Exod 34:18 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 18:4 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 19:3 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 19:19 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 19:30 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 25:18 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 26:2 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 26:3 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Num 3:28 Qal · Participle Num 3:32 Qal · Participle Num 3:38 Qal · Participle Num 9:23 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Num 18:7 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Num 23:12 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/cohortative Num 28:2 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Num 31:30 Qal · Participle Num 31:47 Qal · Participle Deut 4:9 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Deut 4:23 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Deut 5:12 Qal · Infinitive absolute Deut 6:12 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative Deut 6:17 Qal · Infinitive absolute Deut 6:25 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/cohortative Deut 7:9 Qal · Participle Deut 8:11 Niphal · Imperative · Imperative +216 more occurrences

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Sources