Hebrew · H8121

שֶׁמֶשׁ

The sun ; by implication, the east ; figuratively, a ray , i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement

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שֶׁמֶשׁ H8121
Pronunciation šemeš

What does שֶׁמֶשׁ (šemeš) mean in the Bible?

שֶׁמֶשׁ (šemeš): The sun as cosmic marker of time, direction, and divine order; extends to architectural rays symbolizing light and structure.

Full entry for שֶׁמֶשׁ (H8121) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does שֶׁמֶשׁ (šemeš) mean in the Bible?

שֶׁמֶשׁ (šemeš): The sun as cosmic marker of time, direction, and divine order; extends to architectural rays symbolizing light and structure.

How does the BSB render H8121?

The BSB source-word alignment has 134 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the sun (53), . . . (26), and the sun (4), As the sun (4), of the sun (3).

Where does שֶׁמֶשׁ (šemeš) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 15:12. Its strongest book concentrations include Ecclesiastes (35), Psalms (14), Joshua (13), Deuteronomy (10).

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
the sun 53× Genesis 28:11, Genesis 32:31, Exodus 17:12, Deuteronomy 4:19
. . . 26× Exodus 22:3, Exodus 22:26, Numbers 21:11, Deuteronomy 4:41
and the sun Judges 19:14, Psalms 74:16, Ecclesiastes 1:5, Jonah 4:8
As the sun Genesis 15:12, Deuteronomy 16:6, 1 Kings 22:36, Jonah 4:8
of the sun 2 Kings 23:11, Ecclesiastes 12:2, Ezekiel 8:16
to the sun 2 Kings 23:5, 2 Kings 23:11, Jeremiah 8:2
When the sun Genesis 15:17, Leviticus 22:7, Nahum 3:17
and when the sun Exodus 16:21, Deuteronomy 23:11
for the sun Psalms 19:4, Song Of Solomon 1:6
O sun Joshua 10:12, Psalms 148:3
So the sun Joshua 10:13
sun Isaiah 13:10, Habakkuk 3:11
And by the time the sun Genesis 19:23
and this time the sun Genesis 37:9
at sunrise 2 Samuel 23:4
broad daylight Numbers 25:4
By sunset 2 Samuel 2:24
by the time the sun 1 Samuel 11:9
east Judges 21:19
from the sun Deuteronomy 33:14
Her sun Jeremiah 15:9
I will make the sun Amos 8:9
in broad daylight 2 Samuel 12:12
is a sun Psalms 84:11
like the sun Psalms 89:36
long as the sun [shines] Psalms 72:17
on the east Judges 20:43
or sun Isaiah 49:10
or to the sun Deuteronomy 17:3
So the sunlight Isaiah 38:8
sunset Deuteronomy 24:15
the east side Judges 11:18
the sun [shines] Psalms 72:5
the sun’s Isaiah 38:8
the sunset Deuteronomy 11:30
the sunshine Job 8:16
the west Zechariah 8:7
will the sun Isaiah 60:19
your pinnacles Isaiah 54:12
Your sun Isaiah 60:20
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned row Genesis 15:12
Aligned rows 134
Books represented 28
Genesis 6 Exodus 4 Leviticus 1 Numbers 2 Deuteronomy 10 Joshua 13 Judges 6 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 5 1 Kings 1 2 Kings 5 2 Chronicles 1 Nehemiah 1 Job 1 Psalms 14 Ecclesiastes 35 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 10 Jeremiah 3 Ezekiel 2 Joel 3 Amos 1 Jonah 2 Micah 1 Nahum 1 Habakkuk 1 Zechariah 1 Malachi 2
Source forms
הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ 20x haš·šā·meš Exodus 17:12, Numbers 21:11, Joshua 1:15, Joshua 19:34
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ 18x haš·šā·meš Numbers 25:4, Joshua 1:4, Joshua 12:1, 1 Samuel 11:9
הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ 17x haš·še·meš Genesis 28:11, Genesis 32:31, Deuteronomy 11:30, Deuteronomy 16:6
הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ 9x haš·še·meš Genesis 15:12, Genesis 15:17, Joshua 10:13, Ecclesiastes 12:2
הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ 9x haš·še·meš Genesis 19:23, Exodus 16:21, Exodus 22:26, Leviticus 22:7
הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ 5x haš·še·meš Deuteronomy 24:15, Joshua 10:27, Ecclesiastes 5:18, Ecclesiastes 9:11
שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ 4x še·meš Psalms 113:3, Ecclesiastes 6:5, Joel 3:15, Habakkuk 3:11
שָׁ֑מֶשׁ 4x šā·meš Deuteronomy 33:14, 2 Samuel 23:4, Job 8:16, Psalms 72:5
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - common singular 91x Genesis 15:12, Genesis 15:17, Genesis 19:23, Genesis 28:11
Noun - common singular 27x Deuteronomy 4:41, Deuteronomy 4:47, Deuteronomy 33:14, Joshua 10:12
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular 5x 2 Kings 23:5, 2 Kings 23:11, Psalms 19:4, Jeremiah 8:2
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular 2x Psalms 74:16, Isaiah 49:10
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - common singular 2x 2 Samuel 2:24, 2 Kings 3:22
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular 1x Deuteronomy 17:3
Noun - common plural construct | second person feminine singular 1x Isaiah 54:12
Noun - common singular construct 1x Malachi 4:2
Sources