H7891 H7891
To sing; also as a participle: a singer or temple musician, especially the Levitical choristers of Chronicles-Ezra-Nehemiah.
The verb שִׁיר covers the act of singing in all its biblical contexts—from the Song of the Sea (Exod 15:1) to the Psalms' exhortations to 'sing a new song.' What makes this lemma especially interesting is that its participial forms (שָׁרִים, שָׁרוֹת) became the standard title for the Levitical temple singers, accounting for roughly half its occurrences. Spanish distinguishes these neatly: 'cantad' (sing!) for the verb versus 'los cantores' (the singers) for the substantivized participle. The temple musicians of 1 Chronicles 6, 9, 15 and Ezra-Nehemiah passages show an institutionalized role, while the verbal occurrences range from triumphant war songs to prophetic singing.
Senses
1. singer, temple musician — About 47 occurrences use the participle substantively to designate a singer or temple musician—a person whose defined role is singing, particularly within the Levitical worship system. Spanish 'los cantores,' German 'Sänger,' and French 'chanter' (used nominally) all reflect this. The feminine form שָׁרוֹת appears in 2 Sam 19:35 for singing women. Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah concentrate this usage heavily, listing the singers alongside priests and gatekeepers as a distinct temple guild (1 Chr 6:33; 9:33; Neh 7:1). 47×
AR["ال-مُغَنُّونَ","ال-مُغَنِّينَ","المُغَنُّونَ","المُغَنّونَ","المُغَنّينَ","الْمُغَنُّونَ","الْمُغَنِّينَ","الْمُغَنّونَ","وَ-المُغَنُّون","وَ-الْمُرَنِّمُونَ","وَ-الْمُغَنُّونَ","وَالْمُغَنُّونَ"]·ben["-ঐ গায়কদের","-গায়কদের","-গায়কেরা","আর-গায়কদের","আর-গায়করা","আর-গায়কেরা","ও-গায়করা","ও-গায়কেরা","গায়কদের","গায়করা","গায়কেরা","বহন-করার-এর","ভাইদের-তাদের","সিন্দুক"]·DE["Saenger","sang","und-Saenger","und-sang"]·EN["and-the-singers","the-singers"]·FR["chanter","et-chanter"]·heb["ה-משררים","ו-ה-משוררים","ו-ה-משררים"]·HI["-के-गवैये","और-गवैये","और-गवैयों","और-गायक","गायक","गायकों","गायकों-का","गायकों-के","गायकों-को","गायकों-में-से","गायकोंने"]·ID["dan-para-penyanyi","para-penyanyi","penyanyi-penyanyi"]·IT["cantare","e-cantare"]·jav["Lan-juru-kidung","Para-juru-kidung","juru-kidung","lan-juru-kidung","lan-para-juru-kidung","lan-para-juru-nyanyi","para-juru-kidung","para-tiyang-kidung"]·KO["그-노래하는-자들","그-노래하는-자들의","그-노래하는-자들이","그-노래하는자들의","그-와-그-노래하는-자들","그리고-그-노래하는-자들","그리고-그-노래하는-자들이","그리고-그-노래하는자들"]·PT["E-os-cantores","Os-cantores","cantores","dos-cantores","e-os-cantores","os-cantores"]·RU["и-певцов","и-певцы","певцам","певцов","певцы"]·ES["Los-cantores","Y-los-cantores","los-cantores","y-los-cantores"]·SW["na-waimbaji","waimbaji","whamshorariym"]·TR["Ve-ezgiciler","Ve-şarkıcılar","ilahiciler","sarkicilarin","ve-sarkilarin","ve-sarkıcilar","ve-şarkıcılar","şarkıcılar","şarkıcıları","şarkıcıların"]·urd["اور-ال-گانے-والوں","اور-ال-گانے-والے","اور-گانے-والے","گانے-والوں","گانے-والوں-نے","گانے-والوں-کا","گانے-والوں-کے","گانے-والے","گایک","گویے"]
2 Sam 19:35, 2 Sam 19:35, 1 Kgs 10:12, 1 Chr 6:33, 1 Chr 9:33, 1 Chr 15:16, 1 Chr 15:19, 1 Chr 15:27, 1 Chr 15:27, 2 Chr 5:12, 2 Chr 5:13, 2 Chr 9:11 (+35 more)
2. to sing — About 40 occurrences preserve the active verbal sense: the act of singing, whether in celebration, worship, or lament. Spans Qal and Piel stems across all conjugations—perfect, imperfect, imperative, cohortative, and infinitive. The foundational instance is Exod 15:1, 'Then Moses and the Israelites sang (יָשִׁיר) this song.' Spanish 'cantad/cantaré,' German 'singen,' and French 'chantez' confirm the straightforward verbal reading. Key passages include Num 21:17 (the well song), Judg 5:1 (Deborah's song), and the Psalms' repeated imperative שִׁירוּ ('sing!'). 40×
AR["أُرَنِّم","أُرَنِّمُ","أُغَنَِي","أُغَنِّي","أُغَنّي","رَنِّمُوا","غَنُّوا","غَنِّوا-","غَنّوا","غَنّوا-"]·ben["আমি-গাইব","আমি-গান-করব","আমি-গান-গাইব","গাও","গাও-","গান-করো","গান-গাও"]·DE["Lied","Saenger","singen"]·EN["I-will-sing","sing"]·FR["chanter","chantez"]·heb["אשיר","אשירה","שירו","שירו-"]·HI["गाऊँगा","गाऊँगा-मैं","गाओ","गाओ-","मैं-गाऊँगा","मैं-गाऊंगा"]·ID["Aku-bernyanyi","Bernyanyilah","Nyanyikanlah","aku-akan-menyanyi","aku-bernyanyi","bernyanyi","bernyanyilah","nyanyikanlah"]·IT["cantare","cantate","cantero'","canto'"]·jav["Kidung","Kula-badhé-ngidung","Kula-nembang","Mugi-nembang","Mugi-ngidungaken","Ngidung","Ngidungaké","Ngidungna","Sami-ngidung","badhé-kula-kidungaken","kula-badhé-ngidungaken","kula-nembang","ngidungna","nyawa","sami-kluyuran","sami-ngidung"]·KO["내-가-노래하리라","노래하라","노래하리라","노래하리로다","노래하리이다"]·PT["Cantai","Cantarei","cantai","cantarei"]·RU["Буду-петь","Пойте","Пойте-","буду-воспевать","буду-петь","воспойте","воспою","пойте","спойте"]·ES["Cantad","Cantaré","cantad","cantaré"]·SW["Mwimbieni","Nitaimba","imbeni","mwimbieni","nitaimba","nitaimbia"]·TR["Ezgi-söyleyin","Söyleyin-","söyleyeceğim","söyleyin","söyleyin-","şarkı-söyleyeceğim","şarkı-söyleyin"]·urd["میں-گاؤں-گا","گاؤ","گاؤں","گاؤں-گا"]
Exod 15:1, Exod 15:1, Exod 15:21, Num 21:17, Judg 5:1, Judg 5:3, 1 Sam 18:6, 1 Sam 18:6, 1 Chr 16:9, 1 Chr 16:23, Job 36:24, Ps 7:1 (+28 more)
3. sense 3 — A single occurrence in Isa 26:1 ('In that day this song shall be sung in the land of Judah') uses what appears to be a passive or impersonal form, standing apart from both the active verbal sense and the substantivized singer. The multilingual evidence is thin—Spanish 'será cantado' and English 'shall be sung'—but the passive/eschatological framing in Isaiah's apocalyptic context gives it a distinct prophetic coloring. 1×
AR["يُنْشَدُ"]·ben["গাওয়া-হবে"]·DE["[יושר]"]·EN["shall-be-sung"]·FR["[יושר]"]·heb["יושר"]·HI["गाया-जाएगा"]·ID["akan-dinyanyikan"]·IT["[יושר]"]·jav["dipun-unggelaken"]·KO["불리우리니"]·PT["será-cantado"]·RU["будет-петься"]·ES["será-cantado"]·SW["utaimbwa"]·TR["soylenir"]·urd["گایا-جائے-گا"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)G2309 1. want, desire (166×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [שִׁיר86] vb. sing (denom. according to NöZMG xxxvii (1883), 537 Gerb172, but, if so, an old one);— Qal49 Pf. 3 ms. שָׁר ψ 7:1; Impf. 3 ms. יָשִׁיר Ex 15:1 Nu 21:17 (read יָשִׁר Jb 33:27 for יָשׁר, √ II. שׁוּר, so SS Bu Gerb; in this sense also Ew De Di RV and all mod.); 3 fs. וַתָּ֫שַׁר Ju 5:1, etc.; Imv. mpl. שִׁירוּ Ex 15:21 +; Inf. cstr. לָשׁוּר 1 S 18:6 Kt (לָשִׁיר, so Bu; 𝔊B om., cf. Dr…