H8034 H8034
Name, designation; by extension fame, reputation, or renown — the word by which someone is known or remembered.
One of the most theologically loaded words in Scripture, shem denotes the name by which a person, place, or deity is identified and invoked. When God reveals His shem to Moses (Exod 3:15), it is far more than a label — it carries His character, authority, and covenant commitment. The Arabic cognate ism and Assyrian shumu confirm a Semitic root tied to marking or branding identity. In a secondary but powerful sense, shem means fame or renown: the 'men of shem' in Genesis 6:4 are warriors of legendary reputation, and Solomon's shem spread to distant nations (1 Kgs 4:31).
Senses
1. Name (designation / identifier) — The word by which a person, place, or thing is identified and called — covering personal names, place names, the divine Name, and naming acts. Translations universally render this as nombre (Spa.), nom (Fra.), Name (Ger.), reflecting its core denotation as a designation or identifier. Central to covenant theology when applied to God's Name (Exod 3:15; Deut 12:5). 856×
AR["اسمُهُ", "اسْمَهُ", "اسْمُهَا", "اسْمُهُ", "اسْمِهِ", "اِسمِهِ"]·ben["তাঁর-নাম", "তার-নাম", "নাম-তাঁর"]·DE["Sein-Name", "sein-Name"]·EN["His-name", "his-name", "its-name"]·FR["Son-nom", "son-nom"]·heb["שמה", "שמו"]·HI["अपना-नाम", "अपने-नाम", "उसका-नाम", "उसके-नाम", "नाम-अपना", "नाम-उसका", "नाम-उस्का", "याईर"]·ID["nama-Nya", "namanya"]·IT["Suo-nome", "suo-nome"]·jav["asma-Nipun", "asmanipun", "namanipun", "namanipun,"]·KO["게르솜", "그-의-이름", "그-이름을", "그리고-불렀다", "그의-이름", "그의-이름을", "그의-이름이", "그의-이름이시라"]·PT["nome-dele", "nome-seu", "seu-nome", "seu-nome."]·RU["-имя-Его", "Имя-Его", "имени-Своему", "имени-его", "имени-своему", "имя-Его", "имя-Своё", "имя-его", "имя-ему", "имя-её"]·ES["nombre-de-él", "su-nombre"]·SW["jina-lake"]·TR["adı", "adını", "adının", "ismi", "ismini", "isminin"]·urd["اس-کا-نام", "اُس-کا-نام", "اُس-کے-نام", "اپنا-نام", "اپنے-نام-سے", "نام-اس-کا", "نام-اُس-کا", "نام-کے-اس"]
Exod 2:10, Exod 2:22, Exod 3:13, Exod 15:3, Exod 15:23, Exod 16:31, Exod 17:15, Exod 20:7, Exod 28:21, Exod 34:14, Exod 39:14, Num 17:2 (+38 more)
2. Fame / Reputation / Renown — Fame, reputation, or renown achieved through mighty deeds or distinguished standing. The 'men of name' in Gen 6:4 and Num 16:2 are men of legendary repute. German sein-fame and French son-fame in the gloss data confirm translators recognized this distinct sense, where shem shifts from label to legacy. 8×
AR["أَسْمَاءً", "أَسْمَاءِهِمْ", "اسْمٍ", "اسْمُهُ", "الاسْمِ", "ذَوو-أَسماءٍ", "ذَوُو-أَسْمَاء"]·ben["নাম", "নামগুলি", "নামের", "পুত্রদ্বয়"]·DE["Name", "des-Namens", "sein-fame"]·EN["his-fame", "name", "names", "the-name"]·FR["le-nom", "nom", "son-fame"]·heb["ה-שם", "שם", "שמ-ו", "שמות"]·HI["उसका-नाम", "नाम", "नामवाले", "नामों", "प्रशिदध"]·ID["nama-nama", "namanya", "termashyur", "ternama"]·IT["il-nome", "nome", "suo-fame"]·jav["asma-asma", "asmanipun", "ing-kabontenan", "ingkang-terkenal", "nama", "nami"]·KO["그-이름-의", "그의-이름이", "이름", "이름들", "이름들을"]·PT["de-renome", "nome", "nome-dele", "nomes"]·RU["имена", "имени", "именитые", "имя-его", "имён"]·ES["el-nombre", "nombre", "nombres", "renombre", "su-nombre"]·SW["likawa", "majina", "mashuhuri", "sifa", "wenye-sifa"]·TR["-ünlü", "adlarının", "isimler", "isimlerin", "ün", "ünü", "şöhretin"]·urd["نام", "نام-اُس-کا", "نام-والے", "نامور", "نامور-کے", "ناموں-کے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)G1519 2. purpose: for, in order to (561×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. שֵׁם864 n.m. 2 S 7:9 name (√ unknown; Thes שׁמה, cf. BaZMG xii (1887), 635; LagBN 160 ושּׁם, Arabic وَسَمَ brand, mark, cf. RSK 213, 303 ff. Köii. 1. 104; NH = BH (especially הַשֵּׁם = יהוה), Ph. שם Lzb 377; Assyrian šumu; Sab. סם HomChr 124; Ethiopic ስmም Arabic إِسْمٌ, أُسْمٌ, سِمٌ, سُمٌ, Aramaic שֵׁם, שְׁמָא, also שׁוּם, שֻׁם (Köii. 1. 512), ܫܶܡ, ܫܡܳܐ, Old Aramaic, Palm. שם Lzb 377);—abs.…