Search / H8104
H8104 H8104
Conj-w | V-Hitpael-ConsecImperf-1cs  |  469× in 6 senses
keep, watch, observe, guard, preserve; to maintain faithful custody over persons, things, commands, or covenants
One of the great covenant verbs of the Hebrew Bible, shamar weaves together the physical act of guarding and the moral act of obedience into a single lexeme. A shepherd keeps his flock, a watchman keeps the walls, and Israel keeps the commandments — all with the same verb. The Niphal reflexive ('guard yourself') and Hitpael intensive ('keep oneself') extend the semantic range inward, making self-vigilance a spiritual discipline. Across 469 occurrences, shamar anchors the biblical conviction that faithfulness is not passive belief but active, watchful custody.
1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) Qal stem: to keep, observe, or obey commandments, statutes, covenants, and ordinances — the dominant sense covering nearly 400 occurrences. Spanish guardar, French garder, and German bewahren/beachten all preserve the dual meaning of custodial keeping and legal observance. Exodus 12:17 (keep the feast of unleavened bread) and Deuteronomy 5:12 (keep the Sabbath) show the verb at the heart of covenant loyalty. 399×
GUIDANCE_CARE Guide, Discipline, Follow Guarding and Keeping
AR["لِ-أَحْفَظَ","لِ-الحِفظِ","لِ-تَحْفَظَ","لِ-تُحْفَظَ","لِ-حِفْظِ","لِتَحْفَظَ","لِتَحْفَظُوا","لِيَحْفَظَ","لِيَحْفَظُوا"]·ben["পালন-করতে","রক্ষা-করতে"]·DE["zu-beachten","zu-bewahren","zu-bewahrte"]·EN["to-keep","to-observe"]·FR["pour-garder","à-garder","à-observe"]·heb["ל-שמור","לשמור"]·HI["के-लिए-पालन-करने","पालन-करने","पालन-करने-को","मानना","मानने","मानने-के-लिए","रखने-को","रखो"]·ID["untuk-dijaga","untuk-memelihara","untuk-menjaga"]·IT["a-custodi'","a-custodire","a-osservare"]·jav["Supados-netepi","kanggé-dijagi","kanggé-dipunjagi,","kanggé-netepi","kanggé-njagi","supados-netepi","supados-njagi","supados-rumeksa"]·KO["지키기-위하여","지키기-위해","지키기를","지키는-것을","지키도록","지키라고","지키려고","지키리라"]·PT["Para-guardar","para-guardar"]·RU["Соблюдать","для-хранения","соблюдать","соблюдая","хранить","чтобы-соблюдать","чтобы-хранить"]·ES["guardar","para-guardar"]·SW["Kuzishika","kushika","kutunza","kuzishika"]·TR["korumak","korumak-için","tutmak","tutmak-için","tutmayı"]·urd["رکھنے-کو","رکھوانے-کو","ماننا","ماننے-کا","ماننے-کو","ماننے-کے-لیے","محفوظ-رکھنے-کو","محفوظ-رکھنے-کے-لیے","محفوظ-رہنے","نگہبانی-کرنے","پابندی-کرنے"]
▼ 5 more senses below

Senses
2. Niphal: beware, take heed Niphal stem: to beware, take heed, guard oneself — a reflexive sense warning against danger or wrongdoing. Spanish cuídate/guárdate and French garder-toi-même make the reflexive structure explicit. Genesis 24:6 (take heed that you do not take my son back there) and Exodus 19:12 (take heed not to go up the mountain) frame self-guarding as a response to divine boundaries. 34×
GUIDANCE_CARE Guide, Discipline, Follow Guarding and Keeping
AR["احتَرِز","احتَرِسي","احْتَرِزْ","احْتَرِسُوا","احْتَرِسْ","احْذَرْ","اِحتَرِز","اِحتَرِس","اِحْتَرِسْ","اِحْذَرُوا","اِحْذَرْ","وَاحْرُسُوا"]·ben["এবং-তোমরা-সাবধান-হও","সতর্ক-হও","সাবধান-হও"]·DE["bewachen","bewachen-dich-selbst","bewachen-euch-selbst","der-bewahrt","der-bewahrte","hüte-dich","sein-careful","und-bewahrte"]·EN["Guard-yourselves","and-you-shall-guard","be-careful","guard","guard-yourself","guard-yourselves","take-heed"]·FR["et-garder","garder","garder-toi-même","garder-vous-mêmes","être-careful"]·heb["היזהר","הישמר","הישמרו","השמרו","השמרי","ו-נשמרתם","שמר"]·HI["और-चौकस-रहो","सावधान-रह","सावधान-रहो"]·ID["Berhati-hatilah","Berjaga-jagalah","Jagalah","Jagalah-dirimu","berhati-hatilah","berjagalah","dan-jagalah","jagalah","jagalah-diri-mu","maka-jagalah"]·IT["custodire","custodire-te-stesso","custodire-voi-stessi","e-custodire","essere-careful","il-custodite"]·jav["'Jagi-panjenengan","Dipun-prayitna","Kawaspada","Kawula-peling","Panjenengan-kedah-waspada","Panjenengan-njagi","Prayitna","Waspada","lan-jagi-panjenengan","panjenengan-ngati-ati","waspada"]·KO["그리고-지켜라","스스로-지키라","조심하라"]·PT["E-guardai-vos","Guarda-te","Guardai-vos","guarda-te","guardai-vos","¶ Guarda-te"]·RU["Берегись","Берегитесь","И-стерегите","Остерегайся","берегись","берегитесь"]·ES["Cuídate","Guardaos","Guárdate","guardaos","guárdate","y-guardaos"]·SW["Jihadhari","Jihadharini","jihadhari","jihadharini","na-jihadharini"]·TR["Dikkat-et","dikkat-edin","dikkat-et","dikkatli-ol","sakın","ve-koruyun"]·urd["اور-محتاط-رہو","بچ","خبردار رہ","خبردار-رہ","خبردار-رہو","خبردار-ہو","سنبھل-رکھنا","ہوشیار-رہ"]
3. Qal: watch, look out Qal stem: to watch, look out, lie in wait — emphasizing visual surveillance rather than custodial keeping. The sentinel standing watch over a city (2 Sam 11:16) and Eli watching Hannah's mouth move in prayer (1 Sam 1:12) both highlight the watchman's gaze. German der-Wächter and French le-watchmen confirm the occupational connotation of appointed observation. 26×
GUIDANCE_CARE Guide, Discipline, Follow Guarding and Keeping
AR["الَّذِينَ-يُرَاقِبُونَ","الْحَارِسُ","الْحُرّاسُ","تَرَقَّبَتْ","تَرْقُبُ؟","تُرَاقِبُ","حُرَّاسًا","راقَبْتَني","شُومِير","كَـ-حُرَّاسِ","لاحِظِ","مُتَرَقِّبِي","هَ-شُّومْرِيم","وَ-تُرَاقِبُ","وَ-راقِبو-","يَا-حَارِسُ","يَرصُدونَ"]·ben["-প্রহরীরা","অপেক্ষা-করেছে","আপনি-পাহারা-দেন","এবং-আপনি-আমাকে-দেখেছেন","এবং-আপনি-পাহারা-দেন","ও-যারা-পাহারা-দেয়","তারা-পর্যবেক্ষণ-করে","তুমি-পাহারা-দাও","পর্যবেক্ষণকারী","পাহারাদারেরা-","প্রহরী","প্রহরীদের","প্রহরীরা","মাঠের-রক্ষীদের-মতো","যারা-পালন-করত","লক্ষ্য-কর"]·DE["bewahren","bewahrte","der-watchmen","und-bewahrte"]·EN["and-You-watch-me","and-those-who-watch-for","and-watch","do-you-observe","he-who-watches","like-keepers-of","observe","the-ones-watching","the-watchmen","they-watch","watches","watching-for","watchman","watchmen","you-watch"]·FR["et-garder","garder","le-watchmen","les-gardes"]·heb["ה-שומרים","ו-שומרי","ו-שמרתני","ו-תשמור","ישמרו","כ-שומרי","שומר","שומרי","שומרים","שמור-","שמרה","תשמור"]·HI["और-घात-लगाने-वाले","और-तू-देखता-है","और-तूने-मुझे-देखा","चौकीदारों-ने","जो-देखते-थे","ताकते-रहने-वाले","तू-देखता","तू-देखता-है","देख","देखती-है","देखते-हैं","देखनेवाला","पहरेदार","पहरेदार-ने","पहरेदारों-जैसे","पहरेदारों-ने"]·ID["-para-penjaga","Engkau-mengawasi","Hai-penjaga","Penjaga","Seperti-penjaga-penjaga","Yang-memperhatikan","dan-Engkau-mengawasiku","dan-mengawasi","dan-yang-mengintai","engkau mengawasi","menunggu","para-pengintai","penjaga","penjaga-penjaga","yang-mengawasi","yang-mengintai"]·IT["custodi'","custodire","e-custodi'","e-custodire","il-custodire","il-watchmen"]·jav["Mugi-njagi","Panjenengan-njagi","ing-kula","ingkang-njagi","jaga","juru-jagi","kados-penjagi","lan-Panjenengan-njagi","lan-Panjenengan-njagi-kawula","njagi","panjenengan-njagi","para-jagi","para-panjagi","para-tilik","saha-tiyang-ingkang-njaga"]·KO["그-파수꾼들-이","그리고-당신이-나를-지켜보셨다","그리고-당신이-지켜보신다","네가-지켜보았느냐","목장들처럼","정탐꾼들이","지켜도다","지켜보는-자","지켜보지-않으시나이까","지켰나니","지키는-자들-이","지키는-자들이","지키라","파수꾼들을","파수꾼이","파수꾼이여"]·PT["Como-guardas-de","Observa","Quem-observa","aguarda","e-me-guardaste","e-os-que-vigiam","e-vigias","guardas","o-guarda","observam","observas?","os-guardas","os-que-me-observam","sentinelas","vigiando","vigias","Ó-guarda","ó-guarda"]·RU["-следящие","Наблюдающий","и-наблюдаешь","и-стерегущие","и-стережёшь-меня","как-стражи","наблюдаешь","стерегут","стерегущие","стережёт","сторожей","страж","стражи","храни"]·ES["Como-guardas-de","Guarda","Observa","centinelas","el-guarda","el-que-observa","espera","guarda","guardas","los-guardas","los-guardias","los-que-acechan","los-que-guardaban","los-vigilantes","observas","tú-me-vigilas,","vigilan","vigilas","y-los-que-acechan","y-vigilas"]·SW["Anayeangalia","Angalia","Mlinzi","huchukulii","kama-walinzi","linasubiri","mlinzi","na-unalinda","na-unanichunga","na-wanaoiangalia","unaangalia","walinzi","walionilinda","wanaangalia","wanaoniangalia"]·TR["Bekci","bekci","bekciler","bekler","beklersin","bekçileri","bekçileri-gibi","de-gözcüler","gozculer","gozleyen","gözetenlerin","gözetir-misin","gözetleyenler","gözetliyorlar","ve-gözetirsin","ve-gözetleyenler-","ve-izledin-beni","İzle-"]·urd["انتظار کرتی ہے","اور-نگرانی-کرتا-ہے-تُو","اور-نگرانی-کرتا-ہے-تُو-مجھے","حفاظت-کرنے-والوں-کی-طرح","دیکھ","دیکھتے-ہوئے","دیکھنے-والا","دیکھنے-والے","نگرانی-کرتا-ہے-تُو","نگرانی-کَرتے","نگہبانوں-نے","وَ-نگران","پہرے-دار","پہرےدار","پہرےدار-نے","کیا-تو-دیکھتا-ہے"]
4. Qal/Niphal passive: be kept Qal passive participle and Niphal passive: to be kept, guarded, or preserved by another. The reserved portion for Saul (1 Sam 9:24, 'that which has been kept') and the promise that the LORD preserves the faithful (Ps 37:28) show the passive voice expressing divine or human protective custody. Spanish fue-guardado and German bewahrte confirm the resultative state of having been safeguarded.
GUIDANCE_CARE Guide, Discipline, Follow Guarding and Keeping
AR["حُفِظَ","مَحْفُوظٌ-","وَلَيْسَ","وَمَحْفُوظًا","يُحْفَظونَ"]·ben["এবং-সুরক্ষিত","রক্ষা-করেছে","রক্ষিত","রক্ষিত-হয়","রক্ষিত-হল","রাখা-হয়েছে-"]·DE["bewahrte","bewahrte-","habe-bewahrte","und-guarded","welcher-Myrrhe"]·EN["and-guarded","have-kept","he-was-kept","kept","kept-","they-are-preserved"]·FR["ai-garda","et-guarded","garda-","garder"]·heb["ו-שמורה","נשמר","נשמרו","שמור"]·HI["उसे-रखा-गया","और-सुरक्षित","रखा-गया-है","रखा-हुआ","रोके-रहे","सुरक्षित-हैं"]·ID["dan-terjaga","disimpan","disimpan-","para-bujang-menjaga-diri"]·IT["avere-custodì","custodi'","custodire","custodì-","e-fece-la-guardia"]·jav["dipun-jagi","dipun-simpen-","dipunsimpen","lan-dipun-jagi","sampun-njagi"]·KO["간직된","그리고-지켜진","보존되었도다","지켜졌느니라","지켜졌다","지켰으면"]·PT["e-guardada","foi-guardado","guardada","guardado","guardaram-se","são-guardados"]·RU["и-хранимый","охраняются","сохранено-","сохранились","хранился","хранимое"]·ES["fue-guardado","guardadas","guardado","se-guardaron","serán-guardados","y-guardado"]·SW["alilindwa","imehifadhiwa","na-kuhifadhiwa","unaohifadhiwa","wanalindwa","zimehifadhiwa"]·TR["korundu","korunmuşlarsa","korunurlar","saklanmis","saklanıldı-","ve-korunmuş"]·urd["اور-محفوظ","بچائے-رکھے","رکھا-تھا","رکھی-ہوئی","محفوظ-رہتے-ہیں","نگہبانی-کی-گئی"]
5. Hitpael: guard oneself Hitpael reflexive-intensive: to keep oneself, guard oneself with deliberate effort. Only three occurrences — 2 Samuel 22:24 and Psalm 18:23 (David's parallel confession 'I kept myself from my iniquity') and Micah 6:16 — but each conveys an intensified self-discipline beyond the simpler Niphal caution. The reflexive doubling signals moral vigilance as sustained, costly practice.
GUIDANCE_CARE Guide, Discipline, Follow Guarding and Keeping
AR["وَتَحَفَّظْتُ","وَتُحْفَظُ"]·ben["এবং-আমি-নিজেকে-রক্ষা-করেছি","এবং-রক্ষা-করেছি-নিজেকে","এবং-রক্ষিত-হয়েছে"]·DE["und-bewahrte","und-ich-guarded-mich-selbst"]·EN["and-I-guarded-myself","and-I-kept-myself","and-are-kept"]·FR["et-garder","et-je-guarded-moi-même"]·heb["ו-אשתמר","ו-אשתמרה","ו-ישתמר"]·HI["और-पालन-किया-जाता-है","और-बचाया-मैंने","और-बचाया-मैंने-अपने-आप-को"]·ID["Dan-kamu-memelihara","dan-aku-menjaga-diri","dan-aku-menjaga-diriku"]·IT["e-custodi'","e-custodire","e-io-fece-la-guardia-me-stesso"]·jav["lan-dipunjagi","lan-kula-njagi-dhiri","saha-kula-njagi"]·KO["그리고-지켜졌다","그리고-지켰다-나는","그리고-지켰음이라"]·PT["E-foram-guardados","e-guardei-me","e-me-guardei"]·RU["И-соблюдаются","и-остерегался","и-охранял-себя"]·ES["Y-se-guardan","y-me-guardé"]·SW["na-nikajilinda","na-nilijilinda","na-zimeshikwa"]·TR["Ve-korunuyor","ve-korudum-kendimi"]·urd["اور-میں-نے-بچایا-اپنے-آپ-کو","اور-پالے-جاتے-ہیں"]
6. sense 6 A rare or disputed sense in Jonah 2:8: those who cling to or regard worthless idols. Spanish los-que-guardan ('those who keep') and English 'those who cling to' suggest a transferred sense where 'keeping' empty things becomes misplaced devotion — an ironic inversion of the covenant vocabulary of faithful observance.
GUIDANCE_CARE Guide, Discipline, Follow Guarding and Keeping
AR["الْحَافِظُونَ"]·ben["যারা-ধারণ-করে"]·DE["bewahrte"]·EN["those-who-cling-to"]·FR["garder"]·heb["משמרים"]·HI["पकड़ने-वाले"]·ID["Yang-memelihara"]·IT["custodire"]·jav["tiyang-kang-njagi"]·KO["지키는-자들-은"]·PT["Os-que-guardam"]·RU["Хранящие"]·ES["Los-que-guardan"]·SW["wanaoshika"]·TR["tutanlar"]·urd["جو-پکڑتے-ہیں"]

Related Senses
G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5647 1. worship, serve (God/deity) (203×)H5826 1. Qal: to help, aid (53×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H5341 1. keep, observe (commandments) (24×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)H5826 2. Qal participle: helper (21×)G5219 1. obey, be obedient to (20×)H5341 2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)G3936 1. present, offer, yield (17×)G3936 2. stand by, be present (16×)

BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. שָׁמַר465 vb. keep, watch, preserve (NH id.; Ph. שמר in n.pr. and (Pun.) = watchman; TelAm. šimiru is perhaps overseer (Canaanism), WklNo. 80, 1, 23; Mand. סמירא preserved NöM 46; cf. Arabic سَمَرَ converse by night, stay awake (v. LagBN 105); BaNB 175 f.; ES 43 infers from ܬܶܡܪܳܐ eyelid (cf. [שְׁמֻרָה] infr.), and Arabicثَمَلَ support, aid, protect (l = r), that two √ √ are combined in Heb.;