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Shammah

biblical_person_name theological_term standard

Shammah is a Hebrew personal name borne by several men in the Old Testament, not a distinct theological concept.

At a Glance

Biblical personal name

Key Points

Description

Shammah is an Old Testament personal name borne by several men in Scripture. The most widely recognized bearer is Shammah, one of David’s mighty men, identified in 2 Samuel 23:11–12. The name also appears in genealogical and family contexts, such as one of Jesse’s sons in 1 Samuel 16:9 and a descendant list in Genesis 36:13, 17. Because the term refers to multiple individuals rather than a single doctrine, motif, or theological category, it should be published and read as a disambiguated biblical-name entry rather than as a theological term. Any treatment should distinguish the different men clearly and avoid collapsing them into one figure.

Biblical Context

Scripture uses Shammah as a personal name in different settings: royal history, family lists, and genealogies. The name therefore functions as an ordinary proper noun that requires context for identification.

Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, repeating family names was common, so biblical genealogies and narrative contexts often require careful distinction between different people who shared the same name.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Hebrew names often carried family or descriptive associations, but in the biblical text the main issue is identification rather than symbolic meaning. Shammah is simply one of several recurring Hebrew personal names.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Hebrew שַׁמָּה (Shammāh), a male personal name borne by more than one Old Testament figure; related spellings or forms may appear in some parallel passages.

Theological Significance

Shammah has no direct doctrinal content, but the name illustrates the historical concreteness of Scripture and the importance of reading each person in context. The best-known Shammah also stands as an example of faithful service among David’s mighty men.

Philosophical Explanation

As a proper name, Shammah functions as a historical identifier rather than as an abstract concept. Its meaning depends on the specific person and passage in view.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not treat all occurrences of Shammah as one individual. Use surrounding context, genealogy, and parallel passages to identify which man is intended. Avoid building theology from the name itself.

Major Views

There are no major doctrinal views attached to this entry. The main editorial issue is distinguishing the several biblical men who bear the name.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Shammah is a biblical person-name, not a doctrine, attribute, or theological system. Any interpretation should remain within the historical and literary context of the relevant passage.

Practical Significance

This entry reminds readers to pay attention to context and to the many otherwise obscure people God includes in Scripture. Even lesser-known names matter in the biblical record.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Shammah

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