8090. Shema

Lexical Summary

Shema: Shema

Original Word: שְׁמָע
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Shma`
Pronunciation: sheh-MAH
Phonetic Spelling: (shem-aw')
KJV: Shema
NASB: Shema
Word Origin: [for H8087 (שֶׁמַע - Shema)]

1. Shema, a place in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Shema

For Shema'; Shema, a place in Palestine -- Shema.

see HEBREW Shema'

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from shama
Definition
a city in S. Judah
NASB Translation
Shema (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

שְׁמַע proper name, of a location in southern Judah, Joshua 15:26, Σα(λ)μα(α).

Topical Lexicon

Geographical Setting

Shema (Strong’s Hebrew 8090) is listed among the “uttermost cities toward the border of Edom in the Negev” (Joshua 15:21-32). Together with Amam and Moladah, it formed part of the southern line of outposts guarding Judah’s frontier in the arid desert region. The site is commonly identified with Khirbet Shammaʿ, approximately twenty-two kilometers south-southeast of Beersheba, though the exact location remains unconfirmed.

Biblical Reference

Joshua 15:26: “Amam, Shema, Moladah.”

Within the same chapter the inspired writer presents thirty-eight towns in the Negev sector, portraying Judah’s inheritance as stretching from fertile hill country down to barren wilderness, thereby demonstrating the tribe’s strategic and economic diversity.

Historical Background

1. Southern Defense Network
• The chain of Negev settlements—including Shema—protected caravan routes leading from the Sinai Peninsula and Edom into the Judean heartland.
• Their placement testifies to Judah’s mandate to occupy not only prosperous highlands but also inhospitable borderlands, a reminder that covenant faithfulness embraces every sphere entrusted by God.

2. Possible Transfer to Simeon
• Although Shema itself is not repeated in Joshua 19, a number of the cities surrounding it were absorbed into Simeon’s territory (Joshua 19:1-9). This suggests that Shema may eventually have fallen under Simeonite administration, illustrating the fluidity of tribal boundaries while underscoring the unity of Israel’s mission.

Archaeological Insights

Surface pottery and structural remains at the proposed Khirbet Shammaʿ date mainly to the Iron Age, aligning with the period of the Judges and the United Monarchy. Fortified walls and cisterns indicate a small but durable settlement adapted for desert life, corroborating the biblical picture of fortified Negev towns sustaining pastoral and military functions.

Theological Themes

1. Hearing and Obedience
• Although Shema is a place-name, its consonants coincide with the Hebrew verb “to hear.” Scripture often links hearing God’s word with responding in obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Romans 10:17). The town’s name therefore offers a providential reminder that every territory claimed by God’s people should become an arena where His voice is heard and obeyed.

2. Presence in the Wilderness
• Establishing a community in the Negev models reliance on the LORD in seasons of scarcity. Like Israel’s earlier wilderness journey, Shema stands as a witness that God sustains His people even on the margins.

3. Borderland Mission
• Negev settlements faced outward to neighboring peoples, positioning Israel as a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6). Shema’s location challenges believers today to engage those at the “edges” of society with the hope of the covenant.

Ministry Applications

• Faithful Occupation: Churches placed in spiritually “dry” environments are called, like Shema, to thrive by drawing on God’s provision rather than external circumstances.
• Strategic Outposts: Small congregations in remote areas can view themselves as vital watchposts contributing to the broader advance of the gospel.
• Hearing Leads to Doing: Personal and corporate study of Scripture must culminate in action; the echo of “Hear, O Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4) must resonate in every Shema-like setting today.

Key Cross-References

Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Joshua 15:21-32; Isaiah 49:6; Romans 10:17.

Forms and Transliterations

וּשְׁמַ֖ע ושמע ū·šə·ma‘ ūšəma‘ usheMa

Englishman's Concordance

Joshua 15:26
HEB: אֲמָ֥ם וּשְׁמַ֖ע וּמוֹלָדָֽה׃
NAS: Amam and Shema and Moladah,
KJV: Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
INT: Amam and Shema and Moladah

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 8090
1 Occurrence

ū·šə·ma‘ — 1 Occ.