Shemer

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Shemer . 1 . The owner of the hill purchased by Omri (  1 Kings 16:24 ). 2 . A Merarite (  1 Chronicles 6:31 (46)). 3 . An Asherite (  1 Chronicles 7:34 , called in   1 Chronicles 7:32 Shomer). 4 . A Benjamite (  1 Chronicles 8:12 ). The Heb. MSS show here some confusion between r and d as the final letter of the name. The AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ( Shamed ) and RV [Note: Revised Version.] ( Shemed ) retain the reading of the Geneva version, which is based on the Vulg. [Note: Vulgate.] Samad .

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Owner of the hill which Omri bought for two silver talents. On it Omri built Samaria ( Shomeron , Hebrew), named from Shemer Shomer , the form in  1 Chronicles 7:32, answers better to the name Shomeron than Shemer ( 1 Kings 16:24).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

She'mer. (Preserved). The owner of the hill, on which the city of Samaria was built.  1 Kings 16:24. (B.C. 917). See Samaria .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Chronicles 6:46 2 1 Chronicles 7:34 1 Chronicles 7:32 3 1 Kings 16:24

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

From this man's name Samaria derived its name. (See  1 Kings 16:24) The name itself should seem to be taken from Shamar, thorn; but is reported to have been a very lovely mountain.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Owner of the hill bought by Omri, on which he built Samaria.  1 Kings 16:24 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The former owner of the hill on which Omri built Samaria,  1 Kings 16:24 .

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shē´mer ( שׁמר , shemer  ; Σέμηρ , Sémēr , Lucian, Σέμμηρ , Sémmēr ):

(1) The owner of the hill which Omri bought and which became the site of Samaria ( 1 Kings 16:24 , שׁמרון , shōmerōn ). Shemer may be an ancient clan name. The fact, however, that the mountain was called Shomeron when Omri bought it makes one doubt that the city of Samaria was named after Shemer; the passage is questionable. The real etymology of Samaria roots it in "watch mountain" (see Stade, Zeitschrift , 165 f).

(2) A M erarite ( 1 Chronicles 6:46 (31), Σέμμηρ , Sémmēr ).

(3) An Asherite ( 1 Chronicles 7:34 , A and Lucian, Σώμηρ , Sṓmēr ), called "Shomer" in  1 Chronicles 7:32 .

(4) A B enjamite ( 1 Chronicles 8:12 , Codex Vaticanus Σήμηρ , Sḗmēr  ; Codex Alexandrinus Σέμμηρ , Sémmēr  ; Lucian, Σαμαιήλ , Samaiḗl ); the Revised Version (British and American) "Shemed," the King James Version "Shamed."

The Hebrew manuscripts differ; some read "Shemer," others "Shemedh."

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. id.; שֶׁמֶר , something Kept, As Lees of wine; Sept. Σεμήρ ; Josephus, Σέμαρος , Ant. 8:12, 5), the original owner of the hill of Samaria, which derived its name from him. B.C. 917. Omri bought the hill for two talents of silver, and built thereon the city, also called Samaria, which made the capital of his kingdom (Kings 16:24). We should rather have expected that the name of the city would have been Shimron, for Shmeron would have been the name given after an owner Shomer. This latter form, which occurs in  1 Chronicles 7:32, appears to be that adopted by the Vulgate and Syriac, which read Somer and Shomir respectively; but the Vatican MS. of the Sept. at that place retains the form "Shomer, " and changes the name of the city to Σεμερών or Σεμηρών . Both names have the same radical meaning, from שָׁמִר , To Watch, referring, perhaps, by paronomasia, to this conspicuous post of Observation. (See Samaria). As the Israelites were prevented by the law ( Leviticus 21:23) from thus alienating their inheritances, and as his name occurs without the usual genealogical marks, it is more than probable that Shemmer was descended from those Canaanites whom the Hebrews had not dispossessed of their lands.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

She´mer (lees), the owner of the hill of Samaria, which derived its name from him. Omri bought the hill for two talents of silver, and built thereon the city, also called Samaria, which he made the capital of his kingdom [SAMARIA]. As the Israelites were prevented by the law from thus alienating their inheritances, and as his name occurs without the usual genealogical marks, it is more than probable that Shemer was descended from those Canaanites whom the Hebrews had not dispossessed of their lands.