StrongerBible

shir

שִׁיר

HebrewH7891sing, singers

Appears 87 times · tap a cell to see the verses

Exo 15:1 (2×)Exo 15:21Num 21:17Jdg 5:1Jdg 5:31Sa 18:62Sa 19:35(36) (2×)1Ki 10:121Ch 6:33(18)1Ch 9:331Ch 15:161Ch 15:191Ch 15:27 (2×)1Ch 16:91Ch 16:232Ch 5:122Ch 5:132Ch 9:112Ch 20:212Ch 23:132Ch 29:282Ch 35:152Ch 35:25 (2×)Ezr 2:41Ezr 2:65 (2×)Ezr 2:70Ezr 7:7Ezr 10:24Neh 7:1Neh 7:44Neh 7:67 (2×)Neh 12:29Job 36:24Psa 7:0(1)Psa 13:6Psa 21:13(14)Psa 27:6Psa 33:3Psa 57:7(8)Psa 59:16(17)Psa 65:13(14)Psa 68:4(5)Psa 68:25(26)Psa 68:32(33)Psa 87:7Psa 89:1(2)Psa 96:1 (2×)Psa 96:2Psa 98:1Psa 101:1
Root family
Names & words formed with this
Word studysheerverb

What shir means

to sing: to lift the voice in song, most often in praise to God or in celebration

TranslatabilityApproximateCertaintySettled

At its core this is the ordinary act of making music with the voice. In the Bible that act is overwhelmingly tied to worship and to joy: people sing to God, sing of his deeds, and sing at moments of victory, festival, and gladness. The very first time the word appears, Israel sings at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1), and from there it runs all through the Psalms as the natural response of a grateful or hopeful heart.

The word stretches in two directions that still share this one center. Most of its uses describe the act itself: a person or a crowd raising a song. But its "singing" form also hardened into a title for the people whose job was to sing, especially the trained temple singers who served in worship. They are still simply "the singing ones," yet the word names a settled role, not just a one-time act.

Singing here is rarely idle entertainment. Even where the singers are at a royal court or a banquet, the weight of the word falls on song as celebration and praise. To sing, in this vocabulary, is to give voice to gladness, gratitude, or honor.

Nuances

1ato raise a song, usually in praise to God or in celebration
Exo 15:1 (2×)Exo 15:21Num 21:17Jdg 5:1Jdg 5:31Sa 18:61Ch 16:91Ch 16:23Psa 7:0(1)Psa 13:6Psa 21:13(14)Psa 27:6
1bto be a singer: the role of those whose office is singing, above all the temple singers among the Levites
TranslatabilityPartial
2Sa 19:35(36) (2×)1Ki 10:121Ch 6:33(18)1Ch 9:331Ch 15:161Ch 15:191Ch 15:27 (2×)2Ch 5:122Ch 5:132Ch 9:112Ch 20:212Ch 23:13

What scholars say about shir

The standard lexica (BDB, HALOT, DCH) treat שִׁיר as a single verb "to sing," used overwhelmingly of singing praise to God and of celebration. They note the special, settled use of the participle as a term for professional singers, especially the Levitical temple singers prominent in Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The verb and its cognate noun שִׁיר ("song") belong to the central vocabulary of Israelite worship.

Sources

  • BDB, s.v. שׁירlexicon
  • HALOT, s.v. שׁיר Ilexicon
  • DCH, s.v. שׁירlexicon

All attested forms of שִׁיר

piel participle m p absolute

מְשֹׁרְרִים, מְשֹׁרֲרִים, מְשׁוֹרֲרִים

1Ch 9:33, 1Ch 15:16, 1Ch 15:19, 1Ch 15:27, 1Ch 15:27, Ezr 2:41, Ezr 2:65, Ezr 2:70

qal imperative 2mp

שִׁירוּ

Exo 15:21, 1Ch 16:9, 1Ch 16:23, Psa 33:3, Psa 68:4, Psa 68:32, Psa 96:1, Psa 96:1

qal cohortative 1cs

אָשִׁירָה

Exo 15:1, Jdg 5:3, Psa 13:6, Psa 27:6, Psa 57:7, Psa 89:1, Psa 101:1, Psa 104:33

qal participle m p absolute

שָׁרִים, שָּׁרִים

2Sa 19:35, Psa 68:25, Psa 87:7, Ecc 2:8, Ezk 40:44, 1Ki 10:12, 2Ch 9:11, 2Ch 35:25

qal participle f p absolute

שָׁרוֹת, שָּׁרוֹת

2Sa 19:35, Ecc 2:8, 2Ch 35:25

piel participle f p absolute

מְשֹׁרְרוֹת, מְשֹׁרֲרוֹת

Ezr 2:65, Neh 7:67

piel participle m s absolute

מְשׁוֹרֵר

1Ch 6:33, 2Ch 29:28

qal imperfect 3mp

יָשִׁירוּ

Psa 65:13, Psa 106:12

qal imperfect 3ms

יָשִׁיר

Exo 15:1, Num 21:17

hophal imperfect 3ms

יוּשַׁר

Isa 26:1

piel imperfect 3ms

יְשׁוֹרֵר

Zep 2:14

piel perfect 3cp

שֹׁרְרוּ

Job 36:24

qal cohortative 1cp

נָשִׁירָה

Psa 21:13

qal conjunctive-imperfect 3mp

וְיָשִׁירוּ

Psa 138:5

qal consecutive-imperfect 3fs

וַתָּשַׁר

Jdg 5:1

qal imperfect 1cp

נָשִׁיר

Psa 137:4

qal imperfect 1cs

אָשִׁיר

Psa 59:16

qal infinitive-construct construct

שִׁיר

1Sa 18:6

qal participle m s absolute

שָׁר

Pro 25:20

qal perfect 3ms

שָׁר

Psa 7:0