H4931

מִשְׁמֶרֶת

mishmereth · mish-mer'-reth

watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post; objectively preservation, or (concretely) safe; figuratively observance, i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or party

Lexicon

Derivation: feminine of H4929 (מִשְׁמָר);

watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post; objectively preservation, or (concretely) safe; figuratively observance, i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or party

watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post
objectively preservation, or (concretely) safe
figuratively, observance, i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or party

Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.

KJV renderings: charge, keep, or to be kept, office, ordinace, safeguard, ward, watch.

Letters

מMem40
Picture: waves of water
Concrete
water · sea · blood · liquid
Extended
chaos · mighty and uncontrollable · the masses · from / out of
שShin300
Picture: two front teeth (or a composite bow)
Concrete
teeth · sharp · press · bow
Extended
to consume · to destroy · to press or grind · to change · again
מMem40
Picture: waves of water
Concrete
water · sea · blood · liquid
Extended
chaos · mighty and uncontrollable · the masses · from / out of
רResh200
Picture: a human head
Concrete
head · face · person
Extended
first · top · beginning · chief · the highest
תTav400
Picture: a crossed mark
Concrete
mark · sign · cross · signature
Extended
a covenant · to seal · to sign · the end · monument

Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)

water, chaos, the mighty deep › to consume, to destroy › water, chaos, the mighty deep › the head, the highest › the mark, the covenant sign

Water, chaos, the mighty deep that works to consume, to destroy of water, chaos, the mighty deep of the head, the highest of the mark, the covenant sign.

Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of מִשְׁמֶרֶת above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.

Usage

78 occurrences · 78 OT · 0 NT · 42 distinct forms

KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.

the charge18 · 29%
and the charge6 · 10%
my charge4 · 6%
of the charge4 · 6%
to be kept3 · 5%
the watch3 · 5%
in their charges3 · 5%
mine ordinance2 · 3%
his charge2 · 3%
and their charge2 · 3%
the ward2 · 3%
and ye shall keep1 · 2%
for you to be kept1 · 2%
of it to be kept1 · 2%
and charge1 · 2%
for the charge1 · 2%
unto them in charge1 · 2%
and this is the charge1 · 2%
touching their charge1 · 2%
thy charge1 · 2%
thee the charge1 · 2%
and it shall be kept1 · 2%
but with me thou shalt be in safeguard1 · 2%
them in ward1 · 2%
of the watch1 · 2%

Where it is used, by book.

Inflected forms found in the text.

מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת10מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת9מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת7לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת4מִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙4מִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת3מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֣י2מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת2מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֗י2מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ2לְמִשְׁמָרֽוֹת׃2מִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔י1

Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.