Genesis 17:15:11Gen.17.15.W11TAB
שְׁמָֽהּ׃
shemah
“shall be her name”
- Transliteration
- she-MAH
- Extended
- sheh-MAAH
- IPA
- /ʃə.ˈmaːh/
Meaning by language
- English
- shall be her name
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Shin | shin with right dot; sin with left dot | |
| Sheva | vocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable | |
| Mem | m as in mother | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' | |
| He | h as in house; silent at word end |
Tap any letter to hear its name and sound
Now you try — trace the word:
The word
Word in context
- word
she-MAH
- clause
KI sa-RA she-MAH
- sentence
va-YO-mer e-lo-HIM el-av-ra-HAM sa-RAI ish-te-KHA lo-tik-RA et-she-MAH sa-RAI KI sa-RA she-MAH
Exegesis
The accusative particle et {אֶת־ | ʾeṯ} introduces shemah {שְׁמָ֖הּ | šə-māh} ‘her name’, which is then specified appositionally by sarai {שָׂרָ֑י | śā-ray} in “her name, Sarai.”
The conjunction kî {כִּ֥י | kî} introduces an explanatory clause rather than a causal one, leading to sarah shemah {שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמָֽהּ | śā-rāh šə-māh} ‘Sarah will be her name’, with the new name fronted for emphasis. The contrast between Sarai and Sarah constitutes a naming formula that marks the transition to a new identity and destiny.
In context — Genesis 17:15
And God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you must not call her Sarai any longer; Sarah will be her name.”
About this coordinate
Genesis 17:15:11 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 11 of Genesis 17:15, so the Hebrew word שְׁמָֽהּ׃ (shemah) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Gen.17.15.W11, which extends further down to each syllable (Gen.17.15.W11.S1) and character.