H4931. mishmereth

מִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתּ‎₇₈ noun feminine guard, watch, also charge, function; — ׳מ‎ absolute 2 Samuel 20:3 +, construct 2 Kings 11:5 +; absolute מִשְׁמָ֑רֶת‎ Exodus 16:34; suffix מִשְׁמַרְתִּי‎ Genesis 26:5 +, etc.; plural מִשְׁמָרוֺת‎ 1 Chronicles 9:23 +; construct מִשְׁמְרוֺת‎ Nehemiah 7:3; suffix רוֺתָם‎-2 Chronicles 7:6 +, תֵיהֶם‎-31:17; —

1 guard, watch: מ ׳בֵּית‎ 2 Samuel 20:3 = house of detention, confinement; ׳מ עִמָּדִי אַתָּה‎ 1 Samuel 22:23 i.e. protected, secure; with שָׁמַר‎ keep the watch 2 Kings 11:5-6, 7; 1 Chronicles 12:30 (van d. H. v.12:29); = post of watch (figurative) Isaiah 21:3 ("" מִצְפֶה‎), Habakkuk 2:1 ("" מָצוֺר‎); plural = guards Nehemiah 7:3; 1 Chronicles 9:23.

2 keeping, preserving, לְמ לָכֶם ׳וְהָיָה‎ Exodus 12:6 i.e. ye shall keep it; לְמ לָכֶם ׳הִנִּיחוּ‎ 16:23; compare 16:32; 16:33; 16:34; Numbers 19:9 (all P).

3 charge, injunction of ׳י‎, with שָׁמַר‎, in General Deuteronomy 11:1 ( + מִצְוֺת מִשְׁמָּטִים, חֻקוֺת,‎), compare Genesis 26:5; 1 Kings 2:3, and (׳מ י ׳מִצְוַת‎) Joshua 22:3 (all R^D), Malachi 3:14; of specific injunctions Leviticus 18:30; Numbers 9:19, 23.

4. a. ceremonial office or function (AV RV usually charge) of priest or Levite (P [especially Numbers], Ezekiel 40; Ezekiel 44; Ezekiel 48; Chronicles, Zechariah), mostly with שָׁמַר‎: ׳מ הָלֵדוּת מִשְׁכַּן‎ Numbers 1:53, ׳מ י ׳מִשְׁכַּן‎ 31:30, 47, ׳מ הַמִּקְדָּשׁ‎ Ezekiel 44:15; Numbers 3:38, ׳מ מוֺעֵד אֹהֶל‎ 18:4 compare 18:3, 1 Chronicles 23:32, ׳מ הַקֹּדֶשׁ‎ Numbers 3:28, 32; 18:5; 1 Chronicles 23:32, ׳מ קָדָשַׁי‎ (of Israel in General) Ezekiel 44:8, ׳מ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ‎ Numbers 18:5; Ezekiel 40:46, תְּרוּמֹתָ֑י‎ Numbers 18:8, ׳מ הַבַּיִת‎ Ezekiel 40:45; 44:14, ׳מ הַטָּהֳרָה‎ Nehemiah 12:45; with Genitive (suffix) ׳שׁ ׳מ‎ = perform the service imposed by, due to, Leviticus 8:35; 22:9; Ezekiel 44:8, 16; 48:11; Zechariah 3:7, ׳מ אֱםהֵיהֶם‎ Nehemiah 12:45 (of Judah in General); ׳מ הָעֵדָה‎ Numbers 3:7 a, ׳מ יִשׂ ׳בְּנֵי‎ 3:8, 38, ׳מ גֵרְשׁוֺן בְּנֵי‎ 3:25; compare 3:7a.,3:31, 36; 4:27-28, 31, 32; 18:3; 1 Chronicles 23:32; also, in secular sense, ׳מ שָׁאוּל בֵּית‎ 12:30; ׳מ מַשָּׂאָם‎ Numbers 4:31, מ ׳כְּלֵי מַשָּׂאָם‎ 4:32 (4:27 read with ᵐ5‎ Di Gr Gray, etc. בְּשֵׁמוֺת‎ for ׳במ‎, and perhaps מִשְׁמֶרֶת‎ after אֵת‎, compare 4:32); מ ׳עֲלֵיהֶם‎ 1 Chronicles 9:27 i.e. the duty rested upon them; — 25:8; 26:12 see I. עֻמָה‎

c, d (p. 769 above); ׳עַלמֿ עֹמְדִים‎2 Chronicles 7:6 were standing according to (or in) their offices, מ עַל ׳הֱעֶמִיד‎ appoint to their offices8:14; 35:2.

b. pl. of Levitical divisions for service Nehemiah 12:9.

II. שׁמר‎ (√ of following; compare Late Hebrew שְׁמָרִים‎ = Biblical Hebrew, also verb denominative; שִׁמְרָא ᵑ7‎; meaning of √ and relation (if any) o I. ׳שׁ‎ obscure; compare possibly Arabic be tawny, dark, in colour, Lane^1425a).