BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Sham (שָׁם) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
שָׁם (šām) is a basic Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' — used for both place ('in that place') and, by extension, time ('then').
Meaning of the word
שָׁם (šām) is one of the most common adverbs of place in biblical Hebrew. In its primary sense it means 'there' or 'in that place,' pointing back to a location already mentioned or understood from context. Genesis 2:8 uses it this way: God plants the garden in Eden 'and there he put the man whom he had formed.' The same spatial sense appears in Genesis 12:7–8, where Abram 'there builded an altar unto Jehovah,' anchoring the action to a specific spot.
In addition to place, שָׁם can transfer to time, meaning 'then' or 'at that time.' The lexicon captures this shift with the phrase 'transferring to time… then.' Readers should recognize that in narrative the word is rarely just decorative; it often ties a new clause back to a previously established setting, scene, or moment.
Hebrew shows several spellings of the word — שָׁם, שָּׁם, and שָּֽׁם — depending on the vowel pointing and whether the following word begins with a strong letter that requires dagesh forte. These are orthographic variants of the same adverb and do not change its meaning.
Usage in Scripture
In the primeval narrative of Genesis 2–3, שָׁם repeatedly anchors key events to Eden and the garden: the man is placed there (2:8), a river parts there (2:10), and the land of Havilah is described as having gold 'there' (2:11–12). In 3:23 the same word marks the place from which Adam is expelled. The pattern shows how the writer uses a simple adverb to tie geography, blessing, and judgment together.
In the patriarchal narratives שָׁם marks worship sites. Genesis 12:7–8 records Abram building altars 'there' at locations of divine appearance, and 12:10 reports a famine 'in the land' so that Abram goes down to Egypt 'to sojourn there.' The word thus carries weight beyond mere direction: it signals places where God meets his people and places where covenant history unfolds.
In poetic and theological texts שָׁם expresses the omnipresence of God. Psalm 139:8 declares, 'If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there,' and 139:10 adds, 'Even there shall thy hand lead me.' Here שָׁם becomes a way of affirming that no place — not heaven, not Sheol — lies beyond God's reach. Exodus 20:21 similarly uses it of the thick darkness 'where God was,' where Moses drew near.
The word in detail
- H8033 שָׁם (šām) is a common adverb of place, 'there,' which by extension can also mark time ('then'). It occurs about 15 times in the provided sample, anchoring actions to previously named locations or moments. Spelling varies between שָׁם, שָּׁם, and שָּֽׁם because of dagesh forte in the שׂ following a conjunctive accent.
Example verses
- Genesis 2:8 שָׁם marks the spot where God places the man in Eden, showing the adverb anchoring a key theological event to a specific location.
- Genesis 12:8 Abram 'there builded an altar' — שָׁם points to a worship site tied to God's prior appearance (12:7), tying geography to revelation.
- Exodus 20:21 Moses draws near to the thick darkness 'where God was'; שָׁם identifies the locus of divine presence after the Sinai theophany.
- Psalms 139:8 'Thou art there' — שָׁם becomes a theological statement: God's presence fills every place, including heaven and Sheol.
Common questions
Is שָׁם ever translated 'then'?
Yes. Although its primary sense is place ('there'), the lexicon notes that it transfers to time, meaning 'then' or 'at that time,' especially when the context shifts from a scene to a new stage of action.
What is the difference between שָׁם and שָּׁם?
There is no difference in meaning. The extra dot in שָּׁם is a dagesh forte in the letter שׂ, required by Hebrew accentuation rules after certain conjunctive accents. Both spellings are read the same way and translated 'there.'
Why is שָׁם theologically important in Psalm 139?
In Psalm 139:8 and 139:10, שָׁם ('there') is the hinge of the poet's claim about God's omnipresence. By repeating 'there' for heaven, Sheol, and the furthest horizon, the psalm shows that no place exists outside God's presence and guidance.