Shammuah is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Shammuah appears in the King James Bible as one of the sons born to King David in Jerusalem. He is named in 2 Samuel 5:14, in a list of children born to David after he had established his reign in the city: “And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon.” The setting is the high point of David’s kingship, when the ark was brought up to Jerusalem and the kingdom was being consolidated around the city of David.
The source note identifies Shammuah as a Levite who helped lead the people in worship during the reign of King David, mentioned in 1 Chronicles. That association places him among those who served in the worship life of Israel rather than merely as a royal son. His name appears only once in the KJV, in the genealogy of David’s Jerusalem-born sons, so Scripture gives us no further narrative about his deeds, his character, or his later life.
What we can say from the text is that Shammuah belonged to David’s household during a formative season for Israel’s worship and governance. He is remembered not for a dramatic act but for his place in the record of David’s family and, according to the source note, for his part in leading worship. Beyond that, the biblical text is silent.
The Name
The name Shammuah is a Hebrew name whose meaning is not clearly recoverable from the text itself. It is often connected with the idea of being heard or renowned, but the exact sense is uncertain and debated among scholars. Because Scripture does not explain the name and the etymology is not firmly established, no definite meaning can be asserted here. What is clear is only that it was the name given to one of David’s sons born in Jerusalem.
A Closing Thought
Shammuah’s life reminds us that faithfulness is not measured by how much of our story is recorded. He appears once in Scripture, yet the source note places him among those who helped lead God’s people in worship. Most of us will never be widely known, but we can still serve in the quiet places where God’s people gather to praise him. The Lord remembers those whose names fill only a single verse, and he values the worship they helped to carry.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 2 Samuel 5:14 — And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,