Shamma is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Shamma was a man of the tribe of Asher, listed among the descendants of that tribe in the genealogies recorded in 1 Chronicles. He is identified in the source note as a descendant of Asher, and his name appears only once in the King James Bible, in 1 Chronicles 7:37. The passage reads: “Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.” These names are given as part of a larger genealogical record that traces the families and clans of Asher, one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The setting of Shamma’s mention is the Chronicler’s extensive registry of Israel’s tribes, compiled to preserve the identity and heritage of God’s people after the return from exile. In 1 Chronicles 7, the writer lists the sons and descendants of Asher, including heads of families and mighty men of valor. Shamma appears within a group of names near the end of that list, alongside Bezer, Hod, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. Scripture records nothing else about him—no deed, no word, no notable event. He is simply one link in a chain of names.
What Scripture says of Shamma, then, is minimal but real: he belonged to Asher, he was counted among his people, and his name was preserved in the sacred record. He did not earn a narrative of his own, yet he was not forgotten. The genealogy itself is the testimony—he was part of the tribe that Moses had blessed, and his place in Israel’s story was secured by God’s faithfulness to His covenant people.
The Name
The Hebrew name Shamma (שַׁמָּא) is generally understood to derive from a root meaning “to hear” or “to be desolate,” though the precise sense of this particular name is not clearly recoverable. Some scholars connect it to the idea of hearing, while others suggest a meaning related to desolation or ruin. Because the name appears only here in the King James Bible and the etymology is debated, no single meaning can be asserted with confidence. It is best to say plainly that the meaning of this name is not firmly established.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a history book. Our lives may be summed up in a single line, if at all. Yet Shamma’s brief mention reminds us that God keeps His own record. He is not forgotten by the One who numbers the stars and calls them by name. Faithfulness in obscurity is still faithfulness. You may never be celebrated on earth, but if your name is written among the redeemed, that is a genealogy that will never fade.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 7:37 — Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera.