SHEMA

(Sheʹma) [from a Hebrew root verb meaning “to hear”].

1. A son of Hebron and father of Raham in the line of Judah’s descendants through Caleb.—1 Chron. 2:42-44.

2. A descendant of Reuben.—1 Chron. 5:3, 8.

3. Head of a Benjamite household that settled in Aijalon and one of those who chased away the inhabitants of Gath. (1 Chron. 8:12, 13) Probably the same as Shimei in verse 21, there identified as a father of nine sons.—Vss. 19-21.

4. One of the six who stood on Ezra’s right when he read the Law to the assembled people; probably a priest.—Neh. 8:4.

5. A city within Judah’s southern territory (Josh. 15:21, 26), perhaps the same as Simeon’s enclave city Sheba. (Josh. 19:1, 2) It is often tentatively identified with Tell es-Saʽwi, about twelve miles (19.3 kilometers) E-NE of Beer-sheba.