Shomron
/ʃoʊmˈroʊn/noun
The Hebrew name for Samaria, the historical region and ancient kingdom in the central highlands of the Land of Israel.
Did you know?The Bible links the name to Shemer, the man from whom King Omri purchased the hill, while scholars also connect it with the Semitic root š-m-r, “to guard,” though the precise origin remains debated.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*š-m-r
“A reconstructed root associated with guarding, watching, or preserving.”
Iron Age
Biblical Hebrew
שֹׁמְרוֹן (Šōmrōn)
“The name of the hill, city, and later kingdom in the central highlands.”
9th Century BCE
Biblical Hebrew
שֹׁמְרוֹן
“According to 1 Kings 16:24, King Omri named the newly founded capital after its former owner, Shemer.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Σαμάρεια (Samáreia)
“The Greek form of the place-name, rendered Samaria.”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Samaria
“The Latin form used in biblical, Roman, and Christian writings.”
Modern English
English
Shomron
“A modern English transliteration of the Hebrew name, commonly used in historical, religious, and political contexts.”