Bible Person

Shammah

Meaning: loss; desolation; astonishment · Male · 5 cross references

This Shammah entry refers to the son of Jesse, also called Shimeah or Shimma in related texts, not the warrior of David's mighty men. He is part of David's family and the father of Jonadab. First appears in 1 Sam 16:9.1

AI summary: This Shammah matters because the cross references place him within Jesse's household at the point where David's family enters the public narrative. He appears in the lineup before Samuel, at the battlefield with Goliath, and later through his son Jonadab in the painful Amnon-Tamar episode. His significance is familial rather than heroic, but it extends into major royal-family events. Taken together, the material presents this Shammah as David's brother whose line continues to matter within the house of Jesse.1