Original Word: מִשְׁמֶרֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mishmereth
Pronunciation: mish-meh'-reth
Phonetic Spelling: (mish-mer'-reth)
KJV: charge, keep, or to be kept, office, ordinace, safeguard, ward, watch
NASB: charge, duties, kept, obligation, obligations, watch, duty
Word Origin: [fem. of H4929 (מִשׁמָר - guard)]
1. a watch, i.e. the act of custody
2. (concretely) the sentry, the post
3. (objectively) preservation, or (concretely) safe
4. (figuratively) observance
5. (figuratively, abstractly) duty
6. (figuratively, objectively) a usage or party
Fem. Of mishmar; watch, i.e. The act (custody), or (concr.) The sentry, the post; obj. Preservation, or (concr.) Safe; fig. Observance, i.e. (abstr.) Duty or (obj.) A usage or party -- charge, keep, or to be kept, office, ordinace, safeguard, ward, watch.
see HEBREW mishmar
1 guard, watch: ׳בֵּית מ 2 Samuel 20:3 = house of detention, confinement; אַתָּה עִמָּדִי ׳מ 1 Samuel 22:23 i.e. protected, secure; with שָׁמַר keep the watch 2 Kings 11:5,6,7; 1 Chronicles 12:30 (van d. H. v.1 Chronicles 12:29); = post of watch (figurative) Isaiah 21:3 ("" מִצְפֶה), Habakkuk 2:1 ("" מָצוֺר); plural = guards Nehemiah 7:3; 1 Chronicles 9:23.
2 keeping, preserving, ׳וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְמ Exodus 12:6 i.e. ye shall keep it; ׳הִנִּיחוּ לָכֶם לְמ Exodus 16:23; compare Exodus 16:32; Exodus 16:33; Exodus 16:34; Numbers 19:9 (all P).
3 charge, injunction of ׳י, with שָׁמַר, in General Deuteronomy 11:1 ( + חֻקוֺת, מִשְׁמָּטִים, מִצְוֺת), compare Genesis 26:5; 1 Kings 2:3, and (׳מִצְוַת י ׳מ) Joshua 22:3 (all RD), Malachi 3:14; of specific injunctions Leviticus 18:30; Numbers 9:19,23.
4. a. ceremonial office or function (AV RV usually charge) of priest or Levite (P [especially Numbers], Ezekiel 40; Ezekiel 44; Ezekiel 48; Chronicles, Zechariah), mostly with שָׁמַר: מִשְׁכַּן הָלֵדוּת ׳מ Numbers 1:53, ׳מִשְׁכַּן י ׳מ Numbers 31:30,47, הַמִּקְדָּשׁ ׳מ Ezekiel 44:15; Numbers 3:38, אֹהֶל מוֺעֵד ׳מ Numbers 18:4 compare Numbers 18:3, 1 Chronicles 23:32, הַקֹּדֶשׁ ׳מ Numbers 3:28,32; Numbers 18:5; 1 Chronicles 23:32, קָדָשַׁי ׳מ (of Israel in General) Ezekiel 44:8, הַמִּזְבֵּחַ ׳מ Numbers 18:5; Ezekiel 40:46, תְּרוּמֹתָ֑י Numbers 18:8, הַבַּיִת ׳מ Ezekiel 40:45; Ezekiel 44:14, הַטָּהֳרָה ׳מ Nehemiah 12:45; with Genitive (suffix) ׳מ ׳שׁ = perform the service imposed by, due to, Leviticus 8:35; Leviticus 22:9; Ezekiel 44:8,16; Ezekiel 48:11; Zechariah 3:7, אֱםהֵיהֶם ׳מ Nehemiah 12:45 (of Judah in General); הָעֵדָה ׳מ Numbers 3:7 a, ׳בְּנֵי יִשׂ ׳מ Numbers 3:8,38, בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֺן ׳מ Numbers 3:25; compare Numbers 3:7a.,Numbers 3:31,36; Numbers 4:27,28,31,32; Numbers 18:3; 1 Chronicles 23:32; also, in secular sense, בֵּית שָׁאוּל ׳מ 1 Chronicles 12:30; מַשָּׂאָם ׳מ Numbers 4:31, מַשָּׂאָם ׳כְּלֵי מ Numbers 4:32 (Numbers 4:27 read with m5 Di Gr Gray, etc. בְּשֵׁמוֺת for ׳במ, and perhaps מִשְׁמֶרֶת after אֵת, compare Numbers 4:32); ׳עֲלֵיהֶם מ 1 Chronicles 9:27 i.e. the duty rested upon them; — 1 Chronicles 25:8; 1 Chronicles 26:12 see I. עֻמָה
c, d (p. 769 above); עֹמְדִים ׳עַלמֿ2Chronicles 7:6 were standing according to (or in) their offices, ׳הֱעֶמִיד עַל מ appoint to their offices2Chronicles 8:14; 35:2.
b. pl. of Levitical divisions for service Nehemiah 12:9.
II. שׁמר (√ of following; compare Late Hebrew שְׁמָרִים = Biblical Hebrew, also verb denominative; ŋ7 שִׁמְרָא; meaning of √ and relation (if any) o I. ׳שׁ obscure; compare possibly Arabic be tawny, dark, in colour, Lane1425a).
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The Hebrew noun מִשְׁמֶרֶת (mishmeret, Strong 4931) denotes a trust that has been placed under someone’s care. It can describe a sacred charge, a personal or corporate duty, an assigned watch, or the custody of persons or objects. Although the contexts vary, the underlying idea is always that of stewardship under divine authority.
Overview of Occurrences
Approximately seventy-eight times the word is found across the Old Testament. Nearly half appear in the Pentateuch, especially in Leviticus and Numbers, where priestly service and ritual observance dominate. The Chronicler employs the term in describing orderly temple ministries, and Ezekiel uses it to portray both the failure and restoration of priestly responsibility. Narrative passages (for example in Jeremiah) expand the sense to include physical custody or confinement.
Divine Charge within the Covenant
From the outset mishmeret links obedience to covenant blessing. Genesis 26:5 records that Abraham "kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws," highlighting the concept of whole-life fidelity. Later, when the wilderness generation paused beneath the cloud, "the Israelites would keep the LORD’s charge and would not set out" (Numbers 9:19). Leviticus 8:35 solemnly warns Aaron and his sons to "keep the LORD’s charge so that you will not die," thus binding priestly longevity to careful observance. Covenant life is therefore safeguarded by accepting God-given responsibilities as sacred trusts.
Priestly and Levitical Oversight
Mishmeret becomes a technical term for tabernacle and temple service:
• Numbers 3:7-8 describes the Levites who "shall perform the duties" of the tabernacle.
• Numbers 18:5 insists, "You yourselves are to perform the duties of the sanctuary," lest wrath fall upon Israel.
• 1 Chronicles 23:32 summarizes David’s arrangements: "So they were responsible to minister before the dwelling place of the LORD ... and to fulfill their duties according to all the statutes prescribed for them."
• Nehemiah 12:45 notes that post-exilic priests and Levites "performed the service of their God and the service of purification," consciously recovering the ancient mishmeret.
These occurrences underscore that worship is not casual but regulated stewardship, guarding both doctrine and practice.
Custody of Sacred Objects
The same term covers the guarding of holy furnishings and treasuries:
• Numbers 1:53 commands the Levites to "camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there will be no wrath on the congregation."
• 1 Chronicles 26:20-28 narrates how certain Levites managed treasuries and dedicated gifts.
• 2 Chronicles 23:6 restricts all others from entering the house of the LORD, "but the priests and ministering Levites may enter; they are holy, and all the people are to keep the charge of the LORD."
Protecting what belongs to God is itself a form of worship.
Guarding Life and Liberty
Mishmeret can also refer to a guardroom or holding place:
• Jeremiah 37:21 records that King Zedekiah "put him in the courtyard of the guard," a location literally called a mishmeret.
• Jeremiah 33:5 speaks of houses "filled with the bodies of the men whom I will slay in My anger," after they had been set as a mishmeret in warfare.
In these passages the word bears a more secular sense, yet even here stewardship and accountability remain central.
Military and Civic Watches
While mishmar (Strong 4929) is the usual word for time-bound watches, mishmeret occasionally overlaps by describing organized guarding forces (for example 2 Chronicles 23:19). The semantic proximity reminds readers that whether a priest in the sanctuary or a sentinel on the wall, each stands under orders.
Prophetic Usage
Ezekiel, writing during exile, exposes Israel’s failure to maintain the holy charge yet promises renewal:
• Ezekiel 44:14: unfaithful Levites are demoted but still "appointed to keep charge of the temple—every kind of work that is to be done in it."
• Ezekiel 40:45-46 and 48:11 show the sons of Zadok rewarded for having "kept charge" of the sanctuary when others went astray.
Thus mishmeret becomes a lens through which both judgment and hope are viewed.
Spiritual Application for the Church
Although the term is Hebrew and cultic, its principle is timeless. Paul writes, "Guard what has been entrusted to you" (1 Timothy 6:20), echoing the Old Testament call to faithful custody. Pastors, elders, parents, and every believer are stewards of revealed truth, spiritual gifts, and gospel witness. Mishmeret therefore invites modern servants to vigilance, purity, and perseverance.
Christ as the Fulfillment of the Holy Charge
Jesus embodies perfect stewardship. He testifies, "I have kept them in Your name" (John 17:12), mirroring the Old Testament vocabulary of keeping charge. As Great High Priest He fulfills every mishmeret, and through His indwelling Spirit enables the church to do likewise (Hebrews 3:6).
Key References
Genesis 26:5; Exodus 12:17; Leviticus 8:35; Numbers 1:53; Numbers 3:7-8; Numbers 9:19-23; Numbers 18:5; Deuteronomy 11:1; 1 Chronicles 9:23; 1 Chronicles 23:32; 2 Chronicles 23:6; Nehemiah 12:45; Jeremiah 37:21; Ezekiel 40:45-46; Ezekiel 44:14.
Theological Insights
• Mishmeret stresses that divine privilege is inseparable from divine responsibility.
• Sacred trust is communal: Israel as a nation, priests as a class, and believers today all stand under charge.
• Failure to guard what God entrusts invites discipline, yet faithfulness invites multiplication of service (Matthew 25:21).
• The flow of redemptive history moves from the shadow of Levitical duty to the substance of Christ’s finished work, yet the call to vigilant stewardship abides.
Exodus 12:6
HEB: וְהָיָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ לְמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת עַ֣ד אַרְבָּעָ֥ה
KJV: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth
INT: become shall keep until four
Exodus 16:23
HEB: הַנִּ֧יחוּ לָכֶ֛ם לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת עַד־ הַבֹּֽקֶר׃
NAS: put aside to be kept until
KJV: lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
INT: is left up to be kept until morning
Exodus 16:32
HEB: הָעֹ֙מֶר֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן ׀
NAS: Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations,
KJV: an omer of it to be kept for your generations;
INT: an omer at of it be kept your generations because of
Exodus 16:33
HEB: לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
NAS: the LORD to be kept throughout your generations.
KJV: the LORD, to be kept for your generations.
INT: before the LORD to be kept your generations
Exodus 16:34
HEB: לִפְנֵ֥י הָעֵדֻ֖ת לְמִשְׁמָֽרֶת׃
NAS: it before the Testimony, to be kept.
KJV: before the Testimony, to be kept.
INT: before the Testimony to be kept
Leviticus 8:35
HEB: וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֛ם אֶת־ מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת יְהוָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א
NAS: and keep the charge of the LORD,
KJV: and keep the charge of the LORD,
INT: days and keep the charge of the LORD you will not
Leviticus 18:30
HEB: וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־ מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֗י לְבִלְתִּ֨י עֲשׂ֜וֹת
NAS: Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice
KJV: Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that [ye] commit
INT: keep my charge not practice
Leviticus 22:9
HEB: וְשָׁמְר֣וּ אֶת־ מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֗י וְלֹֽא־ יִשְׂא֤וּ
NAS: They shall therefore keep My charge, so that they will not bear
KJV: They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear
INT: keep my charge they will not bear
Numbers 1:53
HEB: הַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶת־ מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת מִשְׁכַּ֥ן הָעֵדֽוּת׃
NAS: shall keep charge of the tabernacle
KJV: shall keep the charge of the tabernacle
INT: shall keep the Levites charge of the tabernacle of the testimony
Numbers 3:7
HEB: וְשָׁמְר֣וּ אֶת־ מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־ מִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙
NAS: They shall perform the duties for him and for the whole
KJV: And they shall keep his charge, and the charge
INT: shall perform the duties the duties the whole
Numbers 3:7
HEB: מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־ מִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙ כָּל־ הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה
KJV: his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation
INT: shall perform the duties the duties the whole congregation
Numbers 3:8
HEB: מוֹעֵ֔ד וְאֶת־ מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
NAS: of meeting, along with the duties of the sons
KJV: of the congregation, and the charge of the children
INT: of the tent of meeting the duties of the sons of Israel
Numbers 3:25
HEB: וּמִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת בְּנֵֽי־ גֵרְשׁוֹן֙
NAS: Now the duties of the sons of Gershon
KJV: And the charge of the sons of Gershon
INT: now the duties of the sons of Gershon
Numbers 3:28
HEB: מֵא֔וֹת שֹׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃
NAS: performing the duties of the sanctuary.
KJV: keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
INT: hundred performing the duties of the sanctuary
Numbers 3:31
HEB: וּמִשְׁמַרְתָּ֗ם הָאָרֹ֤ן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן֙
NAS: Now their duties [involved] the ark,
KJV: And their charge [shall be] the ark,
INT: now their duties the ark the table
Numbers 3:32
HEB: פְּקֻדַּ֕ת שֹׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃
NAS: of those who perform the duties of the sanctuary.
KJV: of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
INT: the oversight perform the duties of the sanctuary
Numbers 3:36
HEB: וּפְקֻדַּ֣ת מִשְׁמֶרֶת֮ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִי֒
NAS: Now the appointed duties of the sons
KJV: And [under] the custody and charge of the sons
INT: now the appointed duties of the sons of Merari
Numbers 3:38
HEB: וּבָנָ֗יו שֹֽׁמְרִים֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַמִּקְדָּ֔שׁ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת
NAS: performing the duties of the sanctuary
KJV: keeping the charge of the sanctuary
INT: and his sons performing the duties of the sanctuary the obligation
Numbers 3:38
HEB: מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַמִּקְדָּ֔שׁ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
NAS: of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons
KJV: of the sanctuary for the charge of the children
INT: the duties of the sanctuary the obligation of the sons of Israel
Numbers 4:27
HEB: וּפְקַדְתֶּ֤ם עֲלֵהֶם֙ בְּמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת אֵ֖ת כָּל־
NAS: and you shall assign to them as a duty all
KJV: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.
INT: shall assign unto A duty all their loads
Numbers 4:28
HEB: בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּמִ֨שְׁמַרְתָּ֔ם בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר
NAS: of meeting, and their duties [shall be] under the direction
KJV: of the congregation: and their charge [shall be] under the hand
INT: the tent of meeting and their duties the direction of Ithamar
Numbers 4:31
HEB: וְזֹאת֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת מַשָּׂאָ֔ם לְכָל־
NAS: Now this is the duty of their loads,
KJV: And this [is] the charge of their burden,
INT: likewise is the duty of their loads for all
Numbers 4:32
HEB: אֶת־ כְּלֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת מַשָּׂאָֽם׃
KJV: the instruments of the charge of their burden.
INT: shall assign the items of the charge carry
Numbers 8:26
HEB: מוֹעֵד֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣ר מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת וַעֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א
NAS: to keep an obligation, but they [themselves] shall do
KJV: to keep the charge, and shall do
INT: of meeting to keep an obligation work no
78 Occurrences
Strong's Hebrew 4931
78 Occurrences
bə·miš·me·reṯ — 1 Occ.
bə·miš·mə·rō·ṯām — 2 Occ.
bə·miš·mə·rō·w·ṯê·hem — 1 Occ.
lə·miš·mā·reṯ — 1 Occ.
lə·miš·mā·rō·wṯ — 2 Occ.
lə·miš·me·reṯ — 7 Occ.
miš·mā·rō·wṯ — 2 Occ.
miš·mar·tə·ḵā — 1 Occ.
miš·mar·tî — 9 Occ.
miš·mar·tōw — 3 Occ.
miš·me·reṯ — 39 Occ.
miš·mə·rō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
miš·mə·rō·w·ṯām — 2 Occ.
miš·mə·rō·w·ṯām — 1 Occ.
ū·miš·mar·tām — 2 Occ.
ū·miš·me·reṯ — 4 Occ.