The Hebrew root for the verb "protect" in this verse is shamar (Χ©ΧΦΈΧΦ·Χ¨), which first appears in the Bible in Gen. 2:15 where Adam was instructed to tend and "guard" the garden. It is also used in Gen. 17:9 where God instructed Abraham to "keep" His covenant. In fact, shamar is used over 400 times in the Tanakh, and the basic idea of the root is to "exercise great care over," to "watch over," to "guard," to "take heed," and to "tend" or restrain (as a flock).
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