הַ/טָּמֵא֙
𐤄/𐤈𐤌𐤀
ṭâmêʼ
the unclean
In a ritual or cultic context, 'ṭāmêʼ' means unclean, impure—designating a person, animal, object, or food that is ritually or ceremonially unsuitable for sacred use or participation in religious acts due to contact with certain substances, conditions, or actions. It can also denote a state of impurity resulting from transgression of ritual boundaries, contact with the dead, particular diseases, or emissions. While the term often carries technical cultic meaning, it can be extended metaphorically to moral or social pollution, though the primary sense remains ritual.
temba "fault, blame, accusation" (Kikongo) · tembe "blemish, fault, stain, impurity" (Lingala)Deuteronomy 12:22 · Word #10
Lexicon H2931
| Lemma | טָמֵא |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤈𐤌𐤀 |
| Transliteration | ṭâmêʼ |
| Strong's | H2931 |
| Definition | In a ritual or cultic context, 'ṭāmêʼ' means unclean, impure—designating a person, animal, object, or food that is ritually or ceremonially unsuitable for sacred use or participation in religious acts due to contact with certain substances, conditions, or actions. It can also denote a state of impurity resulting from transgression of ritual boundaries, contact with the dead, particular diseases, or emissions. While the term often carries technical cultic meaning, it can be extended metaphorically to moral or social pollution, though the primary sense remains ritual. |
Morphology HTd/Aamsa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | A — Adjective — Describes a noun |
| Subtype | a — Adjective — Adjective |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | the unclean |
SIBI-P1 Translation H2931-02
the ritually unclean one
| Morphological Notes | Adjective, masculine singular absolute with prefixed definite article (הַ). |
| Rendering Rationale | The adjective טָמֵא denotes a state of ritual impurity derived directly from the root meaning "to be/become unclean." The prefixed definite article and masculine singular form are preserved by rendering it "the ritually unclean one." |
View full lexicon entry for H2931 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
the ritually unclean one
| Same as P1 | Yes |
| Rationale | The rendering specifies the appropriate ritual/cultic nuance required in context. |
Bantu Hebrew
הַ/טָּמֵא֙ (ṭâmêʼ) — In a ritual or cultic context, 'ṭāmêʼ' means unclean, impure—designating a person, animal, object, or food that is ritually or ceremonially unsuitable for sacred use or participation in religious acts due to contact with certain substances, conditions, or actions. It can also denote a state of impurity resulting from transgression of ritual boundaries, contact with the dead, particular diseases, or emissions. While the term often carries technical cultic meaning, it can be extended metaphorically to moral or social pollution, though the primary sense remains ritual.