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בָּמָה

𐤁𐤌𐤄

Bamah

H1117 noun

SILEX Entry

Root במה to be high, be lofty, rise

Definition

Bâmâh refers primarily to a high place, typically a raised site or natural elevation, which served as a location for ritual activity, especially sacrifice and worship. The term can denote both naturally elevated sites and constructed platforms or sanctuaries, often associated with religious ceremonies. In later periods, it can come to mean altars or places of pagan or syncretistic worship, but can also simply refer to a notable height or mound.

Semantic Range

high place, cultic site, shrine, altar, hill, platform; place used for ritual or religious purposes; place name (Bamah)

Root / Etymology

Root בום (bmh), core meaning 'to be high, rise'. The noun בָּמָה derives from this sense of height or elevation and comes to denote a raised location, especially used for cultic purposes. Its use for ritual sites reflects the association of height with proximity to the divine in ancient Near Eastern cultures. Etymology is debated; some suggest a non-Semitic loanword, but connection to the Hebrew root meaning 'height' is widely accepted.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the earlier Israelite period, 'bâmâh' is widely used for cultic sites outside of Jerusalem, often in connection with legitimate Yahwistic worship (e.g. 1 Samuel 9:12–25). After the centralization reforms attributed to the monarchic period (notably under Josiah), bâmôt came to be viewed more critically, often associated with syncretistic or non-Yahwistic worship practices by later biblical writers. Archaeological and textual evidence suggests bâmôt varied in form and size, from simple stone altars to complex sanctuary compounds, depending on location and period. The association of bâmôth (plural) with 'pagan' or 'illegitimate' worship reflects theological perspectives that arose after the centralization of worship in Jerusalem. English renderings as 'high place' are accurate geographically, but sometimes fail to capture the nuanced religious usage, which could range from acceptable local altars to condemned sites of idolatry. In Ezekiel 20:29, Bâmâh appears as a toponym, illustrating the overlap between common noun and proper place name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as בָּמָה; Bamah, a place in Palestine; Bamah. See also בָּמוֹת.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מה (m-h) — questioning, inquiry, specification-seeking

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1099 בְּלִימָה what?
H4100 מָה with what?
H4101 מָה for what?
H4478 מָן the what-is-it
H4479 מָן what-substance

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1117-01 בָּמָ֔ה bamah HNp Bamah in what? 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1117-01 Ezekiel 20:29 בָּמָ֔ה bamah HNp Bamah in what?
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