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גַּחַם

𐤂𐤇𐤌

Gacham

H1514 noun

SILEX Entry

Root גחם to burn, to flame (possible root meanings, not attested as a verb)

Definition

Gacham (proper noun): A personal name, appearing as one of the sons of Nahor, brother of Abraham, in genealogical lists (Genesis 22:24). The name likely conveys an association with fire or heat, conveying the metaphorical sense of ardor or intensity, though its exact nuance as a name remains uncertain. Not used outside of genealogical contexts in the Hebrew Bible.

Semantic Range

personal name; possible connotation of flame, burning, ardor (only as a name, not as a common noun or verb)

Root / Etymology

Derived from an unused root גחם, which is related to the idea of burning or flaming, possibly analogous to the better attested root גָּחַל (gachal, 'to burn, to be hot'). However, גחם itself is not used elsewhere in Hebrew and survives only in this proper name.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Gacham is attested only as a personal name among the descendants of Nahor, Abraham's brother (Genesis 22:24). It does not occur as a common noun or verb in the Hebrew Bible. The name is sometimes rendered as 'Gaham' in English translations, but this is a transliteration. There is no evidence that גַּחַם was ever a common word or that it referred to any other concept in ancient Israelite society. The possible association with fire or heat aligns with a broader pattern of personal names derived from natural phenomena in West Semitic languages. There is no distinct shift in meaning or usage through Israelite or post-Israelite history, as the name is only preserved in genealogical tradition. Later translations or religious traditions may treat the name differently due to varying transliteration conventions.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to burn; flame; Gacham, a son of Nahor; Gaham.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גחם (g-ḥ-m) — burning, flaming, heat, ardor

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1514-01 גַּ֔חַם gacham HNp Gaham Flame-One 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1514-01 Genesis 22:24 גַּ֔חַם gacham HNp Gaham Flame-One
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