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הֵם

𐤄𐤌

hêm

H1992 pronoun

SILEX Entry

Root הם to indicate third person masculine plural, to point out, to specify

Definition

A third person masculine plural independent pronoun: they, those. It functions as the primary term for indicating a group of male or mixed-gender persons or entities as subject or predicate. Frequently used for emphatic reference, contrast, or identification (sometimes, but rarely, may refer to objects, animals, or even nations personified).

Semantic Range

they (masc. or mixed plural), those, the (masculine plural demonstrative in some emphatic cases), sometimes personified groups (nations, tribes), occasionally non-human referents in poetic or extended usage, used emphatically or for contrast

Root / Etymology

Root: הום (preserved in earlier forms as well), or uncertain; not derived from הלך as mistakenly suggested in some sources. הֵם is the standard third person masculine plural independent pronoun. The longer variant form is הֵמָּה (hēmāh). Related to-הוא (hû’, he [3ms]) and-הִיא (hî’, she [3fs]).

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, הֵם and its longer form הֵמָּה serve as core independent third person masculine plural pronouns, often used for contrast or emphasis, especially after nouns or other pronouns (e.g. 'they themselves'). Parallel to feminine הֵּנָּה (hēnnāh, 'they' f.pl.). In poetry or elevated language, the longer form is preferred. Despite some translation traditions rendering הֵם as 'they' even for non-personal referents, the grammatical norm in Biblical Hebrew is for הֵם to refer to persons or personified groups. Later Greek and English translation traditions often interpret הֵם according to context as 'they', 'those', or even 'the same,' but the word functions primarily as a pronoun referencing third person plurals. Later in the Second Temple period and in Qumran texts, little change in function is observed. Modern translations sometimes obscure emphatic or contrastive function.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (prolonged) הֵמָּה; masculine plural from הֲלַךְ; they (only used when emphatic); it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

הם (h-m) — third person masculine plural reference, indication, specification of a group

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1990 הָם in Ham

Word Forms

17 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1992-05 הֵ֧מָּה hemah HPp3mp they they 219
H1992-04 הֵ֑ם hem HPp3mp they they 176
H1992-15 וְ/הֵ֨מָּה֙ vehemah HC/Pp3mp and they and they 53
H1992-02 הָ/הֵם֒ hahem HTd/Pp3mp those they 46
H1992-14 וְ/הֵ֖ם vehem HC/Pp3mp and they and they 43
H1992-03 הָ/הֵ֨מָּה֙ hahemah HTd/Pp3mp those they 12
H1992-06 כָּ/הֵ֤ם kahem HR/Pp3mp as they are they 3
H1992-11 שֶׁ֥/הֵ֖ם shehem HTr/Sp3mp for they that they 3
H1992-10 מֵ/הֵֽמָּה mehemah HR/Pp3mp at them from them 2
H1992-01 בָּ/הֵֽמָּה bahemah HR/Pp3mp in them in them 2

Occurrences in Scripture

566 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1992-04 Genesis 3:7 הֵ֑ם hem HPp3mp they they
H1992-02 Genesis 6:4 הָ/הֵם֒ hahem HTd/Pp3mp those they
H1992-05 Genesis 6:4 הֵ֧מָּה hemah HPp3mp they they
H1992-05 Genesis 7:14 הֵ֜מָּה hemah HPp3mp they they
H1992-14 Genesis 14:13 וְ/הֵ֖ם vehem HC/Pp3mp and they and they
H1992-04 Genesis 14:24 הֵ֖ם hem HPp3mp they they
H1992-04 Genesis 25:16 הֵ֞ם hem HPp3mp [are] they they
H1992-04 Genesis 34:21 הֵ֣ם hem HPp3mp they are they
H1992-04 Genesis 34:22 הֵ֥ם hem HPp3mp they they
H1992-04 Genesis 34:23 הֵ֑ם hem HPp3mp be they
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