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חוֹמָה

𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤄

chôwmâh

H2346 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A structure of stone, brick, or other material raised to enclose, protect, or separate an area, most commonly referring to the defensive walls of a city or fortification. The term can also denote any large, dividing wall, including those of houses, vineyards, or enclosures. Sometimes used metaphorically for protection or separation.

Semantic Range

city wall, defensive wall, external fortification, large enclosing wall (of a vineyard, house, sheepfold), symbolic barrier or protection

Root / Etymology

Root: חוּם (uncertain/unused), possibly related to a root meaning 'to join' or 'be joined together.' The root itself is not attested outside derivatives such as חוֹמָה, and its formation as a substantive (n. feminine) from a hypothesized participial form suggests an original sense of 'joined (structure),' i.e., something built by joining stones or materials.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In ancient Israelite society during the monarchy, חוֹמָה was especially associated with the fortified walls of cities (e.g., Jericho, Jerusalem), whose presence signified both security and political status. Non-walled villages distinguished from 'fortified' (חוֹמָה) towns in legal and narrative texts (cf. Leviticus 25:29-31). Occasionally the word is used metaphorically (e.g., Proverbs 18:11: 'a high wall in his own imagination') to denote psychological or social boundaries. In post-exilic texts (e.g., Nehemiah), rebuilding the חוֹמָה of Jerusalem became a symbol of renewed security and identity for the Judean community. While English 'wall' is generally an accurate translation, חוֹמָה nearly always refers to significant, protective masonry, not interior or partition walls (for which קִיר is more common). Some English translations use the word 'walled' adjectivally to describe towns with חוֹמָה; the biblical text distinguishes between unwalled and walled settlements for purposes such as redemption law. The meaning has remained consistent throughout the biblical corpus. Later translations sometimes render חוֹמָה in contexts of later urban fortifications, but readers should avoid importing associations with medieval or modern city walls.

Translation Consistency

primary "wall" 45 occurrences

חומה typically denotes a physical enclosing or defensive wall (city wall, enclosure, vineyard or house wall) and is most naturally rendered in English as “wall.” This simple, common noun covers literal and figurative uses and matches the majority of occurrences better than more specialized terms like “rampart” or adjectival forms such as “enclosing.”

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"enclosing-wall of" (2x) "two enclosing-walls" (2x) "enclosing-walls of" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine active participle of an unused root apparently meaning to join; a wall of protection; wall, walled.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

חום (chôwmâh) — to join, to unite (root idea), to enclose (derivative sense)

Root חום to join, to unite (root idea), to enclose (derivative sense)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2524 חָם her father-in-law
H2573 חֵמֶת your skin-bottle

Word Forms

28 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2346-13 הַ/חוֹמָ֔ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall 35
H2346-06 חוֹמָ֖ה chomah HNcfsa wall enclosing wall enclosing wall 19
H2346-07 חוֹמַ֥ת chomat HNcfsc wall enclosing wall of enclosing wall of 17
H2346-09 חוֹמ֖וֹת chomot HNcfpa walls enclosing walls of enclosing walls of 10
H2346-10 חֽוֹמוֹתַ֔יִ/ךְ chomotayikhe HNcfpc/Sp2fs your walls your enclosing walls your enclosing walls 8
H2346-03 בְּ/חוֹמַ֖ת bechomat HR/Ncfsc in-wall-of in the enclosing-wall of in the enclosing-wall of 7
H2346-01 בַּֽ/חוֹמָה֙ bachomah HRd/Ncfsa the wall in the enclosing wall in the wall 5
H2346-16 לַֽ/חוֹמָ֑ה lachomah HRd/Ncfsa to-the-wall to the enclosing wall to the enclosing wall 5
H2346-15 הַ/חֹמֹתַ֗יִם hachomotayim HTd/Ncfda the two walls the two enclosing-walls the two enclosing-walls 4
H2346-11 חוֹמֹתֶ֨י/הָ֙ chomoteyha HNcfpc/Sp3fs her walls her enclosing walls her enclosing walls 3

Occurrences in Scripture

133 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2346-06 Exodus 14:22 חֹמָ֔ה chomah HNcfsa a wall enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-06 Exodus 14:29 חֹמָ֔ה chomah HNcfsa a wall enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-06 Leviticus 25:29 חוֹמָ֔ה chomah HNcfsa walled enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-06 Leviticus 25:30 חֹמָ֗ה chomah HNcfsa wall enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-06 Leviticus 25:31 חֹמָה֙ chomah HNcfsa wall enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-06 Deuteronomy 3:5 חוֹמָ֥ה chomah HNcfsa walls enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-12 Deuteronomy 28:52 חֹמֹתֶ֨י/ךָ֙ chomoteykha HNcfpc/Sp2ms your-walls your enclosing walls your walls
H2346-13 Joshua 2:15 הַֽ/חוֹמָ֔ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-24 Joshua 2:15 וּ/בַֽ/חוֹמָ֖ה uvachomah HC/Rd/Ncfsa and in the wall and in the enclosing wall and in the wall
H2346-07 Joshua 6:5 חוֹמַ֤ת chomat HNcfsc wall enclosing wall of enclosing wall of
H2346-13 Joshua 6:20 הַֽ/חוֹמָ֜ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-06 1 Samuel 25:16 חוֹמָה֙ chomah HNcfsa wall enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-03 1 Samuel 31:10 בְּ/חוֹמַ֖ת bechomat HR/Ncfsc in/on wall in the enclosing-wall of in the enclosing-wall of
H2346-20 1 Samuel 31:12 מֵ/חוֹמַ֖ת mechomat HR/Ncfsc from wall enclosing wall of from the wall of
H2346-13 2 Samuel 11:20 הַ/חוֹמָֽה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Samuel 11:21 הַֽ/חוֹמָה֙ hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Samuel 11:21 הַֽ/חוֹמָ֑ה hachomah-2 HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Samuel 11:24 הַ/חוֹמָ֔ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the-wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Samuel 18:24 הַ֣/חוֹמָ֔ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Samuel 20:15 הַ/חוֹמָֽה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Samuel 20:21 הַ/חוֹמָֽה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-07 1 Kings 3:1 חוֹמַ֥ת chomat HNcfsc the wall enclosing wall of enclosing wall of
H2346-06 1 Kings 4:13 חוֹמָ֖ה chomah HNcfsa walled enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-07 1 Kings 9:15 חוֹמַ֣ת chomat HNcfsc wall enclosing wall of enclosing wall of
H2346-13 1 Kings 20:30 הַ/חוֹמָ֔ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Kings 3:27 הַ֣/חֹמָ֔ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Kings 6:26 הַ/חֹמָ֑ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Kings 6:30 הַ/חֹמָ֑ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-03 2 Kings 14:13 בְּ/חוֹמַ֨ת bechomat HR/Ncfsc the-wall in the enclosing-wall of in the enclosing-wall of
H2346-13 2 Kings 18:26 הַ/חֹמָֽה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 2 Kings 18:27 הַ֣/חֹמָ֔ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-15 2 Kings 25:4 הַ/חֹמֹתַ֗יִם hachomotayim HTd/Ncfda the two walls the two enclosing-walls the two enclosing-walls
H2346-09 2 Kings 25:10 חוֹמֹ֥ת chomot HNcfpc walls enclosing walls of enclosing walls of
H2346-06 Isaiah 2:15 חוֹמָ֥ה chomah HNcfsa wall enclosing wall enclosing wall
H2346-13 Isaiah 22:10 הַ/חוֹמָֽה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-15 Isaiah 22:11 הַ/חֹ֣מֹתַ֔יִם hachomotayim HTd/Ncfda the-two-walls the two enclosing-walls the two enclosing-walls
H2346-12 Isaiah 25:12 חוֹמֹתֶ֗י/ךָ chomoteykha HNcfpc/Sp2ms of-your-walls your enclosing walls your walls
H2346-09 Isaiah 26:1 חוֹמ֥וֹת chomot HNcfpa walls enclosing walls of enclosing walls of
H2346-02 Isaiah 30:13 בְּ/חוֹמָ֣ה bechomah HR/Ncfsa in a wall in an enclosing wall in a wall
H2346-13 Isaiah 36:11 הַ/חוֹמָֽה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-13 Isaiah 36:12 הַ֣/חוֹמָ֔ה hachomah HTd/Ncfsa the wall the enclosing wall the enclosing wall
H2346-10 Isaiah 49:16 חוֹמֹתַ֥יִ/ךְ chomotayikhe HNcfpc/Sp2fs your walls your enclosing walls your enclosing walls
H2346-26 Isaiah 56:5 וּ/בְ/חֽוֹמֹתַ/י֙ uvechomotay HC/R/Ncfpc/Sp1cs and-in-walls-of-me and in my enclosing walls and in my walls
H2346-10 Isaiah 60:10 חֹמֹתַ֔יִ/ךְ chomotayikhe HNcfpc/Sp2fs your-walls your enclosing walls your enclosing walls
H2346-10 Isaiah 60:18 חוֹמֹתַ֔יִ/ךְ chomotayikhe HNcfpc/Sp2fs your walls your enclosing walls your enclosing walls
H2346-10 Isaiah 62:6 חוֹמֹתַ֣יִ/ךְ chomotayikhe HNcfpc/Sp2fs your walls your enclosing walls your enclosing walls
H2346-11 Jeremiah 1:15 חוֹמֹתֶ֨י/הָ֙ chomoteyha HNcfpc/Sp3fs its walls her enclosing walls her enclosing walls
H2346-23 Jeremiah 1:18 וּ/לְ/חֹמ֥וֹת ulechomot HC/R/Ncfpc and walls and to enclosing-walls of and to enclosing-walls of
H2346-17 Jeremiah 15:20 לְ/חוֹמַ֤ת lechomat HR/Ncfsc as a wall to the enclosing wall of as a wall of
H2346-16 Jeremiah 21:4 לַֽ/חוֹמָ֑ה lachomah HRd/Ncfsa to-the-wall to the enclosing wall to the enclosing wall
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