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חִירָם

𐤇𐤉𐤓𐤌

Chiram

H2438 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Personal name referring primarily to two notable figures associated with the city of Tyre: (1) the king of Tyre who maintained friendly and cooperative relations with both David and Solomon, notably providing materials and craftsmen for the construction of the Israelite royal palace and the First Temple; (2) a craftsman from Tyre commissioned by Solomon, described as skillful in working with bronze, gold, and other materials for the Temple's adornment. The name, while attested in differing vocalizations (חִירָם, חִירוֹם, and חִירֹם), appears to carry a non-Israelite etymology and is used exclusively for non-Israelite, specifically Tyrian, individuals in the Hebrew Bible.

Semantic Range

personal name of the king of Tyre (ally of David and Solomon), personal name of a craftsman from Tyre associated with Solomon's Temple; not used for Israelites or Judahites; name denotes prominent, non-Israelite individuals in the Hebrew Bible

Root / Etymology

The etymology is uncertain but is associated with non-Israelite (Phoenician) onomastics. The name is often related to the root חוּר (to be noble, free) or possibly to עלם ('to be exalted, high'), though these associations remain speculative. The Hebrew forms חִירָם, חִירוֹם, and חִירֹם may reflect differences in dialect or scribal transmission. The name is sometimes equated with the form חוּרָם (Huram), but the relationship between these forms is not fully clear.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical tradition, חִירָם (Hiram) is chiefly remembered as the king of Tyre (1 Kings 5; 2 Samuel 5:11) and as the artisan (1 Kings 7:13–45; 2 Chronicles 2–4). The name is never applied to an Israelite, Judahite, or Judean. English translations often render this name as 'Hiram' or, following Chronicles, 'Huram,' reflecting the variant forms. The Chronicler's form 'Huram' may be a phonetic or text-tradition variation rather than a separate individual. The use of this name exemplifies the cosmopolitan nature of Israelite royal and temple enterprises in the United Monarchy, especially their Phoenician connections. Later Jewish and Christian traditions sometimes blur these distinctions through harmonization in translation, but the Hebrew text distinguishes the king and the craftsman, even where the names overlap.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or חִירוֹםlemma חִירֹם missing vav, corrected to חִירוֹם; another form of חוּרָם; Chiram or Chirom, the name of two Tyrians; Hiram, Huram.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חיר (ḥ-y-r) — uncertain; possibly exaltedness, nobility, freedom

Root חיר uncertain (name; possibly 'to be exalted, noble')

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2438-01 חִירָ֨ם chiram HNp Hiram Hiram Chiram 16
H2438-02 חִיר֜וֹם chirom HNp Hiram Noble-One Chiram 3
H2438-04 חירם chyrm HNp Hiram Hiram the Noble Chiram 3
H2438-05 לְ/חִירָ֜ם lechiram HR/Np to Hiram to Hiram to Chiram 3
H2438-03 חוּרָ֨ם churam HNp Huram Huram Chiram 1

Occurrences in Scripture

26 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2438-01 2 Samuel 5:11 חִירָ֨ם chiram HNp Hiram Hiram Chiram
H2438-01 1 Kings 5:15 חִירָ֨ם chiram HNp Hiram Hiram Chiram
H2438-01 1 Kings 5:15 חִירָ֛ם chiram-2 HNp Hiram Hiram Chiram
H2438-01 1 Kings 5:16 חִירָ֖ם chiram HNp Hiram Hiram Chiram
H2438-01 1 Kings 5:21 חִירָ֛ם chiram HNp Hiram Hiram Chiram
H2438-01 1 Kings 5:22 חִירָם֙ chiram HNp Hiram Hiram Chiram
H2438-02 1 Kings 5:24 חִיר֜וֹם chirom HNp Hiram Noble-One Chiram
H2438-05 1 Kings 5:25 לְ/חִירָ֜ם lechiram HR/Np to Hiram to Hiram to Chiram
H2438-05 1 Kings 5:25 לְ/חִירָ֖ם lechiram-2 HR/Np to Hiram to Hiram to Chiram
H2438-01 1 Kings 5:26 חִירָם֙ chiram HNp Hiram Hiram Chiram
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