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חָם

𐤇𐤌

châm

H2524 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חום to be warm, to protect (uncertain connection)

Definition

Male parent of one's spouse; specifically, a wife's father (i.e., the father-in-law of a man). The term refers explicitly to relationship by marriage rather than by blood. Used in narrative contexts to specify family ties established through marriage alliances.

Semantic Range

father-in-law, the father of one's wife, kinship by marriage

Root / Etymology

From the root חום (ḥ-w-m), possibly related to heat or warmth, though the semantic connection between the root and the specific meaning "father-in-law" is uncertain. It may derive from a broader root sense of protection, warmth, or familial connection, but the link is not clearly attested. Thus, etymology is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָם appears predominantly in genealogical and narrative passages in the Hebrew Bible, especially in accounts detailing marriage arrangements and family relations (e.g., Exodus 18:7, referring to Moses' father-in-law Jethro/Reuel). The term is structurally distinct from other words for relatives by marriage, such as חָמוֹת (ḥāmōt, 'mother-in-law') and כלה (kallah, 'daughter-in-law'). There are no substantial lexical differences attested between its use in early (patriarchal) and later (monarchic) texts; its meaning remains stable. Some later translations use 'father-in-law,' and in early Greek versions (Septuagint), it is usually rendered with πενθερός (pentherós). In the biblical context, 'father-in-law' does not denote any specific legal or ritual status beyond kinship acquired through marriage. The English term 'father-in-law' accurately captures the meaning, but readers should note that family structures and expectations could differ from modern usage. The same Hebrew spelling חָם also occurs as a personal name (e.g., Ham, son of Noah), but the two are lexically and etymologically distinct entries.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as חוֹמָה; a father-in-law (as in affinity); father in law.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חום (ḥ-w-m) — warmth, heat, protection (uncertain connection)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2345 חוּם sun-darkened
H2346 חוֹמָה in the enclosing wall
H2573 חֵמֶת your skin-bottle

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2524-01 חָמִ֨י/הָ֙ chamiha HNcmsc/Sp3fs her father-in-law her father-in-law 3
H2524-02 חָמִ֛י/ךְ chamikhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your father-in-law your father-in-law 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2524-02 Genesis 38:13 חָמִ֛י/ךְ chamikhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your father-in-law your father-in-law
H2524-01 Genesis 38:25 חָמִ֨י/הָ֙ chamiha HNcmsc/Sp3fs her father-in-law her father-in-law
H2524-01 1 Samuel 4:19 חָמִ֖י/הָ chamiha HNcmsc/Sp3fs her father-in-law her father-in-law
H2524-01 1 Samuel 4:21 חָמִ֖י/הָ chamiha HNcmsc/Sp3fs her father-in-law her father-in-law
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