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חֲמַר

𐤇𐤌𐤓

chămar

H2562 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חמר to ferment, to boil up, to foam

Definition

A fermented beverage made from grapes; wine. In Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, especially in Daniel and Ezra, this term refers specifically to wine as a drink, particularly in ceremonial or courtly contexts. The semantic range covers wine in both everyday and royal settings, normally as a product of fermentation.

Semantic Range

wine, fermented grape beverage, wine used in banquets or as offerings

Root / Etymology

From the root חמר, which in Aramaic and Hebrew carries the sense of 'to ferment, to foam, to boil up.' The noun chămar derives from this root, connected to the process of fermentation that yields wine.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֲמַר appears only in Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Daniel 5:1-4, Ezra 6:9), where it denotes wine, often in the context of royal banquets or temple offerings. Unlike the Hebrew word יַיִן (yayin), which is the standard term for wine throughout the Hebrew literature, חֲמַר is distinctively Aramaic. Its appearance is limited to the exilic and post-exilic periods, reflecting both a linguistic and cultural setting influenced by Babylonian and Persian administration. The word is sometimes translated as 'wine' or, more rarely, as 'fermented drink' in English versions, but always refers to alcoholic grape product, not unfermented juice. In the Greek Septuagint, it is usually rendered by οἶνος (oinos). This word does not carry any specialized religious or cultic sense beyond its use in offerings. Its use in later Aramaic is widespread but always in the sense of wine.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to חֶמֶר; wine; wine.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חמר (ḥ-m-r) — to ferment, to boil up, to foam

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2543 חֲמוֹר on the male donkeys
H2544 חֲמוֹר Hamor
H2560 חָמַר he bubbled up
H2561 חֶמֶר fermenting wine
H2563 חֹמֶר in the clay

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2562-02 חַמְרָ֥/א chamera ANcmsd/Td wine the fermented wine 4
H2562-01 חֲמַ֣ר chamar ANcmsa wine he fermented 2

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2562-02 Daniel 5:1 חַמְרָ֥/א chamera ANcmsd/Td wine the fermented wine
H2562-02 Daniel 5:2 חַמְרָ֗/א chamera ANcmsd/Td the-wine the fermented wine
H2562-02 Daniel 5:4 חַמְרָ֑/א chamera ANcmsd/Td wine the fermented wine
H2562-02 Daniel 5:23 חַמְרָ/א֮ chamera ANcmsd/Td wine the fermented wine
H2562-01 Ezra 6:9 חֲמַ֣ר chamar ANcmsa wine he fermented
H2562-01 Ezra 7:22 חֲמַר֙ chamar ANcmsa wine he fermented
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