חֹמֶשׁ
𐤇𐤌𐤔
chômesh
H2569 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A portion measured as one fifth, especially a fifth part as a designated share or tax. In legal and administrative contexts, refers specifically to the requirement to add a fifth part as a penalty or restitution to a principal amount, particularly in priestly and Levitical texts regarding offerings, tithes, or restitution for misdeeds.
Semantic Range
one fifth, a quantity equal to 20%, a fifth part as tax or fine, the fifth share—in legal contexts specifically as an additional restitution or penalty
Root / Etymology
From the root חמש (ḥ-m-sh), meaning 'five.' The word חֹמֶשׁ directly derives from this root, signifying 'the fifth part' or 'one fifth.' It is a noun formed on the pattern of other Hebrew fractionals and quantitative terms.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֹמֶשׁ appears predominantly in legal, priestly, and administrative texts of the Pentateuch, where it denotes the additional payment of one fifth (20%) required as compensation or penalty, such as Leviticus 5:16, 6:5, and 22:14. The use of the term is specific, usually attached to laws about restitution or sanctified property, rather than general counting. The word is distinct from other Hebrew numerals and is used primarily to express a fractional tax or share. Later use, including post-biblical Hebrew, may extend the term to tax or percentage shares more abstractly; however, this meaning is not primary in the Hebrew Bible. English translations often render it as 'a fifth part' or 'a fifth,' but may obscure its function as a technical term in priestly and legal contexts, particularly concerning penalties or required restitutions to the sanctuary or priests. The KJV and other traditional translations sometimes obscure whether 'a fifth' refers to a percentage tax, a penalty, or a portion of spoils; context in each legal passage clarifies the specific sense. The related root is also seen in חָמֵשׁ (ḥāmēsh, 'five').
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָמַשׁ; a fifth tax; fifth participle
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חמש (ḥ-m-sh) — five, fifth, set of five
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2549 | חֲמִישִׁי | in the fifth |
| H2567 | חָמַשׁ | and he levied a fifth-part |
| H2570 | חֹמֶשׁ | the underbelly |
| H2571 | חָמֻשׁ | armed ones |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2569-01 |
לַ/חֹ֑מֶשׁ | lachomesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
for a fifth | to a fifth-part | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2569-01 |
Genesis 47:26 | לַ/חֹ֑מֶשׁ | lachomesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
for a fifth | to a fifth-part |