חֹמֶשׁ
𐤇𐤌𐤔
chômesh
H2570 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Primarily refers to the abdomen, especially the region of the fifth rib or the soft underbelly of a person or animal, often considered a vulnerable part of the body. In some contexts, specifically denotes the region that is targeted in combat or that is associated with vital organs. The term functions anatomically and sometimes is used metonymically for the vital region of a living being.
Semantic Range
abdomen, belly, soft underbelly, region of the fifth rib, vulnerable belly area (of person or animal)
Root / Etymology
Root: חמש. The direct derivation from the root חמש (ḥ-m-sh) is uncertain, as the root in attested biblical usage typically relates to the number five or to arming/preparing oneself (as in 'to be arrayed'). The sense 'abdomen' or 'soft belly' may derive from anatomical reckoning (i.e., fifth rib/fifth part) linking an ordinal sense to a specific region of the body, but the precise connection is not certain. Root etymology: חמש – 'five', 'to arm oneself, to be arrayed (especially in ranks of five)'. Word etymology: likely a denominative from the root, but the exact relation is debated.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, חֹמֶשׁ occurs infrequently and is used specifically to refer to the anatomical side or underbelly, usually in the context of injury or fatal wounds (e.g., 2 Samuel 2:23; 3:27; 4:6; 2 Kings 4:34). The translation 'fifth rib' arose from a possible association with the fifth bone or anatomical reckoning from the bottom of the ribcage, but modern scholarship agrees that the basic sense is 'abdomen' or 'soft belly', the location of vital organs and thus a particularly vulnerable region. The use of 'fifth rib' in some English translations reflects an ancient interpretive tradition but is not a precise anatomical term in Hebrew. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term does not continue in this anatomical sense. There is some semantic overlap with בֶּטֶן (beten, 'belly, womb'), but חֹמֶשׁ usually connotes a specific vulnerable segment rather than a general term for the abdomen.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root probably meaning, to be stout; the abdomen (as obese); fifth (rib).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חמש (ḥ-m-sh) — five, to arm oneself, to arrange in fives, to be arrayed
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2549 | חֲמִישִׁי | in the fifth |
| H2567 | חָמַשׁ | and he levied a fifth-part |
| H2569 | חֹמֶשׁ | to a fifth-part |
| H2571 | חָמֻשׁ | armed ones |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2570-01 |
הַ/חֹ֗מֶשׁ | hachomesh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the belly | the underbelly | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2570-01 |
2 Samuel 2:23 | הַ/חֹ֗מֶשׁ | hachomesh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the belly | the underbelly | |
H2570-01 |
2 Samuel 3:27 | הַ/חֹ֔מֶשׁ | hachomesh | HTd/Ncmsa |
in the fifth rib | the underbelly | |
H2570-01 |
2 Samuel 4:6 | הַ/חֹ֑מֶשׁ | hachomesh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the belly/stomach | the underbelly | |
H2570-01 |
2 Samuel 20:10 | הַ/חֹ֜מֶשׁ | hachomesh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the belly | the underbelly |