חֲמָתִי
𐤇𐤌𐤕𐤉
Chamati
H2577 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person originating from or associated with the city or region of Hamath (חֲמָת), located in the northern Levant. The term designates geographic origin rather than ethnic or religious identity. The word is used to describe an inhabitant of Hamath and sometimes occurs in lists of neighboring peoples or regions relevant to the Israelite context.
Semantic Range
inhabitant of Hamath, native of Hamath, person of Hamathite geographic origin, Hamathite
Root / Etymology
Formed from the name חֲמָת (Hamath) with the gentilic suffix -ִי, which is attached in Hebrew to indicate origin or association (thus חֲמָתִי = 'Hamathite'). The root of חֲמָת itself is debated; it is likely non-Hebrew, reflecting a city of northern Syrian or West Semitic origin. The gentilic formation follows standard Semitic patterns for deriving terms of geographic affiliation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲמָתִי is used to describe individuals or groups who originated from Hamath, an important city-state located on the Orontes River, prominent in Bronze and Iron Age Syria. In the Hebrew Bible, the term is often found in genealogical or territorial lists (e.g., Genesis 10:18, 1 Chronicles 1:16) to denote either real or putative inhabitants of Hamath or to provide an ethnogeographic framework. The term does not specify ethnic, tribal, or religious affiliation beyond geographic origin. In the monarchic period, Hamath was known as an independent kingdom interacting politically and militarily with Israel, Aram, and Assyria. Later translations (such as the KJV 'Hamathite') reflect an English gentilic formation but may not fully carry the original geographic specificity. Related terms include חִתִּי (Hittite), צִידֹנִי (Sidonian), and אַרְקִי (Arkite), all denoting origin from prominent ancient Near Eastern cities or regions and often appearing together in biblical 'Table of Nations' contexts. There is no evidence in the biblical period for religious, national, or ethnic meanings attached to the term beyond its geographic sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from חֲמָת; a Chamathite or native of Chamath; Hamathite.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חמת (ḥ-m-t) — to designate origin, to form a gentilic from Hamath
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2577-01 |
הַֽ/חֲמָתִ֑י | hachamati | HTd/Ngmsa |
Hamathite | Hamathite | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2577-01 |
Genesis 10:18 | הַֽ/חֲמָתִ֑י | hachamati | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Hamathite | Hamathite |
H2577-01 |
1 Chronicles 1:16 | הַֽ/חֲמָתִֽי | hachamati | HTd/Ngmsa |
Hamathite | Hamathite |