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אֲחִיאָם

𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤀𐤌

Achiam

H279 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אח brother, kinsman, relative

Definition

Personal name meaning 'my kinsman is mother' or 'relative of mother.' In context, it designates an individual whose relationship is expressed in terms of maternal kinship (possibly a maternal uncle, but not strictly limited to that sense). Used as the name of an Israelite warrior: Ahiam.

Semantic Range

personal name, indicating kinship (possibly maternal), given name of an Israelite, no general noun usage

Root / Etymology

Compound of אָח ('akh, 'brother' or 'kinsman') and אֵם (em, 'mother'). The construction forms a theophoric or kinship-based personal name, common in ancient Israelite naming patterns. The root elements function as nouns meaning 'brother, kinsman' (אָח) and 'mother' (אֵם).

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name אֲחִיאָם (ʼĂchîyʼâm) appears as the name of one of David's mighty warriors (2 Samuel 23:33; 1 Chronicles 11:35). The name’s construction does not correspond precisely to a genealogical or legal term like 'uncle,' though the possible sense of 'relative on the mother's side' arises naturally from the root elements. In later Hebrew and English translations, the specific kinship relation is often obscured and rendered simply as a personal name. The semantic nuance of maternal kinship is more pronounced in the cultural context of ancient Israel, where family connections through both paternal and maternal lines could be emphasized in naming. No evidence links this name with a particular office or role; it functions solely as an individual name in genealogical lists. Later tradition reads it as 'Ahiam.' KJV and other translations transliterate it as 'Ahiam,' losing the underlying meaning entirely. There is no indication of a religious development associated with this name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָח and אֵם; brother of the mother (i.e. uncle); Achiam, an Israelite; Ahiam.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אח (ʾ-ḥ) — brother, kinsman, relative

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H251 אָח brother
H252 אַח your brothers
H253 אָח brother
H254 אָח the firepot
H255 אֹחַ howling wild creatures

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H279-01 אֲחִיאָ֥ם achiam HNp Ahiam My-Kinsman-is-Mother 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H279-01 2 Samuel 23:33 אֲחִיאָ֥ם achiam HNp Ahiam My-Kinsman-is-Mother
H279-01 1 Chronicles 11:35 אֲחִיאָ֧ם achiam HNp Ahiam My-Kinsman-is-Mother
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