כְּמוֹשׁ
𐤊𐤌𐤅𐤔
Kemosh
H3645 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Kemosh, the principal deity of the Moabite people; a proper name used in the Hebrew Bible specifically for this national god. In various contexts, the name refers either to the god himself or as a symbolic representation of the Moabite religious system.
Semantic Range
Kemosh as the Moabite deity; sometimes used polemically in reference to foreign gods; a proper name for a national god, never a generic noun.
Root / Etymology
The precise etymology is uncertain. Various proposals connect the name with a root meaning 'to subdue' or 'to conquer,' but no corresponding verb is extant in Biblical Hebrew. The form appears as a proper noun, כְּמוֹשׁ (Kemosh), potentially indicating a local divine title. Some linguistic comparisons have been made with related Northwest Semitic and Ugaritic divine names, but these remain speculative.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, Kemosh (כְּמוֹשׁ) appears as the primary god worshipped by the Moabites (e.g., Numbers 21:29; Judges 11:24; 1 Kings 11:7,33; 2 Kings 23:13; Jeremiah 48:7,13,46). The deity is associated with Moabite national identity, and references often appear in polemical or comparative religious contexts. In 1 Kings 11, Solomon is said to have built a high place for Kemosh during the monarchic period. Notably, the Mesha Stele, an important Moabite inscription, also prominently names Kemosh as the god who granted Moab victory over its enemies. The appearance of a variant spelling (כְּמִישׁ) in Jeremiah 48:7 is thought to reflect dialectical or scribal variation rather than a distinct entity. English translations have historically rendered the name as 'Chemosh,' sometimes accompanied by interpretive glosses like 'the abomination of Moab,' reflecting later theological polemic. The term is always used in a proper noun sense rather than as a generic term for 'god.' In later periods (Second Temple and Rabbinic), Kemosh remained a referent for idolatry in general polemic but did not develop a broader semantic range.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (Jeremiah 48:7) כְּמִישׁ; from an unused root meaning to subdue; the powerful; Kemosh, the god of the Moabites; Chemosh.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כמש (k-m-sh) — (uncertain), possibly subdue, conquer
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3645-01 |
כְּמ֑וֹשׁ | kemosh | HNp |
of Chemosh | Kemosh | 3 |
H3645-04 |
לִ/כְמוֹשׁ֙ | likhemosh | HR/Np |
for Chemosh | to Kemosh | 2 |
H3645-03 |
כמיש | khmysh | HNp |
Chemosh | Kemosh | 1 |
H3645-06 |
וְ/לִ/כְמוֹשׁ֙ | velikhemosh | HC/R/Np |
and for Chemosh | and to Kemosh | 1 |
H3645-02 |
כְמוֹשׁ֙ | khemosh | HNp |
Chemosh | Kemosh | 1 |
H3645-05 |
מִ/כְּמ֑וֹשׁ | mikemosh | HR/Np |
of Chemosh | from Kemosh | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3645-01 |
Numbers 21:29 | כְּמ֑וֹשׁ | kemosh | HNp |
of Chemosh | Kemosh |
H3645-01 |
Judges 11:24 | כְּמ֥וֹשׁ | kemosh | HNp |
Chemosh | Kemosh |
H3645-04 |
1 Kings 11:7 | לִ/כְמוֹשׁ֙ | likhemosh | HR/Np |
for Chemosh | to Kemosh |
H3645-04 |
1 Kings 11:33 | לִ/כְמוֹשׁ֙ | likhemosh | HR/Np |
to Chemosh | to Kemosh |
H3645-06 |
2 Kings 23:13 | וְ/לִ/כְמוֹשׁ֙ | velikhemosh | HC/R/Np |
and for Chemosh | and to Kemosh |
H3645-03 |
Jeremiah 48:7 | כמיש | khmysh | HNp |
Chemosh | Kemosh |
H3645-02 |
Jeremiah 48:7 | כְמוֹשׁ֙ | khemosh | HNp |
Chemosh | Kemosh |
H3645-05 |
Jeremiah 48:13 | מִ/כְּמ֑וֹשׁ | mikemosh | HR/Np |
of Chemosh | from Kemosh |
H3645-01 |
Jeremiah 48:46 | כְּמ֑וֹשׁ | kemosh | HNp |
of Chemosh | Kemosh |