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אֻמַּה

𐤀𐤌𐤄

ʼummah

H523 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אם mother, to bring forth, source, origin

Definition

A people-group, community, or nation, especially one recognized as a distinct collective; often denotes a community bound by ethnic, geographic, or social ties. The term can emphasize a collective social or communal identity, and in some contexts, a body politic or nation in relation to others.

Semantic Range

people-group, nation, community, ethnic group, collective body, foreign nation

Root / Etymology

Root: אם (aleph-mem), core idea of 'mother' or 'source,' suggesting origins, kinship, or group identity. אֻמַּה appears to be a derivative noun, likely based on the idea of a group that shares a common source or ancestry, though the derivational process is somewhat uncertain. The form implies a collective or group emanating from a common 'mother' or source, possibly emphasizing shared descent or affiliation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אֻמַּה occurs mainly in poetic or elevated speech, often alongside other collective terms such as גּוֹי (goy, nation), לְאֹם (le'om, people), and עַם (am, people), but with subtle distinctions. Whereas גּוֹי often refers to a nation as a polity and עַם can highlight kinship or cultural connection, אֻמַּה tends to emphasize a group defined by shared identity or lineage, sometimes without strong political connotations. The use of אֻמַּה is rare and somewhat archaic, found chiefly in exilic and post-exilic literature (e.g., Leviticus 20:23, Isaiah 60:22, Daniel 3:29), usually in lists or in reference to various foreign groups. In English translations, it is often rendered 'nation' or 'people,' but such translations risk oversimplifying its specific emphasis on communal identity. Post-biblical Hebrew uses related forms, but often generalizes their meanings further. The term does not, in biblical contexts, carry later implications of 'Jewish' or 'Judaism.' Distinct from narrower tribal or familial designations, it serves as a broader marker of communal or ethnic distinction, often used of non-Israelite groups.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as אֵם; a collection, i.e. community of persons; nation, people.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אם (ʾ-m) — mother, source, origin

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H517 אֵם mother of
H518 אִם whether?
H521 אַמָּה forearm-measure
H538 אֲמָם Amam
H5973 עִם and if

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H523-02 לְ/אֻמֹּתָֽ/ם leumotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp according to their tribes to their people-groups 1
H523-01 הָ/אֻמִּֽים haumim HTd/Ncfpa peoples the people-groups 1
H523-03 אֻמּ֥וֹת umot HNcfpa of peoples people-groups 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H523-02 Genesis 25:16 לְ/אֻמֹּתָֽ/ם leumotam HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp according to their tribes to their people-groups
H523-03 Numbers 25:15 אֻמּ֥וֹת umot HNcfpa of peoples people-groups
H523-01 Psalms 117:1 הָ/אֻמִּֽים haumim HTd/Ncfpa peoples the people-groups
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