עֻמָּה
𐤏𐤌𐤄
Umah
H5981 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun referring to a geographic locality, most likely a village or inhabited place in the territory allocated to the tribe of Asher. The primary sense is that of a place name (“ʻUmmâh”), not to be confused with the common noun for a group or association (see notes).
Semantic Range
name of a locality; geographical place in Asherite territory; (not used for 'association' or 'community' in this context)
Root / Etymology
The root appears to be עמה (“ʻ-m-h”), meaning 'to join, to associate, to be together.' The place name ʻUmmâh is likely derived either from the sense of community or association, or possibly sharing a name-formula with other localities. The precise derivation is uncertain, as is often the case with toponyms.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ʻUmmâh occurs in the Hebrew Bible only in Joshua 19:30, in a list of towns within the territory assigned to the tribe of Asher. The term serves strictly as a toponym and is not used elsewhere as a common noun in this form. There is a distinct but similarly spelled common noun ummah (עֻמָּה), meaning 'community, group, kin-group, clan' (as in Leviticus 20:17, etc.); however, the Joshua reference is unambiguously a place name. The location of this town is unknown in later periods, and no settled tradition identifies it with a specific modern site. English translations often merely transliterate the Hebrew name; none translate its underlying meaning, as the semantic nuance is not clear in the context of a geographical list.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as עֻמָּה; association; Ummah, a place in Palestine; Ummah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עמה (ʿ-m-h) — to associate, to join, to be together
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5981-01 |
וְ/עֻמָ֥ה | veumah | HC/Np |
and Ummah | And Ummâh | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5981-01 |
Joshua 19:30 | וְ/עֻמָ֥ה | veumah | HC/Np |
and Ummah | And Ummâh |