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עָמַס

𐤏𐤌𐤎

ʻâmaç

H6006 verb

SILEX Entry

Root עמס to load, impose a burden, place weight upon

Definition

To load, heap up, or lay a burden upon; to place a (literal or figurative) load on someone or something, involving the act of carrying or imposing weight. Used of both physical loading (as with animals or objects) and metaphorical burdens such as responsibilities, sins, or reproach. The verb generally conveys the action of causing something or someone to be weighed down.

Semantic Range

to load (animals, objects), to heap or pile up, to impose a burden (literal or figurative), to cause to be weighed down, to make responsible for (figuratively), to bear (passive sense, rare)

Root / Etymology

Root: עמס, a primitive Semitic root meaning 'to load' or 'to carry a burden.' The basic sense at the root level is the act of placing a weight or load on someone or something. The form עָמַס ('āmás) is a Qal verb culminating in the action of loading or bearing a burden. There is also a close phonetic and semantic relationship with Aramaic and Arabic cognates denoting carrying or loading.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, עָמַס generally appears in contexts involving the physical act of loading animals or persons (e.g., Genesis 44:13, loading donkeys). The term can be extended to figurative usage, such as in Isaiah 46:1 where idols are 'loaded' onto beasts or in passages where the divine or moral burdens are laid upon a person or people. It is distinct from related terms such as שָׂבַל (sabal, H5445, 'to bear a burden'), which often emphasizes bearing or supporting an imposed weight rather than the act of imposing it. The word remains active in both pre-exilic and post-exilic texts, retaining a core sense of the act of loading while allowing for figurative extensions. Although English translations traditionally render עָמַס as 'loaded,' 'laden,' or 'imposed a burden,' these may obscure the nuance between the imposition (עָמַס) and the endurance (שָׂבַל) of a burden, which should be kept distinct in interpretation. The sense of 'punishment' or 'infliction' suggested in some English versions is metaphorical and should not be confused with the lexical core, which is focused on the act of loading or piling up weight.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or עָמַשׂ; a primitive root; to load, i.e. impose aburden (or figuratively, infliction); be borne, (heavy) burden (self), lade, load, put.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עמס (ʿ-m-s) — to load, impose a burden, place weight upon

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4614 מַעֲמָסָה burdensomeness
H5986 עָמוֹס Amos
H6007 עֲמַסְיָה Yah Has Borne
H6021 עֲמָשָׂא Burden-Bearer
H6022 עֲמָשַׂי Burden-Bearer

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6006-03 הֶעְמִ֤יס heemis HVhp3ms loaded he caused to be loaded 2
H6006-06 וַֽ/יַּעֲמֹס֙ vayaamos HC/Vqw3ms loaded he loaded 1
H6006-01 עֲמוּס֔וֹת amusot HVqsfpa heavy laden loaded-down ones 1
H6006-05 עֹמְשִׂ֑ים omesim HVqrmpa bearing loading-ones 1
H6006-02 הַֽ/עֲמֻסִים֙ haamusim HTd/Vqsmpa who are borne the burdened ones 1
H6006-07 וְֽ/עֹמְסִ֪ים veomesim HC/Vqrmpa and loading and those loading 1
H6006-04 עֹמְסֶ֖י/הָ omeseyha HVqrmpc/Sp3fs who lift it those loading her 1
H6006-08 יַֽעֲמָס yaamas HVqi3ms bears-up he loads 1

Occurrences in Scripture

9 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6006-06 Genesis 44:13 וַֽ/יַּעֲמֹס֙ vayaamos HC/Vqw3ms loaded he loaded
H6006-03 1 Kings 12:11 הֶעְמִ֤יס heemis HVhp3ms loaded he caused to be loaded
H6006-01 Isaiah 46:1 עֲמוּס֔וֹת amusot HVqsfpa heavy laden loaded-down ones
H6006-02 Isaiah 46:3 הַֽ/עֲמֻסִים֙ haamusim HTd/Vqsmpa who are borne the burdened ones
H6006-04 Zechariah 12:3 עֹמְסֶ֖י/הָ omeseyha HVqrmpc/Sp3fs who lift it those loading her
H6006-08 Psalms 68:20 יַֽעֲמָס yaamas HVqi3ms bears-up he loads
H6006-05 Nehemiah 4:11 עֹמְשִׂ֑ים omesim HVqrmpa bearing loading-ones
H6006-07 Nehemiah 13:15 וְֽ/עֹמְסִ֪ים veomesim HC/Vqrmpa and loading and those loading
H6006-03 2 Chronicles 10:11 הֶעְמִ֤יס heemis HVhp3ms loaded he caused to be loaded
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