רוּמָה
𐤓𐤅𐤌𐤄
Rumah
H7316 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The proper noun 'Rûwmâh' designates a specific geographic location—Rumah—cited in the Hebrew Bible. Semantically, the name is derived from the root indicating 'height,' and thus Rumah likely denotes 'a place situated on high ground,' 'elevation,' or 'the (town of) Rumah.' As a toponym, the meaning is context-bound and does not refer to 'height' in abstract or metaphorical senses.
Semantic Range
Rumah (a town), the place called Rumah; (by etymology) elevated place, height
Root / Etymology
The name רוּמָה derives from the root רום, which means 'to be high, to rise, to be exalted.' The form is a feminine noun (with the -ה ending) constructed from this root, indicating a place characterized by elevation or height. The meaning is transferred from the quality (elevated) to the place (elevated location).
Historical & Contextual Notes
Rumah (רוּמָה) appears in 2 Kings 23:36 as the hometown of Pedaiah, the father of Zebidah (mother of King Jehoiakim). The period of its attestation is the late monarchic era of Judah. The precise location of Rumah is not certain, though some have identified it with sites in the region of Israelite Samaria. Its lexicographic usage is strictly as a place name, and it does not function as a common noun in biblical Hebrew. The English translation 'Rumah' preserves the place-name, but translating it as 'height' or 'high place' is misleading in context, as this is a proper noun. Unlike some biblical Hebrew place-names, Rumah does not acquire secondary metaphorical meanings. The association with 'height' is etymological, not contextual.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רוּם; height; Rumah, a place in Palestine; Rumah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
רוּם (rûwm) — to be high, to rise, to be exalted
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2036 | הֹרָם | Horam |
| H3406 | יְרִימוֹת | to Heights |
| H7311 | רוּם | settlements |
| H7312 | רוּם | to rise high |
| H7422 | רַמְיָה | Yah has exalted |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7316-01 |
רוּמָֽה | rumah | HNp |
Rumah | Height-town | Rumah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7316-01 |
2 Kings 23:36 | רוּמָֽה | rumah | HNp |
Rumah | Height-town | Rumah |