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רָמָה

𐤓𐤌𐤄

râmâh

H7413 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רום to be high, to raise, exalt

Definition

Elevated site, usually referring to a physical height or raised location; particularly in biblical contexts, denotes a site situated on a hill or elevation, often used as a location for cultic activity, both legitimate and illegitimate, such as altars or shrines. The term is used interchangeably for both general elevated places as well as specific cultic sites outside the central sanctuary.

Semantic Range

physical height, elevated place, hilltop, cultic site, (sometimes) place of worship, specific toponym; may refer to both general elevations and designated shrines or altars

Root / Etymology

From the root רום, meaning 'to be high, exalted, lofty.' רָמָה as a noun denotes a 'high place' or 'height,' directly deriving its sense from the core idea of elevation inherent in its root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רָמָה is used throughout the Hebrew Bible in both general and specialized senses. While it may denote any physically elevated area or hill, it often refers to locations used for cultic activities—what English translations call 'high places.' During the monarchic period, such sites proliferated, sometimes in association with Israelite religious practice (prior to the centralization of worship in Jerusalem under reforms such as those of Hezekiah and Josiah, who specifically targeted the destruction of these sites). While later English translations and traditions equate 'high places' with illicit worship, the lexical sense in Hebrew is broader and more neutral, indicating any hilltop shrine or altar—whether for Yahwistic or non-Yahwistic worship. The term רָמָה also appears as a proper name for several towns, reflecting their topographical features. Its usage overlaps with related terms such as בָּמָה (bāmāh, 'high place') but tends to carry a stronger focus on the physical elevation than on the cultic element, though the distinction is sometimes blurred in narrative contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine active participle of רוּם; a height (as a seat of idolatry); high place.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רום (r-w-m) — to be high, to rise, to be exalted

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1297 בְּרַם however
H2036 הֹרָם Horam
H2037 הָרֻם Exalted One
H3141 יוֹרָם YHWH-is-Exalted
H3406 יְרִימוֹת to Heights

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7413-02 רָמָ֖ה ramah HNcfsa a lofty place rising one 1
H7413-01 בָּֽ/רָמָה֙ baramah HRd/Ncfsa on the height in Height-town 1
H7413-05 וְ/רָמָתֵ֥/ךְ veramatekhe HC/Ncfsc/Sp2fs and your high place and your elevated site 1
H7413-03 רָֽמָתֵ֔/ךְ ramatekhe HNcfsc/Sp2fs your high place your elevated site 1
H7413-04 רָמֹתַ֔יִ/ךְ ramotayikhe HNcfpc/Sp2fs your-high-places your elevated sites 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7413-01 1 Samuel 22:6 בָּֽ/רָמָה֙ baramah HRd/Ncfsa on the height in Height-town
H7413-02 Ezekiel 16:24 רָמָ֖ה ramah HNcfsa a lofty place rising one
H7413-03 Ezekiel 16:25 רָֽמָתֵ֔/ךְ ramatekhe HNcfsc/Sp2fs your high place your elevated site
H7413-05 Ezekiel 16:31 וְ/רָמָתֵ֥/ךְ veramatekhe HC/Ncfsc/Sp2fs and your high place and your elevated site
H7413-04 Ezekiel 16:39 רָמֹתַ֔יִ/ךְ ramotayikhe HNcfpc/Sp2fs your-high-places your elevated sites
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