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תָּם

𐤕𐤌

tâm

H8535 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root תמם to be complete, be finished, be whole, be intact

Definition

Possessing integrity, blamelessness, or innocence; whole in character or conduct. Indicates a state of moral or ethical completeness or unblemished character; in some contexts, describes simplicity or sincerity (i.e., lack of duplicity). Can denote innocence (especially in the absence of guilt or corruption), straightforwardness, or wholeness as an internal quality. Also used for people or things without defect, untainted, or in a pure state.

Semantic Range

complete in character, blameless, innocent, possessing integrity, upright (morally), sincere, simple (not duplicitous), unblemished, whole, pure, undefiled

Root / Etymology

From the root תָּמַם (t-m-m), meaning 'to be complete, finished, whole'. The adjective תָּם is derived as a quality of being 'whole' or 'complete', and this sense of wholeness forms the basis for its ethical and moral applications.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, תָּם appears both as an adjective for persons ('upright', 'blameless', e.g. Job 1:1; Genesis 25:27) and as a noun related to moral status. It is often paired with terms denoting righteousness (e.g., צדיק, 'righteous') to emphasize innate integrity. The ethical sense—emphasizing innocence, consistency, uprightness—developed alongside but is not limited to ritual or physical unblemishedness (cf. תָּמִים tamim, 'without blemish,' often used of sacrificial animals). In post-exilic and wisdom literature, its connotation of honest simplicity or guilelessness is more pronounced. English translations often render תָּם as 'upright', 'blameless', 'perfect', or 'innocent', but none fully convey its sense of internal, integral wholeness. Not to be confused with later religious uses of 'saintly' or 'pious', which reflect post-biblical developments.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from תָּמַם; complete; usually (morally) pious; specifically, gentle, dear; coupled together, perfect, plain, undefiled, upright.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

תמם (t-m-m) — to be complete, be whole, be finished, be intact

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4974 מְתֹם sound wholeness
H8537 תֹּם wholeness
H8549 תָּמִים in integrity
H8550 תֻּמִּים the perfections
H8552 תָּמַם Wholeness

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8535-01 תָּ֔ם tam HAamsa blameless whole and blameless 11
H8535-02 תַמָּתִ֔/י tamati HAafsc/Sp1cs my perfect one my whole one 2
H8535-03 תַמִּים֙ tamim HAampa complete whole, blameless 1

Occurrences in Scripture

14 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8535-01 Genesis 25:27 תָּ֔ם tam HAamsa peaceful whole and blameless
H8535-03 Exodus 26:24 תַמִּים֙ tamim HAampa complete whole, blameless
H8535-01 Psalms 37:37 תָּ֭ם tam HAamsa the perfect whole and blameless
H8535-01 Psalms 64:5 תָּ֑ם tam HAamsa the blameless whole and blameless
H8535-01 Proverbs 29:10 תָ֑ם tam HAamsa the blameless whole and blameless
H8535-01 Job 1:1 תָּ֧ם tam HAamsa blameless whole and blameless
H8535-01 Job 1:8 תָּ֧ם tam HAamsa blameless whole and blameless
H8535-01 Job 2:3 תָּ֧ם tam HAamsa blameless whole and blameless
H8535-01 Job 8:20 תָּ֑ם tam HAamsa the blameless whole and blameless
H8535-01 Job 9:20 תָּֽם tam HAamsa blameless whole and blameless
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