חָם
𐤇𐤌
châm
H2525 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
An adjective denoting the physical property of being hot or warm, either in temperature or intensity. It is most often used to describe objects or conditions that radiate heat, such as earth, wind, or weather. In rare cases, it may refer metaphorically to warmth of feeling or color, though this is not a primary sense in biblical usage.
Semantic Range
hot (in temperature), warm, heated (objects), of weather or atmosphere
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root ח־מ־ם (חמם), which fundamentally means 'to be warm' or 'to become hot.' The form חָם is a simple adjectival formation from this verbal root, retaining the sense of temperature.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Used infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, most occurrences describe physical states (e.g., heated objects, the earth, or wind). Unlike broader Semitic parallels where the term can denote emotional heat or passionate intensity, biblical usage is usually literal. Not to be confused with the proper name חָם (Ham), one of Noah's sons, which is etymologically related but contextually and semantically distinct in the text. The term is almost always descriptive and does not carry metaphorical senses of zeal or anger, unlike the related terms חֵמָה (anger, heat) or חָרוֹן (burning, wrath). In the context of biblical chronology and authorship, there is no significant development or shift in meaning from earlier to later texts. English translations such as 'hot' or 'warm' fairly capture its range, though the literal sense should be emphasized over any figurative English connotations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָמַם; hot; hot, warm.
Bantu Hebrew
| Language | Bantu Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kikongo | kaama | to be warm, to be hot (of sun, day, weather); to be heated | |
| Kimbundu | kama | to heat up, to be warm | |
| Umbundu | kama | to warm; to heat |
Root Family
חמם (Chamuel) — to be hot, to become warm, to make hot
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2527 | חֹם | in heat |
| H2536 | חַמּוּאֵל | Chammuel |
| H2540 | חַמּוֹן | Warm-Spring Place |
| H2552 | חָמַם | Ham |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2525-01 |
חָ֞ם | cham | HAamsa |
warm | Ham | warm | 1 |
H2525-02 |
חַמִּ֑ים | chamim | HAampa |
hot | hot ones | hot | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2525-01 |
Joshua 9:12 | חָ֞ם | cham | HAamsa |
warm | Ham | warm |
H2525-02 |
Job 37:17 | חַמִּ֑ים | chamim | HAampa |
hot | hot ones | hot |