תָּמִים (H8549) — Hebrew Lexicon

תָּמִים

𐤕𐤌𐤉𐤌

tâmîym

H8549 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Adjective describing that which is whole, complete, intact, or without physical or moral defect. Used to describe physical wholeness (such as an unblemished animal fit for sacrifice), moral integrity or uprightness (especially of persons), sincerity, or perfection in function or character. Semantic range includes: unblemished, blameless, complete, sincere, having integrity, undivided, full, whole.

Semantic Range

complete, blameless, whole, unblemished, perfect, sound, having integrity, sincere, undivided, unimpaired, morally upright

Root / Etymology

From the root תָּמַם (t-m-m), meaning 'to be complete, finished, sound'. תָּמִים is the adjective form derived from this verb root, describing a state of being complete or unblemished, either physically, morally, or functionally.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite sacrificial contexts, תָּמִים denotes an animal that is physically whole, with no defect or blemish (e.g., Leviticus 1:3). In moral and character descriptions (such as in Genesis 6:9 for Noah, or Job 1:1), it conveys the sense of integrity, moral soundness, and uprightness. Over time, it was also applied to ritual or ceremonial purity signifying suitability or acceptability before the divine. It does not imply absolute perfection in a philosophical or theological sense, but rather describes that which lacks defect or division in its intended sphere. Later translation traditions (Septuagint, Vulgate) sometimes rendered the term as 'perfectus' or 'amōmos' ('without blame/blemish'), and it is the source of the KJV rendering 'perfect'; however, 'blameless' or 'complete' are often more precise. Distinct from terms such as צַדִּיק (righteous/just), which emphasizes adherence to legal or social norms, תָּמִים centers on wholeness or lack of defect—whether physical or metaphorical. In post-exilic texts and later Jewish literature, the term retains both sacrificial and ethical implications.

Translation Consistency

primary "blameless" 44 occurrences

tâmîym most often conveys moral integrity and uprightness as well as absence of defect or blemish. "Blameless" is a natural, idiomatic English adjective that covers both moral innocence and the idea of being without defect (usable for people, offerings, and things), so it best preserves the typical Biblical sense across contexts while remaining natural to readers. Alternatives like "whole" or "unblemished" were considered, but "blameless" better captures the primary interpersonal/legal/moral nuance found throughout the corpus.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):

"complete" (2x) "integrity" (2x) "whole" (1x) "whole ones" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from תָּמַם; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth; without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright(-ly), whole.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

תמם (mᵉthôm) — to be complete, to be finished, to be sound, to be unimpaired

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

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4974	מְתֹם	sound wholeness
H8535	תָּם	whole and blameless
H8537	תֹּם	wholeness

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H8549-02`	תָמִ֑ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless	45
`H8549-06`	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones	26
`H8549-04`	תְמִימָ֔ה	temimah	`HAafsa`	unblemished	whole, unblemished	blameless	8
`H8549-08`	וּ֝/תְמִימִ֗ים	utemimim	`HC/Aampa`	and the blameless	and whole ones	and blameless ones	3
`H8549-01`	בְּ/תָמִ֣ים	betamim	`HR/Aamsa`	in sincerity	in integrity	in integrity	2
`H8549-03`	תְּמִ֖ים	temim	`HAamsc`	perfect	whole, unblemished	perfect	2
`H8549-05`	תְּמִ֣ימֵי	temimey	`HAampc`	blameless	whole ones of	blameless ones of	2
`H8549-09`	וּ/בְ/תָמִים֙	uvetamim	`HC/R/Aamsa`	and-in-integrity	and in wholeness	and in integrity	2
`H8549-07`	תְּמִימֹ֥ת	temimot	`HAafpa`	complete	whole ones	whole ones	1

Occurrences in Scripture

91 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H8549-02`	Genesis 6:9	תָּמִ֥ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	blameless	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Genesis 17:1	תָמִֽים	tamim	`HAamsa`	blameless	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Exodus 12:5	תָמִ֛ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-06`	Exodus 29:1	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 1:3	תָּמִ֖ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 1:10	תָּמִ֖ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 3:1	תָּמִ֥ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without defect	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 3:6	תָּמִ֖ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-04`	Leviticus 3:9	תְמִימָ֔ה	temimah	`HAafsa`	complete	whole, unblemished	whole
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 4:3	תָּמִ֛ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 4:23	תָּמִֽים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-04`	Leviticus 4:28	תְּמִימָ֣ה	temimah	`HAafsa`	without-blemish	whole, unblemished	blameless
`H8549-04`	Leviticus 4:32	תְמִימָ֖ה	temimah	`HAafsa`	without blemish	whole, unblemished	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 5:15	תָּמִ֣ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 5:18	תָּמִ֧ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 5:25	תָּמִ֧ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-06`	Leviticus 9:2	תְּמִימִ֑ם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Leviticus 9:3	תְּמִימִ֖ם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Leviticus 14:10	תְּמִימִ֔ים	temimim	`HAampa`	unblemished	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-04`	Leviticus 14:10	תְּמִימָ֑ה	temimah	`HAafsa`	unblemished	whole, unblemished	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 22:19	תָּמִ֣ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 22:21	תָּמִ֤ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	perfect	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Leviticus 23:12	תָּמִ֧ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	without blemish	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-07`	Leviticus 23:15	תְּמִימֹ֥ת	temimot	`HAafpa`	complete	whole ones	whole ones
`H8549-06`	Leviticus 23:18	תְּמִימִם֙	temimim	`HAampa`	without-defect	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-04`	Leviticus 25:30	תְמִימָה֒	temimah	`HAafsa`	complete	whole, unblemished	complete
`H8549-02`	Numbers 6:14	תָמִ֤ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	unblemished	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-04`	Numbers 6:14	תְּמִימָ֖ה	temimah	`HAafsa`	unblemished	whole, unblemished	blameless
`H8549-02`	Numbers 6:14	תָּמִ֖ים	tamim-2	`HAamsa`	unblemished	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-04`	Numbers 19:2	תְּמִימָ֗ה	temimah	`HAafsa`	unblemished	whole, unblemished	blameless
`H8549-06`	Numbers 28:3	תְמִימִ֛ם	temimim	`HAampa`	unblemished	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 28:9	תְּמִימִ֑ם	temimim	`HAampa`	unblemished	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 28:11	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 28:19	תְּמִימִ֖ם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 28:31	תְּמִימִ֥ם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:2	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	unblemished	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:8	תְּמִימִ֖ם	temimim	`HAampa`	unblemished	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:13	תְּמִימִ֥ם	temimim	`HAampa`	unblemished	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:17	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:20	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:23	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:26	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:29	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:32	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-06`	Numbers 29:36	תְּמִימִֽם	temimim	`HAampa`	without-blemish	whole ones	blameless ones
`H8549-02`	Deuteronomy 18:13	תָּמִ֣ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	blameless	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Deuteronomy 32:4	תָּמִ֣ים	tamim	`HAamsa`	perfect	whole, blameless	blameless
`H8549-02`	Joshua 10:13	תָּמִֽים	tamim	`HAamsa`	complete	whole, blameless	complete
`H8549-01`	Joshua 24:14	בְּ/תָמִ֣ים	betamim	`HR/Aamsa`	in sincerity	in integrity	in integrity
`H8549-09`	Judges 9:16	וּ/בְ/תָמִים֙	uvetamim	`HC/R/Aamsa`	and sincerely	and in wholeness	and in integrity

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