אֵ֑ם

𐤀𐤌

em

mother

a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father)); dam, mother, [idiom] parting.

H517

Proverbs 19:26 · Word #4

Lexicon H517

Lemmaאֵם
Lemma (Paleo)𐤀𐤌
Transliterationʼêm
Strong'sH517
In-contextmother

Morphology HNcfsa All morphology codes

Part of Speech N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea
Subtype c — Common — Common noun
Gender f — Feminine — Feminine
Number s — Singular — Singular
State a — Absolute — The noun stands independently

SIBI-P1 H517-01

mother

Rootאם (ʾ-m)
Core Meaningsmotherhood, source, origin, familial bond, nurturing source
Semantic Rangebiological mother, ancestress, source or origin of a group or place, metaphorical nurturer, foundational city ("mother city"), point of division (idiomatic uses).
Conceptual SignificanceIn biblical thought, the "mother" embodies origin, nurture, identity, and covenant continuity. The term can extend metaphorically to cities, nations, or wisdom traditions, highlighting the life-giving and sustaining role central to Israelite family and communal structure.
Morphological NotesCommon feminine singular noun (absolute and construct forms attested: cfsa, cfsc). In construct, it functions as "mother of…" followed by a genitive.
Rendering RationaleThe noun אֵם is a feminine singular noun meaning "mother," the female parent and foundational bond of the family. The rendering "mother" preserves both the literal maternal sense and the broader idea of origin or source inherent in the root, while accurately reflecting the feminine singular form shown in the morphology.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root אם (motherhood, source, origin, familial bond, nurturing source)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H520-05 amah mother-cubit
H520-01 amah a mother-cubit
H520-04 amah forearm-cubit

Word Usage (220 occurrences of H517)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Genesis 2:24 אִמּ֑/וֹ imo his mother
Genesis 3:20 אֵ֥ם em mother
Genesis 20:12 אִמִּ֑/י imi of my mother