זַמְזֹם
𐤆𐤌𐤆𐤌
Zamezom
H2157 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Zamzom refers to a member of the Zamzummim, a people group known from the biblical tradition as inhabitants of the region east of the Jordan River, specifically in the land later associated with Ammon. The term is used as an ethnonym, designating the group itself or an individual belonging to it. In the Hebrew Bible, the Zamzummim are described as one of the pre-Israelite peoples of the land, identified with giants or mighty ones, related to the Rephaim.
Semantic Range
Zamzummite, member of the Zamzummim people; name of a pre-Israelite group east of the Jordan; possibly associated with giants or ancient mighty ones
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root זָמַם (z-m-m), generally meaning 'to plan, devise, plot.' The connection between the root meaning and the ethnonym is uncertain; it may be an ancient name whose original sense is no longer recoverable.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term זַמְזֹם (Zamzom) appears in the Hebrew Bible (notably Deuteronomy 2:20) in reference to a people previously inhabiting the territory that became Ammonite land. The narrative presents the Zamzummim as part of the list of ancient peoples dispossessed by the relatives of the Israelites. Their precise identity and origins are obscure; Rabbinic and medieval commentators connected them with the Rephaim, a term frequently associated with giants or ancient mighty peoples. English translations often render the term as 'Zamzummim,' following the Hebrew form, though some may supply 'giants' based on contextual association rather than strict translation. No external extra-biblical evidence confirming the group's existence has been found. The use of the root זָמַם for this ethnonym may be coincidental or could preserve an ancient name with a meaning now lost.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from זָמַם; intriguing; a Zamzumite, or native tribe of Palestine; Zamzummim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
זמם (z-m-m) — to plan, devise, plot
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2154 | זִמָּה | the wicked scheme |
| H2155 | זִמָּה | premeditated wicked scheme |
| H2161 | זָמַם | they scheme |
| H2162 | זָמָם | his malicious scheme |
| H4209 | מְזִמָּה | in deliberate plans |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2157-01 |
זַמְזֻמִּֽים | zamezumim | HNp |
Zamzummim | Zamzummites | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2157-01 |
Deuteronomy 2:20 | זַמְזֻמִּֽים | zamezumim | HNp |
Zamzummim | Zamzummites |