← H2344 H2346 →

חוּם

𐤇𐤅𐤌

chûwm

H2345 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root חוּם to be warm, to be heated, to become darkened (by the sun)

Definition

A dark or dusky color, particularly brown or swarthy, often used in reference to human skin tone or animal coat color in poetic or descriptive contexts. Implies the effect of exposure to the sun, conveying a sense of darkening due to warmth or sunlight.

Semantic Range

brown (color), dark (in complexion or color), swarthy, sun-darkened, sunburnt

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חום (ח-ו-ם), which generally conveys the notion of heat or warmth. The noun form encapsulates the result of warmth, namely the darkening or browning of skin or surfaces. The root is very rare and not attested as a verb in the Hebrew Bible, with the word primarily occurring in descriptive passages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חוּם appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible and always in descriptive or metaphorical contexts. It is used, for instance, in Song of Songs 1:6 to describe the speaker's skin tone, traditionally rendered as 'swarthy' or 'dark,' as a result of prolonged sun exposure, distinguishing her from others. The word is also used in Genesis 30:39–40 to describe animals that are 'brown' or 'dark-colored.' English translations historically reflect cultural perspectives on skin color and may not capture the neutral or descriptive sense of the Hebrew. The sense is descriptive and not inherently pejorative or value-laden. Related terms include שָׁחוֹר (black, dark), though חוּם is less intense and denotes a brownish hue. Later Hebrew adopted the term as the standard word for 'brown.' In post-biblical and modern Hebrew, חוּם is widely used for the color brown, aligning with naturalistic and color chart standards.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to be warm, i.e. (by implication); sunburnt or swarthy (blackish); brown.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

חום (ḥ-w-m) — heat, warmth, becoming darkened by heat

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2346 חוֹמָה in the enclosing wall
H2524 חָם her father-in-law
H2573 חֵמֶת your skin-bottle

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2345-01 חוּם֙ chum HAamsa brown sun-darkened 3
H2345-02 וְ/חוּם֙ vechum HC/Aamsa and dark sun-darkened 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2345-01 Genesis 30:32 חוּם֙ chum HAamsa brown sun-darkened
H2345-02 Genesis 30:33 וְ/חוּם֙ vechum HC/Aamsa and dark sun-darkened
H2345-01 Genesis 30:35 ח֖וּם chum HAamsa the dark-colored sun-darkened
H2345-01 Genesis 30:40 ח֖וּם chum HAamsa the dark/brown sun-darkened
← H2344 Hebrew Lexicon H2346 →