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חֲמוֹת

𐤇𐤌𐤅𐤕

chămôwth

H2545 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חם to be warm, to form a marital relationship, to become related by marriage

Definition

A female parent-in-law, specifically the mother of one's spouse. In biblical Hebrew, 'חֲמוֹת' denotes the mother of a married person's husband or wife. The term is used to indicate the familial relationship created by marriage, not by blood. The primary sense is the mother of one's spouse, most often the husband's mother but sometimes the mother's of a wife as well depending on the genealogical context. The word is used exclusively for the in-law relationship and does not refer to a biological mother.

Semantic Range

mother-in-law; female parent-in-law; wife's mother; husband's mother (depending on context, but specifically through marriage not blood); mother of one's spouse

Root / Etymology

From the root חָם (חם), which generally means 'to be warm' or 'to be related by marriage.' The extension to 'in-law relationships' in the nominal forms (חם 'father-in-law,' חמות 'mother-in-law') reflects a semantic development by which the root describing warmth is metaphorically applied to relationships established by marriage rather than birth. The word חֲמוֹת is the feminine form of חָם ('father-in-law').

Historical & Contextual Notes

'חֲמוֹת' appears in familial and legal contexts, often associated with stories or laws regarding marriage and social obligation. Its most prominent occurrences are in narratives (e.g., Ruth 1:14-18, with Naomi as Ruth and Orpah's חֲמוֹת). The term is distinct from אֵם ('mother'), which denotes a biological relationship. In translation, 'mother-in-law' is appropriate, but readers should be aware that this relationship in Israelite society carried specific social and legal expectations, especially relating to household authority and levirate marriage practices. The relationship could be one of mutual obligation or socio-economic dependency, as seen in the Naomi-Ruth narrative. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term retains the same meaning, though later European languages use cognates reflecting later kinship terminology. The Greek Septuagint typically renders it as πενθερά (penthera), later translated into English as 'mother-in-law'; however, readers should note that both relationship and obligations may differ between ancient Near Eastern and modern kinship systems.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (shortened) חֲמֹת; feminine of חָם; a mother-in-law; mother in law.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חם (ḥ-m) — warmth, marital bonding, relation by marriage

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2525 חָם Ham
H2526 חָם Ham
H2529 חֶמְאָה in burning heat
H2534 חֵמָה in heat-of
H2535 חַמָּה radiant heat

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2545-02 חֲמוֹתָ֖/הּ chamotah HNcfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law her mother-in-law 6
H2545-04 לַ/חֲמוֹתָ֔/הּ lachamotah HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law to her mother-in-law 2
H2545-03 חֲמוֹתֵ֔/ךְ chamotekhe HNcfsc/Sp2fs your mother-in-law your mother-in-law 2
H2545-01 בַּ/חֲמֹתָ֑/הּ bachamotah HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs against her mother-in-law her mother-in-law 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2545-01 Micah 7:6 בַּ/חֲמֹתָ֑/הּ bachamotah HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs against her mother-in-law her mother-in-law
H2545-04 Ruth 1:14 לַ/חֲמוֹתָ֔/הּ lachamotah HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law to her mother-in-law
H2545-03 Ruth 2:11 חֲמוֹתֵ֔/ךְ chamotekhe HNcfsc/Sp2fs your mother-in-law your mother-in-law
H2545-02 Ruth 2:18 חֲמוֹתָ֖/הּ chamotah HNcfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law her mother-in-law
H2545-02 Ruth 2:19 חֲמוֹתָ֜/הּ chamotah HNcfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law her mother-in-law
H2545-04 Ruth 2:19 לַ/חֲמוֹתָ֗/הּ lachamotah HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law to her mother-in-law
H2545-02 Ruth 2:23 חֲמוֹתָֽ/הּ chamotah HNcfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law her mother-in-law
H2545-02 Ruth 3:1 חֲמוֹתָ֑/הּ chamotah HNcfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law her mother-in-law
H2545-02 Ruth 3:6 חֲמוֹתָֽ/הּ chamotah HNcfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law her mother-in-law
H2545-02 Ruth 3:16 חֲמוֹתָ֔/הּ chamotah HNcfsc/Sp3fs her mother-in-law her mother-in-law
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