אֲחוּמַי
𐤀𐤇𐤅𐤌𐤉
Achumay
H267 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name referring to an individual in the genealogies of the tribe of Judah; likely 'Ahumai.' The name may bear the meaning 'my brother is water,' 'brother of water,' or possibly denote a connection or kinship to water metaphorically or locatively, depending on the reading of its morphological components.
Semantic Range
Personal name, possibly 'brother of water,' 'my brother is water,' ancestral or clan designation, name of an individual within the Judahite genealogies
Root / Etymology
The name is traditionally parsed as a compound of אָח ('brother') and an element related to מַיִם ('water'), though the form and meaning of the second element are debated. Root: אָח ('akh', 'brother') + component from מַיִם ('mayim', 'water'); the final form of 'umai' is unusual and may reflect a theophoric, locative, or descriptive nuance. Etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אֲחוּמַי appears in 1 Chronicles 4:2 as a descendant of Judah and an ancestor in the genealogical lists attributed to the clan of Shelah. The construction is unusual for biblical Hebrew personal names, and the precise nuance of the name is uncertain. Most English translations simply transliterate the name (Ahumai), as any literal rendering ('brother of water') is speculative and may not reflect how it was actually understood. There is no clear evidence that the name refers to geographic features or specific familial roles. In later interpretive traditions, attempts have sometimes been made to connect the name to thematic symbolism, but there is no direct biblical context for such meanings. The possible connection to 'water' is unique among Judahite genealogies, but the significance is unclear.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps from אָח and מַיִם; brother (i.e. neighbour) of water; Achumai, an Israelite; Ahumai.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אחם (ʾ-ḥ-m) — brother, kin, kinsman, water
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H267-01 |
אֲחוּמַ֖י | achumay | HNp |
Ahumai | Brother-of-Water | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H267-01 |
1 Chronicles 4:2 | אֲחוּמַ֖י | achumay | HNp |
Ahumai | Brother-of-Water |