חֹרֹנַיִם
𐤇𐤓𐤍𐤉𐤌
Choronayim
H2773 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Horonayim, a toponym designating a locality in the territory of Moab, likely meaning 'Double Cavern' or 'Two Hollows' in reference either to physical features of the site or its history. The term functions solely as a place name in the Hebrew Bible and appears in contexts of Moabite geography or prophecy against Moab.
Semantic Range
name of a place in Moab, probably meaning 'two caverns' or 'double hollow'; not used as a common noun, occurs in prophetic and geographic contexts
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root חר (ḥ-r), possibly related to חור ('hole, cavity, cave'). The ending suggests a dual form, indicating 'two.' Thus, חֹרֹנַיִם (Horonayim) likely means 'Two Caverns' or 'Double Hollow.' Root meaning is 'hole, cavity'; actual lexical meaning is a specific place name, not a common noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Horonayim features in prophetic oracles concerning Moab in Isaiah 15:5 and Jeremiah 48:3, 48:5, 48:34. Its identification relies on toponymic parallels; some ancient translations rendered the name as 'the two caves.' The use of the dual ending (-ayim) in ancient place names is not always literal—sometimes, it simply denotes a location with a feature repeated (e.g., twin hills, twin peaks, or double features). Horonayim is always presented as a Moabite city or region, never within Israelite territory. Later, the site became symbolic of Moabite resistance or suffering under foreign invasion, as reflected in prophetic literature. The English translation 'Horonaim' follows transliteration but does not convey the underlying Semitic meaning. There is no evidence in the biblical period that the term referred to an ethnic or religious community; it always designates a physical site within Moabite land. In Greek Scripture traditions, the name is rendered with a similarly phonetic form (Χορωναιμ).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
dual of a derivative from חוֹר; double cave-town; Choronajim, a place in Moab; Horonaim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חור (ḥ-w-r) — hole, cavity, cave
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1032 | בֵּית חוֹרוֹן | Horon |
| H1133 | בֶּן־חוּר | Chur |
| H2352 | חוּר | Holes |
| H2353 | חוּר | Chur |
| H2354 | חוּר | Chur |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2773-01 |
חוֹרֹנַ֔יִם | choronayim | HNp |
Horonaim | Two Caverns | 3 |
H2773-02 |
מֵ/חֹֽרוֹנָ֑יִם | mechoronayim | HR/Np |
from Horonaim | from Two-Caverns | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2773-01 |
Isaiah 15:5 | חוֹרֹנַ֔יִם | choronayim | HNp |
to Horonaim | Two Caverns |
H2773-02 |
Jeremiah 48:3 | מֵ/חֹֽרוֹנָ֑יִם | mechoronayim | HR/Np |
from Horonaim | from Two-Caverns |
H2773-01 |
Jeremiah 48:5 | חוֹרֹנַ֔יִם | choronayim | HNp |
Horonaim | Two Caverns |
H2773-01 |
Jeremiah 48:34 | חֹ֣רֹנַ֔יִם | choronayim | HNp |
Horonaim | Two Caverns |