כָּלַם (H3637) — Hebrew Lexicon

כָּלַם

𐤊𐤋𐤌

kâlam

H3637 verb

SILEX Entry

Root כלם to shame, disgrace, humiliate

Definition

To bring disgrace, shame, or humiliation upon, especially through verbal insult, scorn, or reproach; in many contexts, to be made ashamed or dishonored, sometimes accompanied by feelings of embarrassment or confusion. The term is frequently used when an individual or group suffers public dishonor or is subjected to contemptuous treatment.

Semantic Range

to publicly shame, to humiliate, to bring disgrace, to taunt, to insult, to put to confusion, to cause to blush, to reproach, to make confounded, to bring dishonor

Root / Etymology

Derived from the Hebrew root כָּלַם, whose core meaning is 'to shame' or 'disgrace'. While some have suggested an original sense of 'to wound' (metaphorically, to inflict psychic pain), the consistent usage is for emotional and social shaming rather than physical harm. The root is attested as a denominative verb and is not a noun-forming root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The verb כָּלַם is widely used throughout the Hebrew Bible for the act of shaming or humiliating an individual or group, especially in a social or public context. In patriarchal and monarchic periods, shaming signified a serious loss of honor within the kinship group or broader society. The term can refer to humiliation caused by actions, words, or misfortune. During the post-exilic period, the word continued to carry the sense of communal disgrace (e.g., Nehemiah, Ezra). English translations often render כָּלַם as 'to shame', 'to disgrace', or 'to put to confusion', but the biblical term encompasses a wider context of cultural concepts of honor and public standing than the English words may imply. Unlike בושׁ (bôsh), which more often stresses the internal feeling of shame or disappointment, כָּלַם emphasizes the external act or experience of being shamed by others. In later Hebrew the root continued to refer to disgracing or shaming someone, with similar legal and social implications.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to wound; but only figuratively, to taunt or insult; be (make) ashamed, blush, be confounded, be put to confusion, hurt, reproach, (do, put to) shame.

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Root Family

כלם (k-l-m) — to shame, disgrace, humiliate

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H3639	כְּלִמָּה	disgrace
H3640	כְּלִמּוּת	and disgrace of

Word Forms

27 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H3637-25`	וְ/יִכָּ֣לְמ֔וּ	veyikalemu	`HC/VNi3mp`	and be confounded	and they will be shamed	5
`H3637-23`	וְ/נִכְלַ֔מְתְּ	venikhelamete	`HC/VNq2fs`	and be ashamed	and you will be shamed	3
`H3637-13`	נִכְלְמ֖וּ	nikhelemu	`HVNp3cp`	confounded	they were shamed	3
`H3637-11`	נִכְלָ֑מְתִּי	nikhelameti	`HVNp1cs`	I-have-been-disgraced	I was shamed	2
`H3637-12`	נִכְלָמִ֣ים	nikhelamim	`HVNrmpa`	humiliated	being shamed ones	2
`H3637-09`	מַכְלִ֨ים	makhelim	`HVhrmsa`	humiliating	shaming	2
`H3637-08`	הִכְלִמ֖/וֹ	hikhelimo	`HVhp3ms/Sp3ms`	had disgraced him	he shamed him	1
`H3637-04`	הַ/נִּכְלָמִ֔ים	hanikhelamim	`HR/VNsmpa`	the ashamed	the shamed ones	1
`H3637-24`	וְ/נִכְלַ֔מְתִּי	venikhelameti	`HC/VNp1cs`	and-embarrassed	and I was shamed	1
`H3637-17`	תִּכָּלְמִ֖י	tikalemi	`HVNj2fs`	be humiliated	may you be shamed	1
`H3637-10`	נִכְלָ֑ם	nikhelam	`HVNrmsa`	disgraced	the one being shamed	1
`H3637-02`	הָכְלַ֨מְנוּ֙	hakhelamenu	`HVHp1cp`	we were shamed	we were put to shame	1
`H3637-16`	תִכָּלֵ֖ם	tikalem	`HVNi3fs`	be ashamed	she will be shamed	1
`H3637-07`	הִכָּלֵֽם	hikalem	`HVNc`	to be ashamed	to be shamed	1
`H3637-21`	וְ/הִכָּלֵם֙	vehikalem	`HC/VNc`	nor were they able to blush	and to be shamed	1
`H3637-20`	וְ/הָכְלְמ֖וּ	vehakhelemu	`HC/VHp3cp`	and were disappointed	and were brought to shame	1
`H3637-26`	יַכְלִ֥ים	yakhelim	`HVhi3ms`	shames	he will put to shame	1
`H3637-19`	וַ/תַּכְלִימֵ֑/נוּ	vatakhelimenu	`HC/Vhw2ms/Sp1cp`	and disgraced us	and you shamed us	1
`H3637-18`	תִכָּלְמ֖וּ	tikalemu	`HVNi2mp`	humiliated	you will be shamed	1
`H3637-14`	תַכְלִימֽוּ/הָ	takhelimuha	`HVhi2mp/Sp3fs`	reproach her	you will disgrace her	1
`H3637-27`	יִכָּ֣לְמוּ	yikalemu	`HVNj3mp`	they be disgraced	may they be shamed	1
`H3637-22`	וְ/הִכָּלְמ֛וּ	vehikalemu	`HC/VNv2mp`	and confounded	be shamed	1
`H3637-01`	בְּ/הַכְלִ֖ים	behakhelim	`HR/Vhc`	when he shames	in causing shame	1
`H3637-15`	תַּכְלִימ֑וּ/נִי	takhelimuni	`HVhi2mp/Sp1cs`	you have reproached me	you cause me shame	1
`H3637-06`	הֶכְלַמְנ֗וּ/ם	hekhelamenum	`HVhp1cp/Sp3mp`	we shamed them	we put them to shame	1
`H3637-05`	הַ/נִּכְלָמ֖וֹת	hanikhelamot	`HTd/VNsfpa`	the-ashamed	the shamed ones	1
`H3637-03`	הַכְלִים֙	hakhelim	`HVhc`	to blush	to put to shame	1

Occurrences in Scripture

38 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H3637-16`	Numbers 12:14	תִכָּלֵ֖ם	tikalem	`HVNi3fs`	be ashamed	she will be shamed
`H3637-09`	Judges 18:7	מַכְלִ֨ים	makhelim	`HVhrmsa`	humiliating	shaming
`H3637-08`	1 Samuel 20:34	הִכְלִמ֖/וֹ	hikhelimo	`HVhp3ms/Sp3ms`	had disgraced him	he shamed him
`H3637-06`	1 Samuel 25:7	הֶכְלַמְנ֗וּ/ם	hekhelamenum	`HVhp1cp/Sp3mp`	we shamed them	we put them to shame
`H3637-02`	1 Samuel 25:15	הָכְלַ֨מְנוּ֙	hakhelamenu	`HVHp1cp`	we were shamed	we were put to shame
`H3637-12`	2 Samuel 10:5	נִכְלָמִ֣ים	nikhelamim	`HVNrmpa`	humiliated	being shamed ones
`H3637-04`	2 Samuel 19:4	הַ/נִּכְלָמִ֔ים	hanikhelamim	`HR/VNsmpa`	the ashamed	the shamed ones
`H3637-25`	Isaiah 41:11	וְ/יִכָּ֣לְמ֔וּ	veyikalemu	`HC/VNi3mp`	and confounded	and they will be shamed
`H3637-13`	Isaiah 45:16	נִכְלְמ֖וּ	nikhelemu	`HVNp3cp`	confounded	they were shamed
`H3637-18`	Isaiah 45:17	תִכָּלְמ֖וּ	tikalemu	`HVNi2mp`	humiliated	you will be shamed
`H3637-11`	Isaiah 50:7	נִכְלָ֑מְתִּי	nikhelameti	`HVNp1cs`	I-have-been-disgraced	I was shamed
`H3637-17`	Isaiah 54:4	תִּכָּלְמִ֖י	tikalemi	`HVNj2fs`	be humiliated	may you be shamed
`H3637-07`	Jeremiah 3:3	הִכָּלֵֽם	hikalem	`HVNc`	to be ashamed	to be shamed
`H3637-03`	Jeremiah 6:15	הַכְלִים֙	hakhelim	`HVhc`	to blush	to put to shame
`H3637-21`	Jeremiah 8:12	וְ/הִכָּלֵם֙	vehikalem	`HC/VNc`	nor were they able to blush	and to be shamed
`H3637-20`	Jeremiah 14:3	וְ/הָכְלְמ֖וּ	vehakhelemu	`HC/VHp3cp`	and were disappointed	and were brought to shame
`H3637-23`	Jeremiah 22:22	וְ/נִכְלַ֔מְתְּ	venikhelamete	`HC/VNq2fs`	and humiliated	and you will be shamed
`H3637-11`	Jeremiah 31:19	נִכְלַ֔מְתִּי	nikhelameti	`HVNp1cs`	I was confounded	I was shamed
`H3637-05`	Ezekiel 16:27	הַ/נִּכְלָמ֖וֹת	hanikhelamot	`HTd/VNsfpa`	the-ashamed	the shamed ones
`H3637-23`	Ezekiel 16:54	וְ/נִכְלַ֕מְתְּ	venikhelamete	`HC/VNq2fs`	and be ashamed	and you will be shamed
`H3637-23`	Ezekiel 16:61	וְ/נִכְלַמְתְּ֒	venikhelamete	`HC/VNq2fs`	and be ashamed	and you will be shamed
`H3637-22`	Ezekiel 36:32	וְ/הִכָּלְמ֛וּ	vehikalemu	`HC/VNv2mp`	and confounded	be shamed
`H3637-25`	Ezekiel 43:10	וְ/יִכָּלְמ֖וּ	veyikalemu	`HC/VNj3mp`	that they may be ashamed	and they will be shamed
`H3637-13`	Ezekiel 43:11	נִכְלְמ֞וּ	nikhelemu	`HVNp3cp`	they-are-ashamed	they were shamed
`H3637-25`	Psalms 35:4	וְ/יִכָּלְמוּ֮	veyikalemu	`HC/VNi3mp`	and be confounded	and they will be shamed
`H3637-25`	Psalms 40:15	וְ/יִכָּלְמ֑וּ	veyikalemu	`HC/VNi3mp`	and brought to dishonor	and they will be shamed
`H3637-19`	Psalms 44:10	וַ/תַּכְלִימֵ֑/נוּ	vatakhelimenu	`HC/Vhw2ms/Sp1cp`	and disgraced us	and you shamed us
`H3637-27`	Psalms 69:7	יִכָּ֣לְמוּ	yikalemu	`HVNj3mp`	they be disgraced	may they be shamed
`H3637-25`	Psalms 70:3	וְ/יִכָּלְמ֑וּ	veyikalemu	`HC/VNi3mp`	and let them be confounded	and they will be shamed
`H3637-10`	Psalms 74:21	נִכְלָ֑ם	nikhelam	`HVNrmsa`	disgraced	the one being shamed
`H3637-01`	Proverbs 25:8	בְּ/הַכְלִ֖ים	behakhelim	`HR/Vhc`	when he shames	in causing shame
`H3637-26`	Proverbs 28:7	יַכְלִ֥ים	yakhelim	`HVhi3ms`	shames	he will put to shame
`H3637-09`	Job 11:3	מַכְלִֽם	makhelim	`HVhrmsa`	to shame	shaming
`H3637-15`	Job 19:3	תַּכְלִימ֑וּ/נִי	takhelimuni	`HVhi2mp/Sp1cs`	you have reproached me	you cause me shame
`H3637-14`	Ruth 2:15	תַכְלִימֽוּ/הָ	takhelimuha	`HVhi2mp/Sp3fs`	reproach her	you will disgrace her
`H3637-24`	Ezra 9:6	וְ/נִכְלַ֔מְתִּי	venikhelameti	`HC/VNp1cs`	and-embarrassed	and I was shamed
`H3637-12`	1 Chronicles 19:5	נִכְלָמִ֣ים	nikhelamim	`HVNrmpa`	humiliated	being shamed ones
`H3637-13`	2 Chronicles 30:15	נִכְלְמוּ֙	nikhelemu	`HVNp3cp`	were ashamed	they were shamed

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