נֶחֱלָמִי
𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤌𐤉
Nechelami
H5161 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A gentilic or patronymic term designating an individual identified as a 'Nechelamite'—that is, one belonging to, descended from, or associated with a person or group called Nechelam (possibly based on a proper name or location). The term is attested as an identifier of Shemaiah ha-Nechelamite in the book of Jeremiah, referring either to a family lineage, a clan, or a geographical origin possibly tied to an otherwise unknown place or ancestor. The semantic range includes 'member of the Nechelam family/clan,' 'inhabitant of Nechelam,' or 'descendant of Nechelam.'
Semantic Range
descendant of Nechelam, member of the Nechelam clan, inhabitant of Nechelam, one associated with Nechelam
Root / Etymology
Formed as a gentilic/patronymic term (-י suffix) from a presumed proper name נֶחֱלָם (Nechelam), which is unattested elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. The base נֶחֱלָם is speculatively connected to the root חָלַם (ḥ-l-m, to dream), with the nominal form possibly being a passive participle meaning 'the dreamed one,' though this is not linguistically certain. Thus, the name's true origin and meaning remain unclear.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term נֶחֱלָמִי appears only in Jeremiah 29:24, 29:31, and 29:32, attached to Shemaiah, a figure among the exilic community in Babylonia. English translations (e.g., Nehelamite) reflect a transliteration rather than an attempt to convey meaning, since the underlying referent—whether a person, family, or locality—is obscure. In ancient Israelite nomenclature, patriarchal, geographic, and clan identifiers were common; thus, 'Nechelamite' most likely marks Shemaiah as associated with a group (family, lineage, or location) bearing the name Nechelam. There is no evidence that the term was used for an ethnic or religious classification; nor should it be conflated with territorial identifiers like 'Judean.' The form and vowel pattern are typical of gentilic or patronymic designations in Hebrew. Later tradition does not clarify the specific reference. Theories connecting the base to dreaming (חָלַם) are unproven, and the meaning, if any, is lost to history. This term is not known outside Jeremiah, and there's no evidence it functioned as a common title or class.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently a patronymic from an unused name (apparently passive participle of חָלַם); dreamed; a Nechelamite, or descendant of Nechlam; Nehelamite.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חלם (ḥ-l-m) — to dream, to have visions in sleep
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2472 | חֲלוֹם | in the dream |
| H2492 | חָלַם | he dreamed |
| H2493 | חֵלֶם | dream-vision |
| H2494 | חֵלֶם | to Helem |
| H2495 | חַלָּמוּת | bland herb |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5161-01 |
הַ/נֶּחֱלָמִ֖י | hanechelami | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Nehelamite | the Nechelamite | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5161-01 |
Jeremiah 29:24 | הַ/נֶּחֱלָמִ֖י | hanechelami | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Nehelamite | the Nechelamite |
H5161-01 |
Jeremiah 29:31 | הַ/נֶּחֱלָמִ֑י | hanechelami | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Nehelamite | the Nechelamite |
H5161-01 |
Jeremiah 29:32 | הַ/נֶּחֱלָמִי֮ | hanechelami | HTd/Ngmsa |
the-Nehelamite | the Nechelamite |