← H6017 H6019 →

עׇמְרִי

𐤏𐤌𐤓𐤉

Meri

H6018 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עמר to heap up, pile, gather

Definition

Personal name: Omri, most notably the name of the sixth king of the northern kingdom of Israel (House of Omri), as well as other individuals. The name itself likely conveys the notion of 'one who heaps up, piles together,' but within the text, it serves primarily as a proper noun, designating specific figures without explicit reference to the verbal root's literal meaning. In biblical narrative, its usage designates persons and does not extend to common nouns or abstract meanings.

Semantic Range

personal name (Omri the king of Israel; other individuals with the name), dynastic title (House of Omri in extra-biblical sources)

Root / Etymology

From the root עָמַר (ʿ-m-r), 'to heap, pile up, gather into a heap.' עׇמְרִי appears to be a theophoric or descriptive personal name based on this root, perhaps denoting 'one who heaps up' or 'my sheaf/heap' in its original onomastic context. The name is not directly a verbal form but incorporates the root into a personal name structure.

Historical & Contextual Notes

עׇמְרִי is best known as the name of an Israelite king who established a dynastic line and founded Samaria as a capital (mid-9th century BCE). In Israelite and wider ancient Near Eastern onomastics, names formed from roots conveying action or quality (such as 'to heap, pile') often signify hoped-for qualities or familial associations, but the narrative function is strictly as a proper name. Later traditions, including Rabbinic literature and translation traditions (LXX: Αμφρι), preserve the name without etymological interpretation, although some English Bibles assign Omri dynastic or negative theological connotations based on the narratives in 1 Kings. The name also appears for other, less prominent individuals (e.g., a descendant of Benjamin in 1 Chronicles 7:8, a Judahite in 1 Chronicles 9:4), but always as a designation and not as a general term. In ancient inscriptional evidence, the label 'House of Omri' (Bit Humri) appears in Neo-Assyrian records, reflecting the international recognition of Omri's dynasty. The lexical root itself is not active in the meaning of the name in context, and the modern English usage 'Omri' closely matches the Biblical usage for all periods. There is no evidence of the term acquiring religious or ethnic connotations beyond its identification with specific persons or, in an international context, with a political dynasty.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָמַר; heaping; Omri, an Israelite; Omri.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

עמר (ʿ-m-r) — heap up, pile, gather

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5995 עָמִיר grain-bundle
H6014 עָמַר sheaf-binder
H6015 עֲמַר like wool
H6016 עֹמֶר the bound sheaves
H6017 עֲמֹרָה Gomorrah-Heap

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6018-01 עָמְרִ֨י ameri HNp Omri Omri 17
H6018-02 וְ/עָמְרִי֙ veameri HC/Np Omri and Omri 1

Occurrences in Scripture

18 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:16 עָמְרִ֨י ameri HNp Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:17 עָמְרִ֛י ameri HNp Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:21 עָמְרִֽי ameri HNp Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:22 עָמְרִ֔י ameri HNp Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:22 עָמְרִֽי ameri-2 HNp Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:23 עָמְרִי֙ ameri HNp Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:25 עָמְרִ֛י ameri HNp Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:27 עָמְרִי֙ ameri HNp of Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:28 עָמְרִי֙ ameri HNp Omri Omri
H6018-01 1 Kings 16:29 עָמְרִ֗י ameri HNp Omri Omri
← H6017 Hebrew Lexicon H6019 →