אָסָם
𐤀𐤎𐤌
ʼâçâm
H618 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A physical structure or enclosed space used for the storage and safekeeping of agricultural produce, particularly grain; typically denotes a barn, granary, or warehouse. In biblical contexts, refers particularly to a place where harvest yields, such as grain, are gathered and kept for later use.
Semantic Range
storehouse, grain barn, granary, barn, storage facility
Root / Etymology
Derived from an unused root אסם, likely related to the concept 'to heap up, gather, collect.' The root itself does not appear in the biblical text but is reconstructed based on cognate usage and related Semitic languages. The noun form refers specifically to a storehouse for grain or produce, not to the verb, which is unattested.
Historical & Contextual Notes
'אָסָם' appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, and only in the plural form ('אסמים'), notably in Deuteronomy 28:8 and Proverbs 3:10, suggesting its reference is more to collective barns or granaries rather than a single structure. Its usage aligns with agrarian practices in Israelite society, where community or household storage facilities were central to food security. The term is distinct from 'אוצר' (storehouse/treasury), which can refer to broader categories of storage (goods, treasures, weapons), and contrasts with 'גורן' ('threshing floor'), which is the open area used for processing grain rather than storing it. Later English translations sometimes render 'אסם' as 'barn' or 'storehouse,' though 'granary' accurately conveys the agricultural specificity. There is no evidence that 'אסם' carried cultic connotations or referred to structures beyond mundane agricultural storage in the biblical period. Over time, in Modern Hebrew, 'אסם' has retained its meaning as 'barn' but is also used metaphorically for abundance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to heap together; a storehouse (only in the plural); barn, storehouse.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אסם (ʾ-s-m) — to heap, to gather, to collect
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H618-02 |
בַּ/אֲסָמֶ֕י/ךָ | baasameykha | HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms |
in your barns | in your grain-storehouses | 1 |
H618-01 |
אֲסָמֶ֣י/ךָ | asameykha | HNcmpc/Sp2ms |
your barns | your granaries | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H618-02 |
Deuteronomy 28:8 | בַּ/אֲסָמֶ֕י/ךָ | baasameykha | HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms |
in your barns | in your grain-storehouses |
H618-01 |
Proverbs 3:10 | אֲסָמֶ֣י/ךָ | asameykha | HNcmpc/Sp2ms |
your barns | your granaries |