תַּלְמַי
𐤕𐤋𐤌𐤉
Talemay
H8526 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Personal name, most likely meaning 'furrowed' or 'ploughman,' derived from an agricultural term. Used for (1) a leader among the Anakim (Canaanite clan in Hebron) during the early period of Israelite settlement in Canaan; (2) a son of Ammihud, king of Geshur (a small Aramean kingdom in Transjordan), referenced in connection with the Judahite royal family through marriage alliances. The name reflects an agricultural association, but when applied to individuals, it functions solely as a personal name without retaining the common noun meaning.
Semantic Range
proper name of individuals (a Canaanite leader, a king of Geshur); connected etymologically to 'furrow' or 'ridge' in agricultural context, but only as a name in biblical usage
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew noun תֶּלֶם (telem, 'furrow, ridge'), derived from the root תלם meaning 'to plough, to make furrows.' The form תַּלְמַי (Talmay) is formed with the possessive/relational ending -ַי, possibly meaning 'my furrow' or 'ploughman,' but as a proper name it is conventionalized and not meant as possessive.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, תַּלְמַי appears in two primary contexts: as one of the Anakite leaders in Hebron at the time of the Israelite conquest (Num 13:22, Josh 15:14, Judg 1:10), and as the king of Geshur (a small Aramean polity east of the upper Jordan; 2 Sam 3:3, 13:37) whose daughter Maacah became a wife of King David. English translations retain 'Talmai' as a name and do not attempt to render it into a common noun; the original agricultural sense is lost in these proper name usages. There is no indication that the name denoted ethnicity, rank, or occupation in the biblical narratives, though its agricultural root may reflect broader ancient naming conventions. The term is unrelated to later Judean or Jewish identities. In the Septuagint, the name is transliterated rather than translated, further underscoring its use solely as a proper noun.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from תֶּלֶם; ridged; Talmai, the name of a Canaanite and a Syrian; Talmai.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תלם (t-l-m) — to plough, make furrows, cut ridges
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8525 | תֶּלֶם | plowed-earth ridge-of |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8526-01 |
תַּלְמַ֔י | talemay | HNp |
Talmai | Furrow-man | 5 |
H8526-02 |
וְ/תַלְמַ֔י | vetalemay | HC/Np |
and Talmai | and Talmai | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8526-02 |
Numbers 13:22 | וְ/תַלְמַ֔י | vetalemay | HC/Np |
and Talmai | and Talmai |
H8526-01 |
Joshua 15:14 | תַּלְמַ֔י | talemay | HNp |
Talmai | Furrow-man |
H8526-01 |
Judges 1:10 | תַּלְמָֽי | talemay | HNp |
Talmai | Furrow-man |
H8526-01 |
2 Samuel 3:3 | תַּלְמַ֖י | talemay | HNp |
Talmai | Furrow-man |
H8526-01 |
2 Samuel 13:37 | תַּלְמַ֥י | talemay | HNp |
Talmai | Furrow-man |
H8526-01 |
1 Chronicles 3:2 | תַּלְמַ֖י | talemay | HNp |
Talmai | Furrow-man |