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תָּמִים

𐤕𐤌𐤉𐤌

tâmîym

H8549 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Adjective describing that which is whole, complete, intact, or without physical or moral defect. Used to describe physical wholeness (such as an unblemished animal fit for sacrifice), moral integrity or uprightness (especially of persons), sincerity, or perfection in function or character. Semantic range includes: unblemished, blameless, complete, sincere, having integrity, undivided, full, whole.

Semantic Range

complete, blameless, whole, unblemished, perfect, sound, having integrity, sincere, undivided, unimpaired, morally upright

Root / Etymology

From the root תָּמַם (t-m-m), meaning 'to be complete, finished, sound'. תָּמִים is the adjective form derived from this verb root, describing a state of being complete or unblemished, either physically, morally, or functionally.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite sacrificial contexts, תָּמִים denotes an animal that is physically whole, with no defect or blemish (e.g., Leviticus 1:3). In moral and character descriptions (such as in Genesis 6:9 for Noah, or Job 1:1), it conveys the sense of integrity, moral soundness, and uprightness. Over time, it was also applied to ritual or ceremonial purity signifying suitability or acceptability before the divine. It does not imply absolute perfection in a philosophical or theological sense, but rather describes that which lacks defect or division in its intended sphere. Later translation traditions (Septuagint, Vulgate) sometimes rendered the term as 'perfectus' or 'amōmos' ('without blame/blemish'), and it is the source of the KJV rendering 'perfect'; however, 'blameless' or 'complete' are often more precise. Distinct from terms such as צַדִּיק (righteous/just), which emphasizes adherence to legal or social norms, תָּמִים centers on wholeness or lack of defect—whether physical or metaphorical. In post-exilic texts and later Jewish literature, the term retains both sacrificial and ethical implications.

Translation Consistency

primary "blameless" 37 occurrences

tâmîym most often conveys moral integrity and uprightness as well as absence of defect or blemish. "Blameless" is a natural, idiomatic English adjective that covers both moral innocence and the idea of being without defect (usable for people, offerings, and things), so it best preserves the typical Biblical sense across contexts while remaining natural to readers. Alternatives like "whole" or "unblemished" were considered, but "blameless" better captures the primary interpersonal/legal/moral nuance found throughout the corpus.

Alternatives (4 occurrences):
"integrity" (2x) "whole" (1x) "perfect" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from תָּמַם; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth; without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright(-ly), whole.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

תמם (mᵉthôm) — to be complete, to be finished, to be sound, to be unimpaired

Root תמם to be complete, to be finished, to be whole, to be sound
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4974 מְתֹם sound wholeness
H8535 תָּם whole and blameless
H8537 תֹּם wholeness

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8549-02 תָמִ֑ים tamim HAamsa without blemish whole, blameless blameless 45
H8549-06 תְּמִימִֽם temimim HAampa without blemish whole ones blameless ones 26
H8549-04 תְמִימָ֔ה temimah HAafsa unblemished whole, unblemished blameless 8
H8549-08 וּ֝/תְמִימִ֗ים utemimim HC/Aampa and the blameless and whole ones and blameless ones 3
H8549-01 בְּ/תָמִ֣ים betamim HR/Aamsa in sincerity in integrity in integrity 2
H8549-03 תְּמִ֖ים temim HAamsc perfect whole, unblemished perfect 2
H8549-05 תְּמִ֣ימֵי temimey HAampc blameless whole ones of blameless ones of 2
H8549-09 וּ/בְ/תָמִים֙ uvetamim HC/R/Aamsa and-in-integrity and in wholeness and in integrity 2
H8549-07 תְּמִימֹ֥ת temimot HAafpa complete whole ones whole ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

91 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8549-09 Judges 9:19 וּ/בְ/תָמִ֧ים uvetamim HC/R/Aamsa and-in-integrity and in wholeness and in integrity
H8549-02 1 Samuel 14:41 תָמִ֑ים tamim HAamsa perfect whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 2 Samuel 22:24 תָמִ֖ים tamim HAamsa blameless whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 2 Samuel 22:26 תָּמִ֖ים tamim HAamsa perfect whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 2 Samuel 22:31 תָּמִ֣ים tamim HAamsa perfect whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 2 Samuel 22:33 תָּמִ֖ים tamim HAamsa perfect whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Ezekiel 15:5 תָמִ֔ים tamim HAamsa whole whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Ezekiel 28:15 תָּמִ֤ים tamim HAamsa perfect whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Ezekiel 43:22 תָּמִ֖ים tamim HAamsa without blemish whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Ezekiel 43:23 תָּמִ֔ים tamim HAamsa without blemish whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Ezekiel 43:23 תָּמִֽים tamim-2 HAamsa without blemish whole, blameless blameless
H8549-06 Ezekiel 43:25 תְּמִימִ֥ים temimim HAampa without blemish whole ones blameless ones
H8549-02 Ezekiel 45:18 תָּמִ֑ים tamim HAamsa without-blemish whole, blameless blameless
H8549-06 Ezekiel 45:23 תְּמִימִם֙ temimim HAampa without blemish whole ones blameless ones
H8549-06 Ezekiel 46:4 תְּמִימִ֖ם temimim HAampa without blemish whole ones blameless ones
H8549-02 Ezekiel 46:4 תָּמִֽים tamim HAamsa without blemish whole, blameless blameless
H8549-06 Ezekiel 46:6 תְּמִימִ֑ם temimim HAampa without blemish whole ones blameless ones
H8549-06 Ezekiel 46:6 תְּמִימִ֥ם temimim-2 HAampa without blemish whole ones blameless ones
H8549-02 Ezekiel 46:13 תָּמִ֗ים tamim HAamsa without-blemish whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Amos 5:10 תָּמִ֖ים tamim HAamsa with integrity whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Psalms 15:2 תָּ֭מִים tamim HAamsa uprightly whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Psalms 18:24 תָמִ֣ים tamim HAamsa blameless whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Psalms 18:26 תָּ֝מִ֗ים tamim HAamsa perfect whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Psalms 18:31 תָּמִ֪ים tamim HAamsa perfect whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Psalms 18:33 תָּמִ֣ים tamim HAamsa perfect whole, blameless blameless
H8549-04 Psalms 19:8 תְּ֭מִימָה temimah HAafsa perfect whole, unblemished blameless
H8549-06 Psalms 37:18 תְמִימִ֑ם temimim HAampa blameless whole ones blameless ones
H8549-01 Psalms 84:12 בְּ/תָמִֽים betamim HR/Aamsa in-uprightness in integrity in integrity
H8549-02 Psalms 101:2 תָּמִ֗ים tamim HAamsa of integrity whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Psalms 101:6 תָּמִ֑ים tamim HAamsa of integrity whole, blameless blameless
H8549-05 Psalms 119:1 תְמִֽימֵי temimey HAampc undefiled whole ones of blameless ones of
H8549-02 Psalms 119:80 תָמִ֣ים tamim HAamsa blameless whole, blameless blameless
H8549-08 Proverbs 1:12 וּ֝/תְמִימִ֗ים utemimim HC/Aampa and whole and whole ones and blameless ones
H8549-08 Proverbs 2:21 וּ֝/תְמִימִ֗ים utemimim HC/Aampa and the blameless and whole ones and blameless ones
H8549-02 Proverbs 11:5 תָּ֭מִים tamim HAamsa the blameless whole, blameless blameless
H8549-05 Proverbs 11:20 תְּמִ֣ימֵי temimey HAampc blameless whole ones of blameless ones of
H8549-08 Proverbs 28:10 וּ֝/תְמִימִ֗ים utemimim HC/Aampa but the blameless and whole ones and blameless ones
H8549-02 Proverbs 28:18 תָּ֭מִים tamim HAamsa blamelessly whole, blameless blameless
H8549-02 Job 12:4 תָּמִֽים tamim HAamsa blameless whole, blameless blameless
H8549-03 Job 36:4 תְּמִ֖ים temim HAamsc perfect whole, unblemished whole
H8549-03 Job 37:16 תְּמִ֣ים temim HAamsc perfect whole, unblemished perfect
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