חוֹמָה133 H2346
Wall — a defensive wall surrounding a city, serving as the primary fortification and symbol of urban security in ancient Israel
Chomah is the standard Hebrew term for a city's defensive wall, occurring 133 times. Unlike the more general qir (any wall, including interior partitions), chomah specifically denotes the massive stone perimeter that defined and protected an urban settlement. The word appears at pivotal moments: Rahab's house was built into the chomah of Jericho (Josh 2:15), whose walls famously collapsed (Josh 6:5, 20); Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem's chomah as an act of national restoration (Neh 2:17; 3:1-32; 12:27). Metaphorically, a wall represents security — and its breach represents judgment: 'I will break down the wall of this city' (Jer 1:15; Ezek 26:9-10). The dual form appears in 2 Kings 25:4 for the double wall of Jerusalem.
Senses
1. city wall, fortification wall — A city's defensive perimeter wall — the massive stone fortification encircling an ancient settlement, serving as both military protection and civic boundary marker. It appears in the fall of Jericho (Josh 6:5, 20), Rahab's escape (Josh 2:15), the siege of Rabbah (2 Sam 11:20-21), and Nehemiah's landmark rebuilding project (Neh 2:17; 12:27). Prophetically, a breached wall signals divine judgment (Ezek 26:9-10; Nah 2:6), while a rebuilt wall signifies restoration. Spanish 'muralla/muro,' French 'muraille,' and German 'Mauer' all capture the fortification sense, distinguishing it from ordinary interior walls. 133×
AR["ال-سّورُ", "السورُ", "السُّورَ", "السُّورِ", "السّورِ"]·ben["প্রাচীর", "প্রাচীর-(সেই)", "প্রাচীরের", "প্রাচীরের-(সেই)"]·DE["der-Mauer"]·EN["the-wall"]·FR["la-muraille", "le-muraille"]·heb["ה-חומה"]·HI["दीवार", "दीवार-की", "दीवार-के", "शहरपनाह", "शहरपनाह-की", "हखोमाह"]·ID["-tembok", "tembok", "tembok-itu"]·IT["il-muro", "le-mura"]·jav["beteng", "sang-témbok", "tembok", "tèmbòk", "témbok"]·KO["그-성벽", "그-성벽을", "그-성벽의", "그-성벽이", "성벽"]·PT["a-muralha", "o-muro"]·RU["-стене", "-стены", "городской", "стена", "стене", "стену", "стены"]·ES["el-muro", "el-muro?", "la-muralla"]·SW["hachwomah", "ukuta"]·TR["-surun", "duvar", "duvara", "duvarı", "duvarın", "sur", "sura", "suru", "surun"]·urd["دیوار", "دیوار-کی", "دیوار-کے", "شہر-پناہ-کی"]
Josh 2:15, Josh 6:5, Josh 6:20, 2 Sam 11:20, 2 Sam 11:21, 2 Sam 11:21, 2 Sam 11:24, 2 Sam 18:24, 2 Sam 20:15, 2 Sam 20:21, 1 Kgs 3:1, 1 Kgs 9:15 (+38 more)
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
חוֹמָה133 n.f. wall (as protection; cstr. חמת MI21.21)—abs. ח׳ Lv 25:29 + 59 times (incl. לְהַחוֹמָה Ne 12:38); חֹמָה Ex 14:29 + 8 times; cstr. חוֹמַת Jos 6:5 + 28 times; sf. חוֹמָתָהּ Na 2:6; 3:8; pl. abs. חוֹמוֹת 2 Ch 8:5; Is 26:1; חֹמוֹת Ct 5:7; cstr. חוֹמוֹת ψ 51:20; חוֹמֹת 2 K 25:10 + 9 times; sf. חוֹמֹתַי Is 56:5; חֹמֹתֶיךָ Dt 28:52; Is 25:12; חוֹמוֹתַיִךְ Ez 26:10, 12; 27:11(×2);…