H2545 H2545
Mother-in-law — a husband's mother or wife's mother, central to the Ruth narrative
The noun חָמוֹת (chamot) specifically designates one's mother-in-law, and its occurrences cluster almost entirely in the book of Ruth, where the relationship between Naomi and Ruth is the emotional and theological heart of the story. Ruth's loyalty to her mother-in-law — 'your people shall be my people, your God my God' (Ruth 1:16) — redefines family beyond blood. The term appears at every turning point of the narrative: departure (Ruth 1:14), gleaning (2:11, 18-19, 23), and the threshing-floor plan (3:1, 6, 16-17). Micah 7:6 uses the same word in its portrait of social disintegration, where a daughter-in-law rises against her mother-in-law. Spanish 'suegra' and French 'belle-mère' both serve.
Senses
1. her mother in law — A woman's mother-in-law, the mother of her husband. Dominates the book of Ruth, where Naomi is consistently called Ruth's chamot (Ruth 1:14; 2:11, 18-19, 23; 3:1, 6, 16-17), shaping the narrative's portrait of covenant loyalty across family lines. Micah 7:6 employs the same term in a prophecy of domestic betrayal where natural family bonds collapse. Spanish 'suegra,' German 'Schwiegermutter,' and French 'belle-mère' all correspond precisely. 11×
AR["حَمَاتَهَا", "حَمَاتُهَا", "حَمَاتِكِ", "حَمَاتِهَا", "عَلَى-حَمَاتِهَا"]·ben["তার-শাশুড়ি", "তার-শাশুড়িকে", "তার-শাশুড়ির", "তার-শাশুড়ির-বিরুদ্ধে", "তোমার-শাশুড়ির"]·DE["Schwiegermutter", "deine-Schwiegermutter", "ihre-Schwiegermutter", "zu-ihre-Schwiegermutter"]·EN["against-her-mother-in-law", "her-mother-in-law", "to-her-mother-in-law", "your-mother-in-law"]·FR["belle-mère", "sa-mère-dans-loi", "ton-mère-dans-loi", "à-sa-mère-dans-loi"]·heb["ב-חמותה", "חמותה", "חמותך", "ל-חמותה"]·HI["अपनी-सास-के-विरुद्ध", "सास", "सास-के", "सास-को"]·ID["ibu-mertuamu", "ibu-mertuanya", "kepada-ibu-mertuanya", "melawan-ibu-mertuanya"]·IT["[בחמתה]", "a-sua-suocera", "sua-suocera", "tua-suocera"]·jav["dhateng-ibu-maratuwanipun", "ibu-maratuwa-panjenengan", "ibu-maratuwanipun", "nglawan-maratuwanipun-estri"]·KO["그녀의-시어머니가", "그녀의-시어머니에게", "그녀의-시어머니와", "니-시어머니에게", "에-대항하여-시어머니-그녀의"]·PT["a-sua-sogra", "contra-sua-sogra", "sua-sogra", "tua-sogra"]·RU["против-свекрови-своей", "свекрови-её", "свекрови-твоей", "свекровь-её", "свекровь-свою", "свекровью-её"]·ES["a-su-suegra", "contra-su-suegra", "su-suegra", "tu-suegra"]·SW["dhidi-ya-mama-mkwe-wake", "mama-mkwe-wake", "mama-mkwe-wako"]·TR["kaynanana", "kaynanası", "kaynanasına", "kaynanasına-karşı-onun", "kaynanasını", "kaynanasıyla"]·urd["اُس-کی-ساس", "اُس-کی-ساس-نے", "اپنی-ساس", "اپنی-ساس-کو", "اپنی-ساس-کے", "اپنی-ساس-کے-خلاف"]
Related Senses
H0376 1. man, person, human male (2130×)H0251 1. brother (blood sibling) (573×)H0120 1. man, human being (individual/generic) (527×)H0802 1. woman, female person (519×)H0802 2. wife, spouse (255×)H0517 1. mother, female parent (217×)G0435 1. man, male person (202×)G1135 1. woman, adult female (190×)H2233 1. offspring, descendants (172×)H0001 2. ancestor, forefather (146×)H5288 1. Youth, young man (122×)H0269 1. sister (female sibling) (113×)H1755 1. generation, contemporaries (96×)G5043 1. child, offspring (89×)G0444 2. people, humankind (86×)H3206 1. child, boy, youth (86×)H2145 1. male (human being) (79×)G3384 1. mother (77×)H6485a 1. Qal passive participle: numbered ones, enrollment (76×)H1397 1. man (strong/mighty) (65×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [חָמוֹת] n.f. husband’s mother (NH חָמוֹת, Aramaic חֲמָתָא; Arabic حَمَاةٌ husband’s mother; Assyrian emêtu, ZimBP 48; Ethiopic ሐማት: )—only sf. חֲמוֹתֵךְ Ru 2:11; 3:17; חֲמוֹתָהּ Ru 1:14 + 7 times; חֲמֹתָהּ Mi 7:6;—of Naomi Ru 1:14; 2:11, 18, 19(×2), 23; 3:1, 6, 16, 17; בַּת קָמָ֫ה בְאִמָּ֔הּ כַּלָּה בַּחֲמֹתָהּ Mi 7:6.