H2553 H2553
Sun-pillars or incense altars; cultic objects associated with Canaanite solar worship, always condemned in Scripture.
Chammanim are cultic installations connected to pagan worship, likely standing stones dedicated to a solar deity or specialized incense altars used in Baal worship. Every occurrence carries a tone of condemnation. Leviticus 26:30 threatens their destruction alongside the high places. The Chronicler records their removal during the reforms of Asa (2 Chr 14:5) and Josiah (2 Chr 34:4, 7). Isaiah envisions their demolition as part of Israel's future purification (Isa 17:8; 27:9). The Palmyrene cognate chamana confirms a solar association, and they consistently appear alongside other symbols of idolatry—asherim, altars of Baal, and carved images.
Senses
1. sun-pillar / incense altar — Sun-pillars or incense altars used in idolatrous worship, always mentioned in contexts of pagan cult destruction or prophetic judgment. English glosses alternate between 'incense altars' and 'sun-pillars,' Spanish offers both 'incensarios' and 'ídolos de sol,' reflecting the scholarly uncertainty about the exact form of these objects. They consistently appear in lists alongside bamot (high places), asherim (sacred poles), and mizbekhot habba'alim (altars of the Baals)—as in 2 Chronicles 34:4, 7 and Isaiah 17:8. Their placement in Leviticus 26:30 (the Holiness Code) establishes their condemnation as covenant violation. 8×
AR["الشَّمسانِيّاتِ", "الْمَذَابِحَ-الشَّمْسِيَّةَ", "مَذَابِحَكُمْ", "مَسارِجُكُمْ", "وَ-الشَّمَسِيَّاتِ", "وَ-المَذَابِحَ-الشَّمْسِيَّةَ", "وَمَذَابِحُ-الشَّمْسِ"]·ben["-ধূপবেদি", "ও-চামমানিম", "ও-ধূপবেদি", "ও-সূর্য-স্তম্ভ", "তোমাদের-ধূপবেদি,", "তোমাদের-সূর্য-মূর্তি", "সূর্য-স্তম্ভগুলো"]·DE["[החמנים]", "[והחמנים]", "[וחמנים]", "[חמניכם]", "dein-Weihrauch-Altaere"]·EN["and-the-incense-altars", "sun-pillars-of-you", "the-incense-altars", "your-incense-altars"]·FR["[החמנים]", "[והחמנים]", "[וחמנים]", "pain-levé", "ton-encens-autels"]·heb["ה-חמנים", "ו-ה-חמנים", "ו-חמנים", "חמניכם"]·HI["और-धूप-वेदियों", "और-सूर्य-स्तम्भ", "और-सूर्य-स्तम्भों-को", "के-धूप-वेदियों", "तुम्हारी-धूप-वेदियां", "तुम्हारे-धूपदान", "धूप-वेदियों"]·ID["dan-mezbah-mezbah-dupa", "dan-tiang-tiang-berhala", "dan-tugu-tugu-dewa-matahari", "mezbah-mezbah-dupa", "pilar-pilar-matahari", "tiang-dewamu", "tiang-tiang-matahari-kamu"]·IT["[החמנים]", "[והחמנים]", "[וחמנים]", "[חמניכם]", "tuo-incenso-altari"]·jav["cagak-dupa", "gambar-srengenge-sira", "lan-cagak-dupa", "lan-tiang-dupa", "pilar-pilar-srengenge-panjenengan-sedaya", "tugu-srengenge"]·KO["그-분향단들을", "그-향-제단들을", "그리고-그-향-제단들을", "그리고-분향단들을", "너희의-해-기둥들이", "너희의-향단들을"]·PT["e-altares-de-incenso", "e-os-altares-de-incenso", "os-altares-de-incenso", "pilares-de-sol-vossos", "vossos-altares-de-incenso"]·RU["жертвенники-солнца-ваши", "и-на-солнечные-столбы", "и-солнечные-столбы", "и-хамманим", "солнечные-столбы", "столбы-солнца-ваши"]·ES["los-incensarios", "los-ídolos-de-sol", "ni-altares-de-incienso", "pilares-de-sol-de-ustedes", "vuestros-altares-de-incienso", "y-las-imágenes-del-sol", "y-los-incensarios"]·SW["hachamaּniym", "madhabahu-zenu-za-uvumba", "na-madhabahu-ya-uvumba", "na-sanamu-za-jua", "sanamu-za-jua", "sanamu-zenu-za-jua", "whachamaּniym"]·TR["güneş-sütunlarını", "güneş-sütunlarınız", "güneş-sütunlarınızın", "tütsü-sunaklarınızı", "ve-gunes-sutunlari", "ve-güneş-sütunlarını", "ve-tuts-resimlerini"]·urd["اور-بُت-خانے", "اور-دھوپ-دانوں", "اور-نہ-بُت-خانوں-کو", "بت-کے-ستون", "بتوں-تمہارے", "دھوپ-دانوں", "ستون-تمہارے"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [חַמָּן] n.m. sun-pillar, used in idolatrous worship (v. Thes489 ff. RSSem, i, 485 Lag Mi, 228 NowArch. ii, 302; = Palm. חמנא VogNo. 123 a; = Cooke N. Sem. Inscr., No. 136; LzbEphem. ii. (1906), 280; Ph. לבעל חמן often as epithet of solar Baal);—only pl. abs. חַמָּנִים Is 27:9 + 4 times; sf. חַמָּנֵיכֶם Lv 26:30 + 2 times; ‖ בָּמוֹת Lv 26:30 (H), 2 Ch 14:4, cf. Ez 6:4, 6; ‖ מזבחות הבעלים 2 Ch 34:4; ‖ אשׁרים Is 17:8; 27:9; ‖ אשׁרים and פְּסִלִים 2 Ch 34:7.