H2574 H2574
Hamath — a major Syrian city-state on the Orontes, marking the ideal northern boundary of Israel's land
Chamath (Hamath) is the Hebrew name for a great city-kingdom on the Orontes River in central Syria, modern-day Hama, appearing 35 times in the Hebrew Bible. Its primary biblical function is as a geographical boundary marker: the phrase levo Chamath ('the entrance of Hamath') recurs as a formulaic designation for the northern limit of the Promised Land (Num 13:21; 34:8; Josh 13:5; Judg 3:3; 1 Kgs 8:65; Ezek 47:16-17, 20). Hamath had its own king, Toi, who allied with David against Hadadezer (2 Sam 8:9-10), and its own gods, transported to Samaria by Assyrian settlers (2 Kgs 17:30). Assyrian conquest of Hamath served as a taunt in diplomatic propaganda: 'Where are the gods of Hamath?' (2 Kgs 18:34; Isa 36:19; 37:13).
Senses
1. Hamath (city and region) — The proper noun Chamath/Hamath, designating the Syrian city-state on the Orontes that served as the conventional northern boundary marker of Israelite territory. The stereotyped phrase levo Chamath ('the entrance/approach of Hamath') appears in boundary descriptions from Numbers through Ezekiel (Num 13:21; 34:8; Josh 13:5; 1 Kgs 8:65; 2 Kgs 14:25; Ezek 47:16, 20). Historically, its king Toi allied with David (2 Sam 8:9 = 1 Chr 18:9), and Assyrian propaganda cited its fall to intimidate Jerusalem (2 Kgs 18:34; Isa 10:9; 36:19; 37:13). Translations transliterate variously: Spanish 'Hamat/Jamat,' French 'Hamath/Chamath,' German 'Hamat/Chamath.' 35×
AR["حَماةَ", "حَمَاةَ", "حَمَاةُ"]·ben["সোবা-এর", "হমাতের", "হমাথকে", "হমাথের", "হমাৎ", "হামাথের।", "হামাৎ"]·DE["Chamat", "Chamath", "Hamat", "Hamath"]·EN["Chamat", "Chamath", "Hamath", "of-Chamat"]·FR["Chamat", "Chamath", "Hamath"]·heb["חמת"]·HI["खमात", "खमात-की", "खामात", "हमात", "हमात-का", "हमात-के", "हमात-के।"]·ID["Hamat"]·IT["Camat", "Chamat", "Chamath", "Hamat", "Hamath"]·jav["Hamat"]·KO["하마", "하마의", "하맋의", "하맛", "하맛-을", "하맛과", "하맛의", "하맛이"]·PT["Chamat", "Hamat"]·RU["Хамат", "Хамата"]·ES["Hamat", "Jamat", "Khamat", "de-Hamat", "es-Jamat"]·SW["Hamathi", "cha-Misri", "wa-Hamathi", "ya-Hamathi"]·TR["Hamat", "Hamat'a", "Hamat'in", "Hamat'ı", "Hamat'ın", "Hamatın"]·urd["حمات", "حمات-کا", "حمات-کو", "حمات-کی", "حمات-کے"]
Num 13:21, Num 34:8, Josh 13:5, Judg 3:3, 2 Sam 8:9, 1 Kgs 8:65, 2 Kgs 14:25, 2 Kgs 14:28, 2 Kgs 17:24, 2 Kgs 17:30, 2 Kgs 18:34, 2 Kgs 19:13 (+23 more)
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חֲמָת, חֲמַת n.pr.loc. (√ dub.; Thes MV al. der. from חָמָה, חֲמָת = fortress, or (v. RSSem i, 140), sacred enclosure, temenos, ḥimā, cf. HalJAS 7 ème Sér. x, 392 LagBN 82, 156; but no certainty that name is Shemitic; Arabic حَمَاة, Assyrian Amattu, DlPA 275 ff. Pr 174);—mod. Ḥamâ, on el-ʿÂṣi (Orontes), 38 h. (c. 115 m.) N. of Damascus, v. BdPal. 398 f. It had a king, תֹּעִי, in David’s time 2…