H2930a H2930a
To be or become ritually unclean, to defile, to declare unclean; spanning stative impurity, causative defilement, reflexive self-defilement, and priestly pronouncement
Tame' is the great verb of biblical purity law, governing the boundary between the clean and the unclean that structures Levitical religion from cradle to grave. Its stems unfold a complete grammar of pollution: the Qal registers the state of being unclean, the Piel actively defiles, the Niphal marks the result of having been defiled, the Hitpael captures deliberate self-contamination, and — most remarkably — a declarative Piel gives the priest authority to pronounce impurity. Arabic najasa and its derivatives mirror this system, while Korean bujeonghan and Swahili najisi show how universally cultures distinguish between being unclean and being made unclean. From corpse contamination to sexual transgression to idolatrous pollution, tame' maps the full landscape of what separates Israel from holiness.
Senses
1. Qal: be/become unclean — Qal stative/inchoative: to be or become ritually unclean through contact, condition, or circumstance. Arabic yatanajjasu (to become impure) and Korean bujeong-hada (to be unclean) mark the non-agentive state. The most frequent sense (75x), dominating Leviticus 11-15 where contact with carcasses (Lev 11:24-28), bodily discharges (Lev 15:18), and skin diseases trigger automatic impurity until evening or until purification. The construction 'he shall be unclean until evening' is the signature formula, appearing dozens of times in the purity code. 75×
AR["يَتَنَجَّسُ"]·ben["অশুচি-থাকবে","অশুচি-হবে","অশুচি-হবে।"]·DE["er-soll-sein-unrein","soll-sein-unrein","wird-unrein"]·EN["becomes-unclean","he-shall-be-unclean","shall-be-unclean"]·FR["becomes-impur","devra-être-impur","il-devra-être-impur"]·heb["נטמא"]·HI["अशुद्ध होगा","उनकी लोथ","उसकी लोथ","और-उसे","तक","पर-वह","में-वह"]·ID["dia-najis","menjadi-najis","menjadi-najis."]·IT["diviene-impuro","egli-dovra-essere-impuro","sara-impuro"]·jav["badhé-najis","dados-najis","najis"]·KO["부정하게-되리라","부정하리라","부정할-것이다","부정해지리라"]·PT["será-impuro","tornar-se-á-impuro"]·RU["будет-нечист","будет-нечистой","будет-нечистым","нечистым-будет","станет-нечистым"]·ES["se-hará-impuro","será-impura","será-impuro"]·SW["atakuwa-mchafu","atakuwa-najisi","kitakuwa-kichafu","kitakuwa-najisi","litakuwa-najisi","zitakuwa-chafu"]·TR["kirlenir","kirli-olacak"]·urd["ناپاک-رہےگا","ناپاک-ہو","ناپاک-ہوگا","ناپاک-ہوگی"]
2. Piel factitive: defile, make unclean — Piel factitive: to defile or make unclean, actively causing the defilement of a person, place, or thing. Arabic yunajjisu (to pollute, causative) and Korean deoreopida (to defile) mark the agentive causation. Covers a wide moral-ritual range (37x): Shechem defiling Dinah (Gen 34:5, 13, 27), Israel defiling the land through idolatry (Jer 2:7), and bloodshed contaminating the sanctuary (Lev 15:31). The shift from Qal state to Piel agency reflects the theological principle that defilement can be both suffered passively and inflicted deliberately. 37×
AR["فَنَجَّسُوهَا","لِـ-يُنَجِّسُوهُ","لِيُنَجِّسُوهُ","نَجَّسَ","نَجَّسَتَا","نَجِّسوا","وَ-نَجَّسُوا","وَنَجَّسَ","وَنَجَّسُوهَا","يُنَجِّسُوا","يُنَجِّسُونَ","يُنَجِّسْ"]·ben["অপবিত্র-করতে","অশুচি-কর","অশুচি-করতে-একে","অশুচি-করে","অশুচি-করেছে","অশুচি-করেছে-তারা","অশুচি-করেছে।","আর-অশুচি-করেছিল","এবং-অশুচি-করলেন","এবং-অশুচি-করেছিল-তারা","এবং-তারা-অপবিত্র-করেছিল","ও-অশুচি-করল","তারা-অপবিত্র-করবে","তারা-অশুচি-করবে"]·DE["[לטמאו]","er-hat-verunreinigte","er-verunreinigt-hatte","sie-soll-verunreinigen","und-er-defiled","und-unrein-werden","unrein","unrein-werden","verunreinigt-hatte"]·EN["and-he-defiled","and-they-defiled","defile","defiled","does-he-defile","he-defiled","he-defiles","he-has-defiled","they-defiled","they-shall-defile","they-will-defile","to-defile-it"]·FR["[לטמאו]","devenir-impur","et-devenir-impur","et-il-defiled","et-ils-se-souillèrent","et-se-souiller","il-a-souilla","il-souilla","ils-devra-souiller","impur"]·heb["ו-טימא","ו-טמא","ו-טמאו","ו-יטמא","ו-יטמאו","טימא","טימאו","טמא","טמאו","יטמאו","ל-טמאו","נטמא"]·HI["अशुद्ध-करता-है","अशुद्ध-करने-को-उसे","अशुद्ध-करें","अशुद्ध-करो","अशुद्ध-किया-उन्होंने","अशुद्ध-किया-उसने","अशुद्ध-किया-था-उसने","और-अशुद्ध-किया","और-अशुद्ध-किया-उन्होंने","और-उन्होंने-अशुद्ध-किया","और-वे-अशुद्ध-करते-थे","करने-को-अशुद्ध","वह-अशुद्ध-करता-है","वे-अशुद्ध-करेंगे","वे-अशुद्ध-किया"]·ID["Dan-ia-menajiskan","akan-menajiskan","dan-ia-menajiskan","dan-menajiskan","dan-mereka-menajiskan","ia-menajiskan","ia-najiskan","menajiskan","mereka-menajiskan","najiskanlah","telah-dinajiskan","untuk-menajiskannya","untuk-mencemarkannya"]·IT["diventare-impuro","e-contaminarsi","e-diventare-impuro","e-egli-contaminò","egli-contaminò","egli-ha-contamino","essi-dovra-contaminare","rendersi-impuro"]·jav["Lan-piyambakipun-najisaken","kangge-ngregedi-piyambakipun","lan-piyambakipun-najisaken","lan-sami-najisaken","lan-sami-najisakén","lan-sami-ngala","najisaken","najisaken-piyambakipun","najisna","piyambakipun-najisaken","piyambakipun-sampun-najisaken","sami-najisaken","sami-najisakén"]·KO["그가-더럽혔다","그것들이-더럽히-것이다","그리고-그가-더럽혔다","그리고-그것들이-더럽힐다","그리고-그들이-더럽혔다","그리고-더럽혔다","더럽혀다","더럽혀라","더럽혔다","더럽히기-위해-그것을","더럽히려고","부정하게-하여라"]·PT["E-profanou","contaminai","contaminaram","contaminarão","contaminou","e-contaminaram","e-profanou","para-contaminá-la"]·RU["и-осквернил","и-осквернили","и-оскверняли","осквернил","оскверните","осквернял","оскверняли","осквернят","свою","чтобы-осквернить-его"]·ES["Contaminad","Y-profanó","contaminaron","contaminarán","contaminó","había-contaminado","para-contaminarla","y-contaminaron","y-la-contaminaron","y-profanó"]·SW["Itmau","alidumisha","alivyodumisha","ameichafua","amemtia-unajisi","ameuchafua","inajisini","kuinajisi","kuitia-unajisi","mtia-unajisi","na-akatia-unajisi","na-wakamnajisi","na-waliitiia-unajisi","walinajisi","watanajisi","waytamּwּ"]·TR["kirlenmek","kirletecekler","kirletmek-için","kirletmek-için-onu","kirletmiş","kirletmişti","kirletti","murdar-ederse","murdar-etti","murdar-kıldı","murdar-kıldılar","murdarlıyacaklar","ve-kirlettiler","ve-murdar-etti","ve-murdar-kıldılar"]·urd["اور-ناپاک-کیا","ناپاک-کرتا","ناپاک-کرتا-ہے","ناپاک-کرنے-کو","ناپاک-کرنے-کے-لیے-اسے","ناپاک-کرو","ناپاک-کریں","ناپاک-کریں-گے","ناپاک-کرے","ناپاک-کیا","ناپاک-کیا-تھا-اُس-نے"]
3. Nifal: become defiled — Niphal reflexive/medio-passive: to become defiled, to be found in a state of defilement. Arabic tanajjasa (reflexive Form V) confirms the middle-voice orientation. Appears 19 times, frequently in the context of sexual defilement (Num 5:13-14, the sotah ordeal, where the question is whether a wife 'has been defiled') and national apostasy (Lev 18:24, where the nations 'became defiled' through their practices). The Niphal registers the completed result rather than the ongoing state (Qal) or the active cause (Piel). 19×
AR["أَتَنَجَّسْ","تَتَنَجَّسُونَ","تَتَنَجَّسِ","تَتَنَجَّسْ","تَنَجَّسَ","تَنَجَّسَتِ","تَنَجَّسَتْ","تَنَجَّسْتُمْ","تَنَجَّسْتِ","فَتَتَنَجَّسُوا","وَ-تَتَنَجَّسُ"]·ben["-সেগুলিতে","অপবিত্র-হয়েছে","অশুচি-হয়","অশুচি-হয়েছ-তুমি","অশুচি-হয়েছি","অশুচি-হয়েছিল","অশুচি-হয়েছে","অশুচি-হয়েছে।","এবং-অশুচি-হয়।","এবং-তোমরা-অশুচি-হবে","এবং-পরে","তুমি-অশুচি-হয়েছ","তোমাদের","সে-অশুচি-হয়েছে"]·DE["[נטמאתי]","du-waren-verunreinigte","sie-war-verunreinigte","und-sein-verunreinigte","und-sie-ist-verunreinigte","unrein-werden","verunreinigte","war-verunreinigte","waren-verunreinigte"]·EN["I-am-defiled","and-be-defiled","and-she-is-defiled","are-being-defiled","is-defiled","she-defiled-herself","she-was-defiled","was-defiled","were-defiled","you-became-unclean","you-defiled-yourself","you-defiled-yourselves","you-were-defiled"]·FR["[נטמאתי]","devenir-impur","elle-était-souilla","et-elle-est-souilla","et-être-souilla","tu-étaient-souilla","étaient-souilla","était-souilla"]·heb["ו-נטמא","טמאת","נטמא","נטמאה","נטמאים","נטמאת","נטמאתי","נטמאתם"]·HI["अशुद्ध-हुआ","अशुद्ध-हुई","अशुद्ध-हुई-तू","अशुद्ध-हुई-मैं","अशुद्ध-हुईं","अशुद्ध-हुए-तुम","अशुद्ध-हो-रहे-हो","और-अशुद्ध-हो","और-तुम अशुद्ध हो जाओगे"]·ID["dan-dia-dinajiskan","dan-kamu-menjadi-najis","dia-dinajiskan","dia-najis","dinajiskan","engkau-dinajiskan","engkau-najis","kamu-menajiskan-diri","kau-najis","menajiskan-diri","najis","telah-menjadi-najis","tercemar"]·IT["diventare-impuro","e-ella-e-contamino","e-essere-contamino","ella-fu-contamino","fu-contamino","furono-contamino","rendersi-impuro","tu-furono-contamino"]·jav["Israel","dipun-najisaken","kawula-najis","lan-piyambakipun-dipun-najisaken","najis","najisaken-dhiri-panjenengan","panjenengan-dados-najis","panjenengan-najis","panjenengan-najisaken-dhiri","piyambakipun-dados-najis","piyambakipun-dados-najis.","piyambakipun-dipun-najisaken","supados-najis-déning-punika"]·KO["그리고-부정하게-되리라","그리고-부정해지면","내가-더럽혀졌다","더럽혀졌느니라","더럽혀졌다","부정해졌다"]·PT["contaminei-me","contaminou-se","e-ficareis-impuros","e-for-contaminada","foi-contaminada","foste-contaminada","se-contaminaram","te-contaminaste","vos-contaminais","vos-contaminastes"]·RU["и-за-","и-опротивеете","и-осквернитесь","и-осквернится","идолах","которых","осквернилась","осквернилась-я","осквернились","осквернился","оскверняющиеся"]·ES["fue-contaminada","fuiste-contaminada","me-he-contaminado","os-contaminasteis","os-contamináis","os-contamináis?","se-contaminaron","se-contaminó","te-contaminaste","y-os-haréis-impuros","y-sea-contaminada"]·SW["Ntmah","Ntmat","Untmah","alijinajisi","amejinajisi","amenajisika","mlijitiia-unajisi","mnajitiia-unajisi","na-mkawa-wachafu","nimechafuliwa","ulijinajisi","umejitiia-unajisi","walitiwa-unajisi"]·TR["kirlendi","kirlendim","murdar-oldu","murdar-oldun","murdar-oldunuz","murdar-oluyorsunuz","murdarlandı","murdarlandın","murdarlandıysa","ve-kirlenirsiniz","ve-murdarlanır"]·urd["اور-ناپاک-ہو","اور-ناپاک-ہو-جاؤ-گے-تم","ناپاک-ہوئی","ناپاک-ہوئیں","ناپاک-ہوئے","ناپاک-ہوا","ناپاک-ہوتے-ہو"]
4. Hitpael: defile oneself — Hitpael reflexive: to defile oneself deliberately, especially through forbidden contact or practices. Arabic yatanajjasu (reflexive) and German sich-verunreinigen capture the intentional self-contamination. Appears 16 times, predominantly in prohibitive contexts: 'do not defile yourselves' by touching the dead (Lev 11:24, 43), eating forbidden creatures (Lev 11:43), or following pagan customs (Lev 18:24, 30). The priestly legislation for Nazirites (Num 6:7) and ordinary priests (Lev 21:1-4) uses this stem to frame purity as a matter of personal choice and responsibility. 16×
AR["تَتَنَجَّسُوا","تَتَنَجَّسُونَ","تَنَجَّسَتْ","يَتَنَجَّسونَ","يَتَنَجَّسُ","يَتَنَجَّسُوا","يَتَنَجَّسُونَ","يَتَنَجَّسْ"]·ben["অপবিত্র-করবে","অপবিত্র-হবে","অশুচি-করবে","অশুচি-হবে","অশুচি-হয়েছে","তারা-অপবিত্র-হয়","তারা-অশুচি-হবে","তোমরা-অশুচি-হও","তোমরা-অশুচি-হবে","নিজেদের-অশুচি-করো","সে-অশুচি-হবে"]·DE["du-soll-become-unrein","du-soll-machen-euch-selbst-unrein","er-moege-verunreinigen-sich-selbst","er-soll-verunreinigen-sich-selbst","sein-verunreinigte","sie-hat-gewesen-verunreinigte","unrein-werden","verunreinigte"]·EN["be-defiled","defile-yourselves","he-may-defile-himself","he-shall-defile-himself","shall-be-defiled","shall-defile-themselves","she-has-been-defiled","they-may-defile-themselves","will-they-defile-themselves","you-shall-become-unclean","you-shall-make-yourselves-unclean"]·FR["devenir-impur","elle-a-été-souilla","il-devra-souiller-lui-même","il-pourra-souiller-lui-même","tu-devra-become-impur","tu-devra-faire-vous-mêmes-impur","être-souilla"]·heb["הוטמאה","ייטמאו","נטמא","תיטמאו"]·HI["अशुद्ध-हुई","अशुद्ध-हो","अशुद्ध-हो-सकता-है","अशुद्ध-होंगे","अशुद्ध-होओ","तुम अशुद्ध हो जाओ","तुम अशुद्ध हो जाओगे","वे-अशुद्ध-करेंगे","वे-अशुद्ध-हों","वे-अशुद्ध-होंगे"]·ID["boleh-dia-menajiskan-diri","boleh-menjadi-najis","dia-akan-menajiskan-diri","dia-menajiskan-diri","dinajiskan","kamu-menajiskan-diri","kamu-menjadi-najis","menajiskan-diri","menajiskan-dirimu","menjadi-najis","mereka-akan-menajiskan-diri"]·IT["diventare-impuro","egli-dovra-contaminare-se-stesso","egli-possa-contaminare-se-stesso","ella-ha-stato-contamino","essere-contamino","tu-dovra-become-impuro","tu-dovra-fare-voi-stessi-impuro"]·jav["badhé-dados-najis","bok-najisaken-awakipun.","dipunrenceming","najis","najisaken-awakipun","najisaken-awakipun.","najisaken-dhiri-panjenengan","najisaken-dhirinipun","ndadosaken-najis","piyambakipun-najisaken","sami-najisakén"]·KO["그가-부정해질-것이다","그것들이-자기를-더럽힐-것이다","너희를-부정하게하라","더럽혀졌다","더럽혀지-말라","더럽혀지리라","더럽히리라","더럽히지-말라","더럽히지않을것이다","부정하게-되라","부정하게-되리라","부정하게할-것이다-그는"]·PT["contaminar-se-á","contaminar-se-ão","foi-contaminada","se-contaminem","se-tornará-impuro","serão-contaminados","tornar-vos-eis-impuros","vos-contamineis","vos-torneis-impuros"]·RU["могут-оскверниться","осквернилась","осквернится","оскверняйся","оскверняйтесь","осквернялись","осквернятесь","осквернятся","пусть-осквернится"]·ES["fue-contaminada","os-contaminaréis","os-contaminéis","se-contaminará","se-contaminarán","se-contaminen","seréis-contaminados"]·SW["Itma","amechafuliwa","atajitia-unajisi","jitie-unajisi","jitiie-unajisi","mtajitia-unajisi","mtajitiwa-uchafu","mtakuwa-wachafu","watajitia-unajisi","watanajisiwa"]·TR["kirlendi","kirlenebilirler","kirlenecek","kirlenecekler","kirlenirsiniz","murdar-olmayın","murdarlanabilir","murdarlanacak","murdarlanacaksınız","murdarlanmasınlar-diye"]·urd["ناپاک-کی-گئی","ناپاک-ہو","ناپاک-ہو-جاؤ-گے-تم","ناپاک-ہوں","ناپاک-ہوں-گے"]
5. Piel declarative: pronounce unclean — Piel declarative-estimative: to pronounce unclean, a technical priestly act of official classification. Spanish declarar impuro and Swahili -tangaza mchafu ('announce unclean') confirm the speech-act dimension. Restricted almost entirely to Leviticus 13 (13x), where the priest examines skin conditions and either 'pronounces him unclean' (Lev 13:3, 8, 11, 15, 20) or clean. This is not causation — the priest does not make the person unclean — but authoritative diagnosis. The distinction between this declarative Piel and the factitive Piel (sense 2) is one of the finer points of Hebrew verbal semantics. 13×
AR["تَنْجِيسًا","لِ-يَنْجَسَ","لِتَنْجِيسِهِ","وَ-يُنَجِّسُ","وَ-يُنَجِّسُهُ","يُنَجِّسُهُ"]·ben["অশুচি","অশুচি-ঘোষণা-করতে-তা।","অশুচি-ঘোষণা-করবে-তাকে","অশুদ্ধ-হতে","এবং-অশুচি-ঘোষণা-করবে","এবং-অশুচি-ঘোষণা-করবে-তাকে"]·DE["soll-erklaeren-unrein-ihn","und-soll-erklaeren-unrein","und-soll-erklaeren-unrein-ihn","unrein","wie-unrein","zu-erklaeren-unrein-es"]·EN["and-shall-pronounce-unclean","and-shall-pronounce-unclean-him","as-unclean","shall-pronounce-unclean-him","to-pronounce-unclean-it","unclean"]·FR["comme-impur","devra-pronounce-impur-lui","et-devra-pronounce-impur","et-devra-pronounce-impur-lui","impur","à-pronounce-impur-cela"]·heb["ו-נטמא","ל-נטמא","נטמא"]·HI["अशुद्ध-के-रूप-में","उसे","और-अशुद्ध ठहराएगा","और-नहीं","में-उसके सिर","में-चमड़ी","याजक","रोग"]·ID["dan-menyatakan-najis","harus-menyatakan-najis","sebagai-najis","sungguh-najis","untuk-menyatakan-najis"]·IT["a-dichiarare-impuro-esso","come-impuro","dovra-dichiarare-impuro-lui","e-dovra-dichiarare-impuro","e-dovra-dichiarare-impuro-lui","impuro"]·jav["badhé-ndadosaken-najis","kangge-najis.","kangge-ndadosaken-najis","lan-ndadosaken-najis","najis"]·KO["그리고-부정하다-선언할-것이다","그리고-부정하다-선언할-것이다-그를","부정하다","부정하다-선언할-것이다-그를","부정하다-하기-위해","에-부정한"]·PT["declarando-impuro","declarará-impuro-o","e-declarará-impuro","e-declarará-impuro-o","para-declarar-impuro-o","para-impuro"]·RU["и-пусть-объявит-нечистым","и-пусть-объявит-нечистым-его","как-нечистое","нечистым","пусть-объявит-его","чтобы-объявить-нечистым-его"]·ES["como-impuro","declarar-impuro","lo-declarará-impuro","para-declararlo-impuro","y-declarará-impuro","y-lo-declarará-impuro"]·SW["atamtangaza-mchafu","kuitangaza-mchafu","kumtangaza-mchafu","kuwa-vichafu","na-atamtangaza-mchafu"]·TR["kirli-","kirli-ilan-edecek-onu","kirli-ilan-etmek-için","murdar-olarak","ve-kirli-ilan-edecek","ve-kirli-ilan-edecek-onu"]·urd["اور-ناپاک-ٹھہرائے","اور-ناپاک-ٹھہرائےگا","اور-ناپاک-ٹھہرائےگا-اُسے","لئے-ناپاک-ٹھہرانے-کے","ناپاک-ضرور","ناپاک-کے-طور-پر","ٹھہرائےگا-اُسے"]
6. sense 6 — An isolated Pual or anomalous passive form in Ezek 4:14 where Ezekiel protests that he has never eaten anything 'defiled' — the adjective-like use describing meat that is ritually contaminated. Spanish contaminada and German unrein confirm the adjectival-stative reading. This single occurrence sits at the boundary between the verbal system and the adjective tame', functioning as a compressed reference to Ezekiel's lifelong purity observance. 1×
AR["تَتَنَجَّسْ"]·ben["অশুচি-হয়নি"]·DE["unrein-werden"]·EN["defiled"]·FR["de-impure"]·heb["מטומאה"]·HI["अशुद्ध"]·ID["dinajiskan"]·IT["da-impurità"]·jav["kanajisan"]·KO["더럽혀지지"]·PT["contaminada"]·RU["осквернялась"]·ES["contaminada"]·SW["unajisi"]·TR["kirlenmiş"]·urd["ناپاک"]
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×)H2076 1. Qal: offer sacrifice (cultic) (116×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G0040 1. the Holy One, Holy Spirit (98×)H2931 1. ritually or morally unclean (88×)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×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. טָמֵא vb. be or become unclean (NH Pi. pollute (ceremonially); Aramaic טְמָא and especially deriv., ܛܰܡܰܐ Pa. pollute; v. RSK 307 ff.)— Qal Pf. 3 ms. ט׳ Lv 11:25 + 22 times; 3 fs. טָֽמְאָה 12:2 + 2 times; 2 fs. טָמֵאת Ez 22:4; pl. טָֽמְאוּ Lv 15:18; Impf. יִטְמָא Lv 5:3 + 34 times; 3 fs. תִּטְמָא 12:2 + 4 times; pl. יִטְמְאוּ ψ 106:39; Inf. טָמְאָה Lv 15:32 + 6 times;—be or become unclean:…