H7417a H7417a
Rimmon, Aramean storm deity worshiped in Damascus
Rimmon was an Aramean deity, likely a storm and weather god related to Assyrian Rammanu (also associated with thunder and rain). The name appears exclusively in reference to 'the house of Rimmon,' the temple in Damascus where the Syrian king worshiped and where his commander Naaman felt obligated to accompany him. Second Kings 5:18 records Naaman's troubled request for pardon when he must bow in Rimmon's temple while supporting the king—a scene revealing the religious tensions facing converts.
Senses
1. sense 1 — This divine name designates the Aramean storm deity whose temple stood in Damascus. All three occurrences in 2 Kings 5:18 appear in Naaman's petition to Elisha: when the Syrian king leans on Naaman's arm in 'the house of Rimmon' and bows down, must Naaman bow too? The repetition emphasizes the convert's dilemma—political duty requiring gestures in a pagan temple. Rimmon was likely equated with Hadad, the Canaanite storm god, forming compound names like Hadad-Rimmon. The name may derive from roots meaning 'to roar' or 'to thunder.' 3×
AR["رِمُّونَ"]·ben["রিম্মোনের"]·DE["Rimmon"]·EN["Rimmon"]·FR["Rimmon"]·heb["רימון"]·HI["रिम्मोन-के"]·ID["Rimon"]·IT["Rimmon"]·jav["Rimon"]·KO["림몰-의"]·PT["Rimmon"]·RU["-Риммона", "Риммона"]·ES["Rimón"]·SW["Rimoni"]·TR["Rimmon"]·urd["رمون-کے"]
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
† II. רִמּוֹן n.pr. dei, in Aramaic (Old Aramaic רמן in n.pr. Lzb 369 Cook 108; Assyrian Rammânu, god of wind, rain and storm (Schr COT 2 K 5, 18 Zim KAT 3, 442 ff. Muss-ArnoltJBL xi (1892), 172 JastrRel. Bab. 156 ff.); Sab. רמן (CISiv, no. 140, 209 H. Derenb in Kohut-Studies120 ff.); etym. dub.; √ רעם thunder Schr; √ ramâmu, roar DlHWB 624 and most; = i. רִמּוֹן HomA. u. A. 98);—בֵּית ר׳ 2 K 5:18, בֵּית רִמֹּן v 18(×2); Ρεμμαν[θ];—v. also הֲדַדְרִמּוֹן p. 213, טַבְרִמּוֹן p. 372.