אָטַם
to close (the lips or ears); by analology to contract (a window by bevelled jambs)
Definition
The Hebrew verb אָטַם (ʼâṭam) fundamentally means 'to close' or 'to shut.' Its primary use describes the physical act of closing one's lips (Proverbs 17:28) or ears (Proverbs 21:13, Isaiah 33:15), signifying a refusal to speak or listen. In architectural contexts, it refers to the narrowing or contracting of windows, as seen in the description of Solomon's Temple where windows were 'narrowed inwards' (1 Kings 6:4). This sense of making something narrow or tight is also applied metaphorically to the 'stopping' of ears against the cries of the poor (Proverbs 21:13).
Biblical Usage
אָטַם is used eight times in the Old Testament, primarily in wisdom literature (Proverbs) and architectural descriptions. In Proverbs, it describes ethical behavior: the wise person 'shuts his lips' (Proverbs 17:28) and the wicked 'stop their ears' from hearing the law (Proverbs 21:13). The architectural usage appears in descriptions of the temple (1 Kings 6:4) and Ezekiel's visionary temple (Ezekiel 40:16, 41:16, 41:26), referring to the design of recessed or narrowing windows. The sole poetic use is in Psalm 58:4, describing the venom of the wicked being like that of a 'deaf cobra that stops its ear.'
Etymology
אָטַם is a primitive root. Its core meaning relates to closing or stopping up. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Arabic and Aramaic, support meanings of 'to stop, to close, to plug.' The development from the concrete act of physically closing an opening (like lips, ears, or windows) to the metaphorical sense of refusing communication or access is natural and evident in its biblical usage.
Semantic Range
This word carries theological weight in the realm of human responsibility and ethics. To 'shut' one's lips is associated with wisdom and discretion (Proverbs 17:28), while to 'stop' one's ears is a grave moral failure, particularly when directed against the cries of the needy (Proverbs 21:13) or the instruction of God's law. Isaiah 33:15 lists the one who 'shuts his eyes from looking on evil' and 'stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed' as characteristics of the righteous who may dwell with God. Thus, אָטַם highlights the conscious human choice to either engage with or reject truth, justice, and divine instruction.
The architectural use in 1 Kings 6:4 and Ezekiel's visions reflects ancient Near Eastern temple design, where windows were often made with bevelled or recessed frames, narrowing inward. This design likely served functional purposes like stability, light control, and defense, but in the temple's sacred space, it may have also symbolized the selective and mediated entry of divine light or holiness. The metaphor of a 'deaf cobra' in Psalm 58:4 draws on common ancient perceptions of serpents and enchanters, emphasizing the deliberate, innate refusal of the wicked to heed moral or spiritual sound.
סָגַר (sāḡar, H5462) — a more general term for shutting or closing doors/gates. אָטַם often implies a tighter, more sealed closure, especially of bodily orifices. חָשַׂךְ (ḥāśaḵ, H2820) — to withhold or restrain; focuses on holding back rather than physically closing an opening. עָצַם (ʿāṣam, H6105) — to shut one's eyes; a more specific bodily closure.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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