חָמוּל
Chamul, an Israelite
Definition
Chamul is a proper name given to an individual in the genealogical records of the tribe of Judah. He is identified as a son of Perez and a grandson of Judah (Genesis 46:12), making him a foundational figure in the lineage of the tribe. His name appears in the census of the Israelites taken in the wilderness (Numbers 26:21) and is preserved in the chronicles of Judah's descendants (1 Chronicles 2:5). As a personal name, it carries no other semantic senses beyond identifying this specific ancestor within the biblical narrative.
Biblical Usage
The name Chamul is used exclusively in genealogical and census contexts within the Old Testament. It appears in the foundational genealogy of Jacob's family going to Egypt (Genesis 46:12), in the military census of the second generation after the Exodus (Numbers 26:21), and in the post-exilic genealogical record of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:5). This pattern shows its use solely for tracing tribal lineage and identity, particularly within the tribe of Judah.
Etymology
The name Chamul (חָמוּל) is derived from the Hebrew root חָמַל (chamal, H2550), which means 'to pity,' 'to spare,' or 'to have compassion.' It is a passive participle form, meaning 'pitied' or 'one who is shown compassion.' This suggests the name was given with the hope or acknowledgment of God's merciful favor upon the child.
Semantic Range
While Chamul himself is not a major narrative figure, his name and inclusion in key genealogies are theologically significant. He is part of the messianic line of Judah, the tribe from which King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ would descend (as outlined in Matthew 1 and Luke 3). His name, meaning 'pitied,' subtly reflects the theme of divine mercy and election within the covenant family. Understanding this enriches reading by seeing even minor names as threads in the larger tapestry of God's redemptive plan.
In ancient Israelite culture, personal names often carried significant meaning, reflecting circumstances of birth, parental hopes, or attributes of God. A name like Chamul ('pitied') likely expressed gratitude for a safe childbirth or a recognition of God's compassion. His primary role in the biblical record is to establish a clear, unbroken lineage, which was crucial for tribal identity, inheritance rights, and priestly or royal legitimacy.
Perez (Perets, H6557) — Chamul's father and brother, another ancestor in the line of Judah. Judah (Yehudah, H3063) — The patriarch and tribe to which Chamul belongs.
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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