חֹמֶשׁ
the abdomen (as obese)
Definition
The Hebrew noun חֹמֶשׁ (chômesh) refers to the abdomen or belly, specifically the lower part of the torso. In its four biblical occurrences, it denotes the area of the body where a fatal stab wound was inflicted, as seen when Abner strikes Asahel 'in the abdomen' (2 Samuel 2:23). The word carries a connotation of a fleshy or soft part of the body, consistent with its etymological link to stoutness. While the KJV translates it as 'fifth (rib)', this is a traditional interpretation; the term more accurately points to the general abdominal region.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the historical narratives of 2 Samuel, specifically in accounts of violent deaths. It appears in four nearly identical contexts describing assassinations or combat killings where a person is stabbed 'in the abdomen' (2 Samuel 2:23, 3:27, 4:6, 20:10). The usage pattern is formulaic, highlighting the method of attack and the fatal wound's location in these political and personal conflicts during King David's reign.
Etymology
Derived from an unused Hebrew root likely meaning 'to be stout' or 'to be fat'. This suggests the original sense was related to a fleshy, corpulent part of the body. The noun form חֹמֶשׁ specifically came to denote the abdomen, the area where such stoutness is often apparent.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near Eastern context, a wound to the abdomen was understood as particularly grievous and often fatal, as it could damage vital organs. The specific mention of this body part in these narratives underscores the brutality and intimate nature of the attacks, which were acts of treachery or battlefield violence. The KJV's 'fifth rib' translation reflects an older anatomical understanding, but the Hebrew term points more broadly to the vulnerable soft tissue of the belly.
בֶּטֶן (beṭen, H990) — A more common general term for belly/womb, often used for the interior of the body or figuratively. מֵעֶה (mēʿeh, H4578) — Refers to intestines or inward parts, emphasizing internal organs rather than the external abdominal area.
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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