הוֹמָם
Homam, an Edomitish chieftain
Definition
הוֹמָם (Hôwmâm) is a proper noun identifying an Edomite chieftain, specifically listed in the genealogy of the Edomites in 1 Chronicles 1:39. The name is derived from the Hebrew root meaning 'to make a noise' or 'to be tumultuous,' suggesting a connotation of commotion or uproar. In the biblical record, Homam appears only as a personal name within a genealogical list, with no additional narrative or historical details provided about his life or actions. This singular usage means the word does not carry multiple senses or meanings in different passages; its sole function is to identify this individual within the lineage of Esau (Edom).
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 1:39, within a genealogical list of the descendants of Esau and the chiefs of Edom. Its usage is purely onomastic (name-bearing) and administrative, serving to catalog the leadership of the Edomite people. There are no narrative contexts, patterns of usage, or thematic applications beyond this single, factual listing in a chronicle of ancestry.
Etymology
The name הוֹמָם (Hôwmâm) is derived from the Hebrew root הָמַם (hāmam, H2000), which means 'to make a noise,' 'to be tumultuous,' 'to destroy,' or 'to put in commotion.' It is a verbal root associated with confusion and uproar. As a proper name, it likely functioned as a descriptor or epithet, perhaps implying a character or reputation for being forceful or stirring. The KJV note compares it to הֵימָם (Hêymām, H1967), another Edomite name listed in the parallel genealogy in Genesis 36:22, which may be a variant spelling or a different individual from the same lineage.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near Eastern cultural context, personal names were often significant and descriptive, not merely arbitrary labels. A name like Homam ('tumultuous' or 'raging') may have reflected perceived character traits, familial hopes, or commemorated an event. As an Edomite chieftain's name recorded in an Israelite genealogy (1 Chronicles 1), it also serves a cultural and political purpose: it documents the lineage and leadership of Edom (descended from Esau), Israel's brother nation and frequent rival, thereby situating Israel's own history and identity in relation to its neighbors.
הֵימָם (Hêymām, H1967) — A variant or related Edomite name listed in the parallel genealogy of Genesis 36:22, possibly referring to the same individual or a close relative.
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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