אִמַּר
a lamb
Definition
The Hebrew word אִמַּר (ʼimmar) is an Aramaic loanword used in the Old Testament to refer specifically to a lamb, particularly in the context of sacrificial offerings. It appears exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the book of Ezra, where it denotes the young sheep to be offered on the altar. In Ezra 6:9 and 6:17, these lambs are mandated by the Persian king Darius for the daily burnt offerings at the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. In Ezra 7:17, the term is used again as King Artaxerxes provides funds for purchasing lambs for sin offerings, highlighting their role in atonement rituals.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only three times, all within the Aramaic sections of the book of Ezra (Ezra 4:8–6:18 and 7:12–26). Its usage is strictly cultic, referring to lambs designated for temple sacrifices. In Ezra 6:9 and 6:17, the lambs are for regular burnt offerings, while in Ezra 7:17, they are specified for sin offerings. This pattern shows the word's exclusive association with official, state-sanctioned worship following the Babylonian exile.
Etymology
אִמַּר is an Aramaic noun, not native Biblical Hebrew. It is likely derived from the Aramaic root אמר (ʼmr), meaning 'to say' or 'to command,' but in this context, it may be connected to a sense of 'bringing forth' or 'offspring,' relating to a young animal. Its use in Ezra reflects the linguistic influence of the Aramaic language, which was the administrative lingua franca of the Persian Empire during the post-exilic period.
Semantic Range
Though a simple noun, אִמַּר carries theological weight as it appears in contexts restoring temple worship after the exile. The lambs it denotes are central to the sacrificial system, which prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the 'Lamb of God' (John 1:29). Its use in Ezra underscores God's faithfulness in re-establishing worship and atonement for His people, even under foreign rule, pointing to the continuity of His redemptive plan.
In its original setting, an אִמַּר was a valuable commodity for religious and economic life. Lambs were standard sacrificial animals in ancient Near Eastern worship, required for daily offerings and specific sin atonements. The Persian royal decrees in Ezra specifying these lambs demonstrate how foreign empires sometimes funded the worship of Israel's God, integrating it into their administrative systems, which was a unique feature of the post-exilic period.
כֶּבֶשׂ (kebes, H3532) — the more common Hebrew term for a lamb, often used in sacrificial contexts throughout the Pentateuch. שֶׂה (seh, H7716) — a broader term for a sheep or goat, used for sacrificial animals, including the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:3).
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.
Full methodology & sources →