מִרְמָה
Mirmah, an Israelite
Definition
Mirmah is a proper noun referring to an Israelite individual mentioned in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 8:10. As a personal name, it carries the same semantic weight as its root, the common noun מִרְמָה (mirmâh, H4820), which means 'deceit,' 'treachery,' or 'guile.' Therefore, the name Mirmah likely signifies 'Deceit' or 'Deceitful One.' This single biblical occurrence is within the genealogy of Benjamin, listing him as a son of Shaharaim by his wife Hodesh. The name's meaning is derived entirely from its etymological root and does not develop additional senses in its sole scriptural use.
Biblical Usage
The word is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 8:10, functioning strictly as a personal name within a genealogical list. It appears in the context of chronicling the descendants of Benjamin after the exile. There are no patterns of usage or contextual variations, as it is a single-instance proper noun.
Etymology
Mirmah is directly derived from the identical Hebrew common noun מִרְמָה (mirmâh, H4820), meaning 'deceit' or 'treachery.' It shares the root רָמָה (rāmâ), which carries connotations of dealing treacherously or beguiling. As a proper noun, it is an example of a name formed from a standard Hebrew word, a common practice in the biblical onomasticon (name system).
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, personal names often held significant meaning, sometimes reflecting character traits, circumstances of birth, or parental hopes or experiences. A name like Mirmah ('Deceit') is challenging to interpret. It may not be a positive commentary on the individual's character but could reflect a difficult circumstance surrounding his birth, a hope he would overcome such a trait, or simply the parents' choice of a known word. This differs from modern naming conventions, where names are typically chosen for their sound or familial tradition rather than their direct lexical meaning.
מִרְמָה (mirmâh, H4820) — This is the identical common noun meaning 'deceit,' from which the proper name is directly taken. רְמִיָּה (remiyyâh, H7423) — 'deceit' or 'treachery,' often with a connotation of slackness or negligence. מִרְמָה (mirmâh, H4820) — 'deceit' or 'guile,' frequently used in wisdom literature to describe the speech and actions of the wicked (e.g., Psalm 34:13, Proverbs 12:20).
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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