זִמָּה
Zimmah, the name of two Israelites
Definition
Zimmah is a proper noun referring to two different individuals in the Old Testament. The first is Zimmah son of Shimei, a Gershonite Levite (1 Chronicles 6:20). The second is Zimmah son of Jahath, also a Gershonite Levite (1 Chronicles 6:42). The latter's descendant, Joah, is mentioned as a participant in the cleansing of the temple under King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:12). The name is identical to the common noun זִמָּה (zimmâ, H2154), meaning 'wickedness' or 'lewdness,' but its use here as a personal name does not carry that negative connotation.
Biblical Usage
The name Zimmah appears exclusively in genealogical and historical lists within the books of Chronicles. It is used to identify two distinct Levites from the clan of Gershon, tracing priestly lineage and roles. The occurrences are in 1 Chronicles 6:20, 1 Chronicles 6:42, and 2 Chronicles 29:12, where it serves to establish continuity and legitimacy within the temple service.
Etymology
Zimmah is derived from the Hebrew root זמם (zmm), which carries the sense of 'to plan' or 'devise,' often with a negative implication. It is the same spelling as the common noun זִמָּה (zimmâ, H2154), meaning 'wicked plan,' 'lewdness,' or 'vile deed.' As a personal name, it likely functioned independently of this negative semantic field, a practice not uncommon in Hebrew onomastics.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names often held significant meaning, reflecting circumstances of birth, parental hopes, or attributes of God. While Zimmah shares its form with a word for 'wickedness,' its use as a personal name for Levites suggests it was either understood neutrally, had an archaic or different meaning, or was simply a traditional name within certain families. This highlights that the semantic connection between a name and its root word was not always active or negative in everyday use.
זִמָּה (zimmâ, H2154) — The common noun meaning 'wicked plan' or 'lewdness,' from which the proper name is linguistically derived but semantically distinct in its biblical usage.
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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