Who was Hammath in the Bible?

Hammath was not an individual person but the name of a Kenite clan. The clan is listed among the descendants of Salma, who is described as the father, or founder, of Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 2:55).

What is the significance of the Hammath clan?

The Hammath clan's significance lies in its connection to the Kenites, a group often associated with the Israelites. Their mention in the genealogy of Judah (1 Chronicles 2) shows the interwoven relationships between Israelite and non-Israelite groups in the region's early history.

Are there any key events involving Hammath in the Bible?

The Bible does not record specific events involving the Hammath clan. Their mention is primarily genealogical, establishing their lineage as a Kenite group descended from Salma within the tribe of Judah's records.

Hammath

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleFather of rechab

Hammath was a Kenite clan, listed among the descendants of Salma, the father (ie founder) of Bethlehem.

Hammath

Biography

Hammath was a Kenite ancestor whose name appears in the genealogical record of 1 Chronicles 2:55, listed among the clans associated with Salma, the founder of Bethlehem. He is identified as "the father of the house of Rechab," meaning the progenitor or clan head of the Rechabites, the same community that later became renowned for their strict vow of abstinence from wine and their faithful nomadic lifestyle (Jeremiah 35). The Kenites were a semi-nomadic people historically affiliated with Israel, descended from the family of Moses' father-in-law Jethro (Judges 1:16). Though the biblical text preserves only a genealogical reference to Hammath himself, his position as founder of the Rechabite lineage makes him an ancestor of one of Scripture's most celebrated communities of covenant fidelity.

Significance

Hammath's significance lies primarily in his role as the founding ancestor of the Rechabites, a group Jeremiah later held up as a living example of covenantal faithfulness. When Israel repeatedly broke God's commands, the Rechabites steadfastly honored the instructions of their forefather Jonadab son of Rechab (Jeremiah 35:6–10). God commended them explicitly for this loyalty, promising that Jonadab would never lack a descendant to stand before Him. Hammath thus stands at the head of a lineage that became a prophetic object lesson about obedience, illustrating how faithfulness to ancestral commitments can testify powerfully to later generations.

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 2:55

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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