Bible Word Study
עָמָל
ʻÂmâl · Amal, an Israelite
עָמָל
Amal, an Israelite
Definition
Amal is a proper noun referring to an individual mentioned in the genealogy of the tribe of Asher in 1 Chronicles 7:35. He is listed as a son of Helem, a chief of the tribe, and is part of a detailed record of Asher's descendants. The name appears only in this single biblical instance, and no further narrative or actions are attributed to him. As a genealogical entry, the word serves primarily to establish lineage and tribal identity within the Chronicler's record.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a personal name in a genealogical list. It occurs only in 1 Chronicles 7:35, within a chapter dedicated to the lineages of the tribes of Israel. This usage is typical of many names in Chronicles, which focuses on preserving family and tribal records for the post-exilic community. There are no narrative contexts or patterns of usage beyond this singular identification.
Etymology
The name Amal (עָמָל) is identical to the common Hebrew noun `ʻāmāl` (H5999), which means 'labor,' 'toil,' or 'trouble.' It is derived from the root עמל, conveying the sense of strenuous work or effort. As a personal name, it likely carried the meaning of 'laborer' or was given in reference to the circumstances of birth, a common practice in Hebrew onomastics.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. Bearing a name like Amal, meaning 'toil,' might reflect the hardships of life, parental hopes for endurance, or the circumstances surrounding the child's birth. As a genealogical entry, it underscores the importance of lineage and tribal identity in Israel's self-understanding, preserving the memory of even minor figures within the community's history. עָמָל (`ʻāmāl`, H5999) — The common noun meaning 'labor' or 'toil,' from which the proper name is directly derived.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]