Bible Word Study
חָמוּלִי
Châmûwlîy · a Chamulite (collectively) or descendants of Chamul
חָמוּלִי
a Chamulite (collectively) or descendants of Chamul
Definition
חָמוּלִי (Châmûwlîy) is a patronymic noun meaning 'a descendant of Chamul' or collectively 'the Hamulites.' It refers specifically to the clan or family group tracing its lineage back to Chamul, who was a son of Perez and grandson of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:5). The term appears only in the context of tribal genealogies, where it identifies a subgroup within the tribe of Judah. In its sole biblical occurrence, Numbers 26:21, it is listed among the clans of Judah during the wilderness census, functioning purely as an ethnic or familial identifier with no additional symbolic meaning.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 26:21, within a genealogical list from the second wilderness census. It identifies 'the Hamulite clan' as part of the tribe of Judah. Its usage is strictly genealogical and administrative, serving to document the tribal subdivisions of Israel. No patterns of broader usage exist, as it is confined to this single census record.
Etymology
The word is derived patronymically from the proper name חָמוּל (Châmûwl, H2538), meaning 'spared' or 'pitied.' The suffix -ִי (-î) indicates 'belonging to' or 'descendant of.' Thus, חָמוּלִי literally means 'of Chamul' or 'belonging to Chamul.' It is formed in the same way as other Israelite clan names (e.g., Gershonites from Gershon).
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, clan names like 'Hamulite' were crucial for establishing tribal identity, inheritance rights (Numbers 26:52-56), and social organization. Being listed in the census affirmed the clan's standing within the covenant community. This differs from modern surnames, as it denoted a direct, collective lineage from a common ancestor and carried legal and religious significance for land allocation and community structure. מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah, H4940) — a broader term for family, clan, or household, whereas חָמוּלִי specifies a single clan within that structure.
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]