English · KJV
H1949

הוּם

hûwm /hoom/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root (compare הָמַם)
Meaningto make an uproar, or agitate greatly
KJV usagedestroy, move, make a noise, put, ring again.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of hûwm — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word הוּם (hûwm), represented by H1949, is a primitive root used to describe great agitation or uproar. Its definition includes concepts like to destroy, move, make a noise, and ring again. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses, conveying a sense of overwhelming force, whether through sound or destructive action.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H1949 captures moments of intense, widespread reaction. It can describe a city-wide commotion, as when all of Bethlehem was moved by the arrival of Naomi Ruth 1:19. It also illustrates the physical effect of a powerful sound, such as when the earth rang again from the shouting of Israel 1 Samuel 4:5 or a city rang again with the sound of rejoicing 1 Kings 1:45. In a contrasting use, the word signifies utter destruction, as when God promises to destroy Israel's enemies Deuteronomy 7:23.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concepts of noise and destruction associated with H1949:

  • H7321 rûwaʻ: a primitive root; to mar (especially by breaking); figuratively, to split the ears (with sound), i.e. shout (for alarm or joy). This term is often used for a purposeful shout, whether in joyful praise Psalms 95:1 or as an alarm of war Joel 2:1. It appears alongside H1949 to describe the shout of Israel when the Ark arrived 1 Samuel 4:5.
  • H8045 shâmad: a primitive root; to desolate; destory(-uction), bring to nought, overthrow, perish, pluck down, [idiom] utterly. This word focuses purely on the act of destruction and is used to describe the finality of God's judgment against the wicked Psalms 145:20 or His command to destroy His enemies Deuteronomy 33:27.
  • H6963 qôwl: a voice or sound. This general term for sound or a voice is used to specify the noise heard in the city that "rang again" in 1 Kings 1:45. It is frequently used to refer to the voice of the LORD, which requires obedience Deuteronomy 28:1.

Theological Significance

The significance of H1949 is found in its portrayal of overwhelming and decisive moments.

  • Divine Judgment: The word is used to describe God's direct intervention. He will destroy the enemies of his people with a "mighty destruction," demonstrating His power and sovereign authority over nations Deuteronomy 7:23.
  • Communal Upheaval: H1949 frequently illustrates a collective, visceral reaction to a significant event. It is not a quiet or subtle response but an all-encompassing uproar that moved an entire city Ruth 1:19 or made the earth ring again 1 Samuel 4:5.
  • Emotional Expression: The term spans a range of powerful emotions. It can represent the deep, internal noise of personal mourning and complaint Psalms 55:2 as well as the loud, external noise of a massive, joyful assembly Micah 2:12.

Summary

In summary, H1949 is a potent word that signifies more than just sound; it conveys the idea of a powerful, disruptive force. Whether describing the emotional turmoil of an individual, the collective uproar of a city, or the finality of divine destruction, hûwm captures moments where a situation is fundamentally agitated and altered. It illustrates how sound and action can reflect pivotal events in the life of God's people.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 6 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • תֵּהֹם
  • אָהִימָה
  • תְּהִימֶנָה
  • הָמָ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H7321 רוּעַ a primitive root; to mar (especially by breaking); figuratively, to split the ears (with sound), i.e. shout (for alarm o H8045 שָׁמַד a primitive root; to desolate; destory(-uction), bring to nought, overthrow, perish, pluck down, [idiom] utterly. H6963 קוֹל or קֹל; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound; [phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase]

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 6 verses across 6 of the 39 books. 6 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 33.

1
Deuteronomy
1
Ruth
1
1 Samuel
1
1 Kings
1
Psalms
1
Micah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.