### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **chemʼâh**, represented by `{{H2529}}`, is a term for **curdled milk or cheese; butter**. It appears 10 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible. While it refers to a rich food product, it is also used to symbolize divine blessing, abundance, and sustenance.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H2529}}` often appears as part of a list of choice provisions. Abraham offered **butter** and milk to his divine guests as a sign of hospitality [[Genesis 18:8]]. It is listed among the rich foods God provided for Israel, such as "**butter** of kine" [[Deuteronomy 32:14]]. It was also brought as sustenance to David and his hungry, weary, and thirsty followers in the wilderness [[2 Samuel 17:29]]. In a metaphorical sense, Job recalls his former prosperity as a time when he "washed my steps with **butter**" [[Job 29:6]]. In contrast, Isaiah describes **butter** and honey as the diet for the remnant left in the land, signifying a simpler, pastoral existence following judgment [[Isaiah 7:22]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the context and meaning of **chemʼâh**:
* `{{H2461}}` **châlâb** (milk): As the source from which butter is made, milk is frequently mentioned alongside it. The process is described directly in [[Proverbs 30:33]], where the churning of **milk** brings forth butter.
* `{{H1706}}` **dᵉbash** (honey): This is often paired with butter, signifying a diet of rich, natural provisions. The two are offered together to David's men [[2 Samuel 17:29]] and are a sign of the diet for the remnant in Isaiah's prophecy ([[Isaiah 7:15]], 7:22).
* `{{H4330}}` **mîyts** (pressure; churning): This word describes the action required to produce butter. [[Proverbs 30:33]] uses the "**churning** of milk" that "bringeth forth butter" as a direct analogy for how forcing wrath leads to strife.
* `{{H1241}}` **bâqâr** (beef cattle or an animal of the ox family): Butter is specifically linked to these animals as "**butter** of kine" in [[Deuteronomy 32:14]], highlighting its origin from the herd's richness.
### Theological Significance
The word `{{H2529}}` carries significant symbolic weight in various contexts.
* **Divine Blessing and Abundance:** It is consistently portrayed as part of the bounty of a prosperous land. The provision of **butter** is a tangible sign of God's favor and the richness of His creation ([[Deuteronomy 32:14]], [[Job 29:6]]).
* **Hospitality and Sustenance:** The act of providing **butter** demonstrates care and honor, as seen when Abraham serves his guests [[Genesis 18:8]] and when provisions are brought to David's army [[2 Samuel 17:29]].
* **Prophetic Sign:** In Isaiah, a child eating **butter** and honey is tied to the ability to "know to refuse the evil, and choose the good," linking a simple diet to moral discernment in a time of upheaval [[Isaiah 7:15]].
* **Natural Consequence:** The process of making **butter** is used as a powerful metaphor in [[Proverbs 30:33]] to illustrate that just as a specific action (churning) produces a specific result (butter), so too does a specific behavior (forcing wrath) inevitably produce strife.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2529}}` is more than a simple food item. It serves as a potent symbol of wealth, divine provision, and the richness of the land. Whether offered in hospitality, provided as a sign of blessing, or used as a metaphor for cause and effect, **chemʼâh** consistently points to a state of richness, either in physical sustenance or in spiritual and moral understanding.
TRV