a primitive root; also as denominative (from חֵמָר); properly, to boil up; hence, to ferment (with scum); to glow (with redness); to smear with pitch; daub, befoul, be red, trouble.
Transliteration:châmar
Pronunciation:khaw-mar'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew root `{{H2560}}` (châmar) is a primitive verb with a rich and multifaceted semantic range. Its core meaning conveys the idea of "boiling up" or "bubbling." From this central concept, several distinct yet related nuances emerge:
1. **Agitation and Fermentation:** The notion of "boiling up" naturally extends to the process of fermentation, often implying a frothing or effervescent state, sometimes accompanied by scum or decay. This aspect suggests internal agitation, spoilage, or putrefaction.
2. **Redness and Inflammation:** The root can also describe a "glowing with redness," suggesting an intense, flushed, or inflamed appearance. This can be literal (e.g., skin color) or metaphorical, indicating intense emotion like anger or distress.
3. **Smearing or Daubing:** A less direct but significant meaning, possibly derived as a denominative from `{{H2564}}` (chemar, "bitumen" or "pitch"), is "to smear with pitch" or "to daub." This implies covering, sealing, or coating with a dark, viscous substance, potentially leading to a "befouled" state.
4. **Trouble and Distress:** As a consequence of internal agitation, fermentation, or intense emotional states, `{{H2560}}` can signify being "troubled," "distressed," or "agitated," often referring to internal organs or emotional states.
These meanings collectively portray `{{H2560}}` as a dynamic verb, capable of describing physical processes of change and decay, intense visual phenomena, and profound internal human experiences.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb `{{H2560}}` appears in various forms and contexts throughout the Hebrew Bible, illustrating its diverse semantic range:
* **Agitation and Decay:** In [[Exodus 16:20]], the manna left overnight "bred worms, and stank" (וַיִּבְאַשׁ וַיִּמָּסֵס). The KJV translates a related form as "stank," capturing the sense of putrefaction or fermentation that leads to an offensive odor. This highlights the negative consequence of disobedience and the perishable nature of that which is not used as God commanded.
* **Troubled Waters/Emotions:** The concept of "boiling up" is powerfully applied to internal agitation and distress. In [[Psalm 46:3]], the psalmist describes a time when "the waters thereof roar and are troubled" (יֶהֱמוּ יֶחְמְרוּ מֵימָיו), depicting chaotic, turbulent waters that symbolize great upheaval and distress, yet God remains their refuge. Similarly, in the book of Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah uses `{{H2560}}` to express profound personal and national grief. In [[Lamentations 1:20]], he cries, "My bowels are troubled" (חֳמַרְמְרוּ מֵעַי), indicating intense internal anguish and emotional turmoil over Jerusalem's desolation. This is echoed in [[Lamentations 2:11]], where he states, "My liver is poured out upon the earth" (נִשְׁפַּךְ לָאָרֶץ כְּבֵדִי עַל שֶׁבֶר בַּת עַמִּי), with `{{H2560}}` again conveying a sense of internal, overwhelming distress and physical manifestation of sorrow.
* **Redness and Inflammation:** `{{H2560}}` can describe a reddening due to intense emotion or physical exertion. In [[Job 16:16]], Job laments, "My face is red with weeping" (פָּנַי חֳמַרְמְרוּ מִנִּי בֶכִי), portraying the physical effect of profound sorrow and continuous tears. This usage emphasizes the visible manifestation of deep internal pain. In [[Nahum 2:3]], the prophet describes the shields of the mighty men as "red" (מָגֵן גִּבֹּרֵיהֶם מְאָדָּם), possibly referring to a red dye or the glint of polished copper, conveying a formidable and fearsome appearance in battle.
* **Internal Agitation/Boiling:** In [[Job 30:27]], Job again uses `{{H2560}}` to describe his intense suffering: "My bowels boil, and rest not" (מֵעַי חֳמַרְמְרוּ וְלֹא דָמּוּ), vividly illustrating a ceaseless, agonizing internal turmoil that gives him no peace.
These contexts reveal that `{{H2560}}` is a versatile verb used to describe states of physical corruption, environmental chaos, and profound human emotional and physical suffering.
### Related Words & Concepts
The study of `{{H2560}}` is enriched by examining its relationship with other Hebrew terms:
* **`{{H2564}}` (חֵמָר, chemar):** This noun, meaning "bitumen" or "pitch," is directly linked to `{{H2560}}` as a denominative. It refers to the dark, viscous substance used for sealing (e.g., Noah's ark, [[Genesis 6:14]]; the basket for baby Moses, [[Exodus 2:3]]). This connection highlights the "smear with pitch" aspect of the root, though less common in the verbal form `{{H2560}}`.
* **Words of Redness:** Terms like `{{H122}}` (אָדֹם, adom, "red") and `{{H124}}` (אֹדֶם, odem, "redness," "ruby") share a semantic field with `{{H2560}}` when it describes a "glowing with redness." While `{{H2560}}` emphasizes the process or state of becoming red (often due to agitation or emotion), `{{H122}}` typically describes the color itself.
* **Words of Agitation/Trouble:** `{{H7264}}` (רָגַז, ragaz, "to tremble," "to be agitated") and `{{H1993}}` (הָמָה, hamah, "to make a noise," "to rage," "to be in commotion") are conceptually similar to `{{H2560}}` in their descriptions of internal or external turmoil. While `{{H7264}}` often denotes trembling or quaking, and `{{H1993}}` focuses on roaring or commotion, `{{H2560}}` specifically conveys the sense of "boiling up" or effervescent agitation.
* **Words of Decay/Stink:** `{{H887}}` (בָּאַשׁ, ba'ash, "to stink," "to be loathsome") is closely associated with `{{H2560}}` in contexts like [[Exodus 16:20]], where the manna "stank" (`{{H887}}`) and "bred worms" (a consequence of the "fermentation" implied by `{{H2560}}`). These words together describe the process of corruption and its unpleasant results.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H2560}}` is profound, primarily conveying states of distress, the consequences of sin, and the intensity of divine or human emotion.
* **Consequences of Disobedience:** In [[Exodus 16:20]], the manna's putrefaction through `{{H2560}}` (implied by "stank" and "bred worms") serves as a tangible consequence of Israel's disobedience to God's command. It illustrates how divine provision, when misused or hoarded out of lack of trust, can turn to corruption, symbolizing spiritual decay.
* **Human Suffering and Lament:** The repeated use of `{{H2560}}` in Job and Lamentations to describe "bowels boiling" or "faces reddening" underscores the depth of human suffering in the face of tragedy, injustice, or divine judgment. It portrays an intense, visceral anguish that affects one's entire being, both internally and externally. This imagery allows the biblical text to convey the raw, unvarnished reality of profound grief and distress.
* **Divine Presence Amidst Chaos:** In [[Psalm 46:3]], while the waters "roar and are troubled" (`{{H2560}}`), the psalm's overarching message is one of God's unwavering presence and refuge. The "troubled" waters represent chaos and threat, yet God remains an unshakeable fortress, demonstrating His sovereignty even when creation or human circumstances are in turmoil.
* **Intensity of Conflict/Emotion:** The "redness" aspect, particularly in [[Nahum 2:3]], can symbolize the intensity and ferocity of warfare or the wrath of God against His enemies. It speaks to a powerful, even frightening, display of force or emotion.
Thus, `{{H2560}}` contributes to the biblical narrative by vividly describing the physical and emotional manifestations of sin's effects, the intensity of human lament, and the turbulent realities of a fallen world, all within the context of God's overarching sovereignty.
### Summary
The Hebrew verb `{{H2560}}` (châmar) is a versatile and evocative term rooted in the concept of "boiling up." Its semantic range extends to encompass physical processes of fermentation and decay, vivid descriptions of redness (often indicative of intense emotion), and profound states of internal agitation and distress. Biblical occurrences demonstrate its use in depicting the consequences of disobedience, such as the putrefaction of the manna in [[Exodus 16:20]]. More frequently, it portrays the overwhelming anguish and internal turmoil experienced by individuals and nations, as seen in the laments of Jeremiah in [[Lamentations 1:20]] and [[Lamentations 2:11]], and the suffering of Job in [[Job 16:16]] and [[Job 30:27]]. Furthermore, it can describe chaotic natural phenomena like "troubled waters" in [[Psalm 46:3]] or the fearsome appearance of warriors in [[Nahum 2:3]]. `{{H2560}}` powerfully communicates states of corruption, intense suffering, and the raw, visceral reality of human experience in the face of judgment or adversity, serving as a key descriptor of both physical and emotional upheaval within the biblical text.