Word Study for H2562 (חֲמַר) | Strong's Concordance

chămar /kham-ar'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to חֶמֶר

Meaningwine

KJV usagewine.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chămar — 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 Aramaic word chămar, represented by H2562, is the term for wine. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses in the Bible. Its use in scripture highlights a stark contrast, appearing both as a provision for sacred worship and as an instrument of profane celebration and sacrilege.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The biblical usage of H2562 is split between two distinct contexts. In the book of Ezra, wine is listed as a necessary supply for the priests in Jerusalem, provided for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven Ezra 6:9. It is specified as part of a royal decree to support the temple, with a provision of "an hundred baths of wine" Ezra 7:22. Conversely, in the book of Daniel, wine is central to Belshazzar's great feast Daniel 5:1. The king commanded that wine be drunk from the sacred temple vessels, an act of defiance that included his lords, wives, and concubines Daniel 5:2. This consumption of wine was directly linked to the praise of false gods of gold, silver, and stone (Daniel 5:4, Daniel 5:23).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of chămar:

H8355 shᵉthâh (to imbibe (literally or figuratively); drink): This Aramaic verb is consistently paired with H2562 in the Daniel narrative. It describes the action of Belshazzar and his court as they drank wine from the holy vessels in an act of desecration Daniel 5:4.
H4887 mᵉshach (oil): This term appears alongside wine in the decrees found in Ezra. Both wine and oil are listed as essential provisions for the priests and the services at the temple in Jerusalem, highlighting their role as sanctioned commodities for worship (Ezra 6:9, Ezra 7:22).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2562 is demonstrated through its opposing roles.

Sacred Provision: In Ezra, wine is shown to be a legitimate and required element for the worship of God, supplied for the burnt offerings according to the appointment of the priests Ezra 6:9. It functions as a state-sanctioned supply for maintaining proper religious observance.
Instrument of Profanity: In Daniel, the act of drinking wine from the temple vessels is a pivotal part of Belshazzar's sin. This use of wine is explicitly tied to idolatry, as they "drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver" Daniel 5:4. It symbolizes a deliberate act of lifting oneself up against the Lord of heaven Daniel 5:23.

Summary

In summary, H2562 provides a powerful illustration of how an object's purpose is defined by its use. While the Aramaic term simply means wine, its biblical occurrences sharply contrast its function as a consecrated item for the worship of God in Ezra with its role as a tool for idolatry and sacrilege in the story of Belshazzar. The usage of chămar underscores the critical distinction between the holy and the profane.

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 noun across 6 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

חַמְרָ
חֲמַר

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 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Daniel (4 verses); never once in the other 37.

Ezra

Daniel

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.