### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **chêmâr**, represented by `{{H2564}}`, refers to **bitumen** or **slime**. Derived from a root meaning to boil up, it describes a substance that rises to the surface. It appears **3 times** across **3 unique verses**, where it functions as both a natural feature of the landscape and a critical material for construction and preservation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical occurrences, `{{H2564}}` is used in distinct and significant ways. At the Tower of Babel, the builders used man-made materials, having **brick** for stone and **slime** for morter [[Genesis 11:3]], showcasing human ingenuity. In a different context, the vale of Siddim is described as being full of **slimepits**, which became a natural hazard where the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell during a battle [[Genesis 14:10]]. Finally, it was used as a protective sealant when Moses's mother took an ark of bulrushes and daubed it with **slime** and with pitch to save her child [[Exodus 2:3]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the use and context of **chêmâr**:
* `{{H2560}}` **châmar** (to boil up; to smear with pitch): This is the root verb from which `{{H2564}}` is derived. Its meaning is directly applied in the narrative of Moses's birth, where the ark was "daubed" with slime [[Exodus 2:3]].
* `{{H2563}}` **chômer** (mire or clay; morter): This substance is what the builders at Babel used slime for [[Genesis 11:3]]. While **chômer** is the morter, **chêmâr** is the binding agent. It is also used to describe the hard bondage of the Israelites in Egypt, working with **morter** and brick [[Exodus 1:14]].
* `{{H2203}}` **zepheth** (pitch): This word for asphalt appears alongside slime as a waterproofing agent for the ark of Moses [[Exodus 2:3]], indicating they were used together to create a durable seal.
* `{{H3843}}` **lᵉbênâh** (a brick): In the Babel account, **brick** is the man-made building block used in place of stone, held together by slime [[Genesis 11:3]].
* `{{H68}}` **ʼeben** (a stone): This is the natural building material that was substituted for brick and slime at the Tower of Babel [[Genesis 11:3]], highlighting a key technological choice in the narrative.
### Theological Significance
The narrative significance of `{{H2564}}` is seen in its contrasting roles.
* **Material of Human Ambition:** In the story of the Tower of Babel, using **slime** as morter for bricks symbolizes a reliance on human technology over natural materials like stone, underpinning the theme of mankind's self-glorifying efforts [[Genesis 11:3]].
* **A Natural Danger:** The **slimepits** in the vale of Siddim serve as a geographical trap, a feature of the natural world that directly impacts the outcome of a human conflict [[Genesis 14:10]].
* **An Instrument of Preservation:** In stark contrast to its other uses, **slime** becomes an agent of deliverance. It is used to waterproof the basket that saves the life of Moses, the future deliverer of Israel [[Exodus 2:3]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2564}}` is a specific natural substance whose application in Scripture carries significant weight. Though its occurrences are few, **chêmâr** is presented as a versatile material. It is used in a grand project of human pride, exists as a deadly natural pitfall, and serves as the humble sealant on an ark of rescue. Its varied uses demonstrate how a simple element of creation can feature in stories of both human folly and divine providence.
TRV