English · KJV
H485

אֲלֻמָּה

ʼălummâh /al-oom-maw'/ Ask about this word
Rootor (masculine) אָלֻם · passive participle of אָלַם
Meaningsomething bound; a sheaf
KJV usagesheaf.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼălummâh — 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 ʼălummâh, represented by H485, means sheaf. Derived from a root meaning "to bind," it refers to something bound together, like harvested grain. Though it appears only 5 times across 2 verses, it serves as a powerful symbol of both agricultural harvest and prophetic destiny.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H485 illustrates a journey from a state of lowliness to one of exaltation. In Joseph's dream, it is used to represent people and their future status. Joseph's sheaf H485 arose and stood upright, while his brothers' sheaves H485 gathered around and made obeisance to it, foreshadowing his future authority Genesis 37:7. The word is also used in the Psalms to depict the joyful outcome of sorrowful labor, where the sower who goes out weeping will return with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves H485 with him Psalms 126:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words illuminate the meaning of ʼălummâh:

  • H481 'âlam (bind): This primitive root, meaning "to tie fast," is the direct source of ʼălummâh. Its use in Genesis 37:7, "we were binding sheaves," explicitly connects the action of binding to the creation of a sheaf.
  • H2233 zeraʻ (seed): This term represents the beginning of the process that culminates in the sheaf. The promise of reaping sheaves is tied to the initial act of sowing seed, often in difficult circumstances Psalms 126:6.
  • H6965 qûwm (to rise): This verb is used to describe the action of Joseph's sheaf, which "arose" in his dream. It connects the sheaf H485 to themes of being established, raised up, and having one's position confirmed Genesis 37:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H485 lies in its symbolic representation of divine promises fulfilled.

  • From Weeping to Rejoicing: The sheaf is the tangible evidence of joy after a season of sorrow. It embodies the principle that sowing in tears will lead to a harvest of rejoicing, a theme of hope and restoration Psalms 126:6.
  • Prophetic Exaltation: In Genesis, the sheaf is a prophetic symbol of a person's God-ordained destiny. The rising of one sheaf and the bowing of others is a clear picture of future leadership and the reversal of circumstances Genesis 37:7.
  • Fruit of Faithful Labor: The image of bringing in sheaves underscores the biblical principle of sowing and reaping. It serves as a guarantee that faithful labor, even when accompanied by hardship, will ultimately produce a valuable and joyful result.

Summary

In summary, ʼălummâh H485 is a rich biblical symbol. While literally a bundle of harvested grain, it functions metaphorically to represent the joyful reward for sorrowful labor and the fulfillment of a divinely appointed destiny. Through the image of the sheaf, scripture illustrates how God can elevate the humble and turn weeping into a triumphant harvest.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

  • אֲלֻמֹּתֵי
  • אֲלֻמָּתִ
  • אֲלֻמִּים

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.

H481 אָלַם a primitive root; to tie fast; hence (of the mouth) to be tongue-tied; bind, be dumb, put to silence. H2233 זֶרַע from זָרַע; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity; [idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), so H6965 קוּם a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative); abide, accomplish, [i

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis and Psalms (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Genesis
1
Psalms

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.