English · KJV
H8380

תָּאוֹם

tâʼôwm /taw-ome'/ Ask about this word
Rootor תָּאֹם · from תָּאַם
Meaninga twin (in plural only), literally or figuratively
KJV usagetwins.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tâʼôwm — 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 tâʼôwm, represented by H8380, is the word for twins. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. Its base definition describes a twin, used literally or figuratively, and appears in scripture only in its plural form.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The use of H8380 occurs in two distinct contexts. In Genesis, it is used literally to mark the births of actual twins. After her days were fulfilled, it is written that "behold, there were twins in her womb" Genesis 25:24, and similarly in a later account, "behold, twins were in her womb" Genesis 38:27. In the Song of Solomon, the word is used figuratively in a simile to express perfect symmetry and beauty, where the subject's breasts are described as "like two young roes that are twins" (Song of Solomon 4:5, Song of Solomon 7:3).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to frame the context in which tâʼôwm is used:

  • H8147 shᵉnayim (two): This word for a couple or pair is used to quantify the subjects being compared to twins. It appears directly before the mention of twins in Song of Solomon Song of Solomon 4:5 and is used in the prophecy preceding the birth of Jacob and Esau, stating "Two nations are in thy womb" Genesis 25:23.
  • H7699 shad (breast, pap, teat): This is the subject of the figurative comparison in Song of Solomon, where two breasts are likened to twins Song of Solomon 7:3. It is also mentioned as part of a patriarchal blessing in Genesis Genesis 49:25.
  • H6082 ʻôpher (a fawn; young roe): This word identifies the young animal used in the poetic simile for twins in Song of Solomon, highlighting themes of youth and natural beauty Song of Solomon 4:5.
  • H6646 tsᵉbîyâh (a female gazelle; roe): Used alongside H6082, this term specifies the animal in the comparison, grounding the imagery of twins in the natural world Song of Solomon 7:3.

Theological Significance

The significance of H8380 is tied directly to its literal and figurative applications.

  • Literal Duality and Lineage: In Genesis, the arrival of twins is a significant event in the patriarchal lineage. The birth of twins from one womb marks a moment of shared origin from which two distinct peoples will emerge (Genesis 25:24, Genesis 38:27).
  • Figurative Symmetry and Beauty: The usage in Song of Solomon employs twins as a symbol of perfect, identical beauty. The comparison to "two young roes that are twins" establishes an aesthetic ideal of a matched and harmonious pair Song of Solomon 4:5.
  • Fulfillment of Prophecy: The literal birth of twins in Genesis 25:24 is the direct fulfillment of the prophecy in the preceding verse that "Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated" Genesis 25:23.

Summary

In summary, H8380 is a specific term whose meaning shifts dramatically with its context. It describes the literal birth of twins in the patriarchal narratives, marking moments of significant lineage, while also being employed as a poetic device in Song of Solomon to convey perfect symmetry and natural beauty. Though used infrequently, the word tâʼôwm effectively illustrates concepts of duality, from the physical birth of two individuals in one womb to the aesthetic ideal of a perfectly matched pair.

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.

  • תוֹמִם
  • תְּאוֹמֵי

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.

H8147 שְׁנַיִם dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelft H7699 שַׁד or שֹׁד; probably from שׁוּד (in its original sense) contracted; the breast of a woman or animal (as bulging); breast, p H6082 עֹפֶר from עָפַר; a fawn (from the dusty color); young roe (hart). H6646 צְבִיָּה feminine of צְבִי; a female gazelle; roe.

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 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis and Song of Solomon (2 verses each); never once in the other 37.

2
Genesis
2
Song of Solomon

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.