אֵם (em)
em
mother
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 180 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun em means mother, representing the primary bond of family and origin. In most biblical contexts it refers to a human mother, often appearing alongside father to denote both parents or the full scope of parental authority. The word extends naturally to grandmothers and ancestral figures, as seen when Eve is called the mother of all living in Genesis 3:20.
Its usage also reaches into metaphorical territory. In Judges 5:7, Deborah describes herself as a mother to Israel, highlighting her role as a protector and provider for the people. The term even applies to animals, translated as dam, and can denote the source or starting point of a path, such as the branching of roads in Ezekiel 21:26.
This flexibility reflects the cultural view of motherhood as the root of identity and continuity. By using em for both biological lineage and spiritual care, the text emphasizes that true motherhood involves nurturing and sustaining life in its broadest sense.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word em points to the deep, foundational bond of origin and care. In Scripture, it is far more than a biological label; it signifies the source of life and the center of family identity. When we see parents mentioned together, as in Genesis 2:24, it highlights that human relationships are built on leaving behind old dependencies to form new, sacred unions. This word reminds us that our origins matter, not because they define our worth, but because they point to the Creator who designed connection.
Yet em also carries a weight of responsibility and reverence. The command to honor your father and your mother in Exodus 20:12 is tied directly to long life and stability in the land. This is not merely about childhood obedience but about recognizing the authority and sacrifice inherent in raising life. Even when family dynamics are complex, as seen in the stories of Jacob or Rebekah, the text treats this role with serious gravity. It invites us to view our own families—and the broader community of faith—as places where life is nurtured and sustained.
In a world that often isolates individuals, this word calls us back to interdependence. Whether referring to a human mother or metaphorically to a nation’s protector, em underscores that we are not self-made. We are held, we are cared for, and we are called to care for others. This perspective offers comfort: you are part of a lineage of love that stretches back to the first families and forward to the hope of God’s kingdom.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 180 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- mother/ his69×
- mother/ your25×
- mother/ my16×
- and/ mother/ his14×
- [the] mother of13×
- to/ mother/ his7×
- mother/ its5×
- mother/ her5×
- a mother4×
- and/ mother/ your3×
- and/ mother/ her3×
- O mother/ my3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אִמּ֔/וֹ32×
- אִמּ֑/וֹ11×
- אֵ֥ם8×
- אִמּֽ/וֹ\׃8×
- אִמֶּֽ/ךָ\׃6×
- אִמֶּ֑/ךָ5×
- לְ/אִמּ֑/וֹ4×
- אֵ֣ם4×
- אִמִּ֖/י4×
- אִמּ֖/וֹ4×
- אִמּ/וֹ֙4×
- וְ/אִמּ֗/וֹ3×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 2:24
Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.
This verse establishes the foundational pattern of leaving parental authority to form a new marital union, showing how 'mother' defines the origin from which one departs.
-
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
Here the command to honor your mother is explicitly linked to the promise of long life, grounding social stability in respect for parental authority.
-
Genesis 3:20
The man called his wife Eve because she would be the mother of all the living.
Eve is named the mother of all living, extending the term beyond a single family to represent the source of all human life and continuity.
-
Genesis 27:13
His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me.”
Rebekah’s willingness to take the curse upon herself illustrates the intense protective instinct often associated with the maternal role in biblical narratives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word 'em' mean?
How is 'em' used in the Ten Commandments?
Does 'em' only refer to biological mothers?
Why is honoring your mother important in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (180 verses across 25 books)
Genesis 20 verses
Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.
Genesis 3:20The man called his wife Eve because she would be the mother of all the living.
Genesis 20:12Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
Genesis 21:21He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
Genesis 24:28The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words.
Genesis 24:53The servant brought out jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave…
Genesis 24:55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”
Genesis 24:67Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. So Isaac was…
Genesis 27:11Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
Genesis 27:13His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me.”
Genesis 27:14He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved.
Genesis 27:29Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you.…
Genesis 28:2Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of…
Genesis 28:5Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and…
Genesis 28:7and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan Aram.
Genesis 29:10When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob…
Genesis 30:14Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then…
Genesis 37:10He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you…
Genesis 43:29He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of…
Genesis 44:20We said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead,…