אָמִיר (a.mir)
a.mir
top
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun amir refers to the highest point or summit of an object, specifically describing the top of a tree or the peak of a mountain. In the biblical text, it is a rare word appearing only twice, both within the book of Isaiah. Its usage is concrete and physical, pointing to the literal uppermost part of natural features rather than abstract heights.
Isaiah employs this term to illustrate divine judgment and humility. In Isaiah 2:13, God looks down on the "tops" (amir) of Lebanon’s cedars, which are proud and high, signaling that even the most majestic earthly structures are subject to His authority. Similarly, in Isaiah 10:17, the light of Israel will consume the thorns and briers, including their "tops," depicting a thorough cleansing where nothing at the summit escapes the fire. The word emphasizes that no height is too great to be reached or judged.
Its limited occurrence underscores its specific function as a marker of elevation in nature. By focusing on the tree’s crown or the mountain’s peak, the text highlights the contrast between human pride in high places and God’s sovereign oversight from above. The imagery serves to remind readers that all earthly heights are visible and accessible to the divine gaze.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word amir points to the highest part of something, like the very tip of a cedar branch or the peak of a mountain. In Isaiah, this concrete image reminds us that God sees everything from above. Even the tallest trees and strongest fortresses are within His view. Nothing is too high to escape His notice.
This truth brings comfort when we feel small or overwhelmed. The same God who watches over the highest peaks also cares for your daily life. You do not need to climb higher to be seen by Him; He is already there, looking down with purpose and care. Your place in His hands is secure, no matter where you stand.
When pride makes us feel distant from God or when fear makes the world seem too large, remember that height does not hide us from Him. Instead, it invites us to rest in His sovereign oversight. He holds all things together, from the smallest leaf to the highest mountain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ the/ tree-top1×
- [the] tree-top1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/הָ֣/אָמִ֔יר1×
- אָמִ֑יר1×
Key Verses
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Isaiah 17:6
Yet gleanings will be left there, like the shaking of an olive tree, two or three olives in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outermost branches of a fruitful tree,” says Yahweh, the God of Israel.
This verse uses the word to describe the very tip of an olive branch, showing that even after judgment, a small remnant remains visible at the highest point.
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Isaiah 17:9
In that day, their strong cities will be like the forsaken places in the woods and on the mountain top, which were forsaken from before the children of Israel; and it will be a desolation.
Here the term marks a forsaken mountain top, illustrating how human strongholds become empty places when God removes His protection.