חַמָּה (cham.mah)
cham.mah
heat
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun cham.mah refers to the intense heat of the sun or the sun itself. In poetic contexts, it describes a physical sensation that can be both life-giving and oppressive. The word appears only four times in Scripture, concentrated in books known for their lyrical and emotional depth: Isaiah, Job, and Song of Solomon.
Its usage highlights the dual nature of sunlight. In Song of Solomon 2:17, the speaker asks the beloved to return "before the heat" breaks, using cham.mah to mark the time when the day’s warmth becomes too strong for comfort. Conversely, in Isaiah 49:10, God promises protection from this same scorching force, shielding His people so "the heat shall not strike them." The word captures a tangible environmental reality that shapes daily life and serves as a backdrop for divine care.
Translators typically render cham.mah as "heat" or "sun's heat" to distinguish it from the more common word for the celestial body itself, shemesh. This distinction allows the text to focus on the effect of the sun rather than its source. The rarity of the term underscores its specific poetic function, evoking the visceral experience of temperature in the ancient Near East.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word cham.mah points to the intense warmth of the sun, a force that sustains life yet can become overwhelming in the heat of midday. In ancient Israel, this physical reality shaped daily rhythms and offered a vivid picture for spiritual truths. When Scripture speaks of God’s people walking through such conditions, it reminds us that we are not left to endure the scorching days alone.
Isaiah 49:10 offers a gentle promise: even when the heat strikes, God shields His servants from harm. This image invites comfort for those facing seasons of pressure or exhaustion. You can trust that the same care which protects from physical discomfort also watches over your soul. In times of stress, remember that divine protection is as real as the shade under which you seek rest.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ sun3×
- sun1×
- like the/ sun1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כַּֽ/חַמָּ֔ה1×
- חַמָּ֑ה1×
- הַֽ/חַמָּה֙1×
- הַֽ/חַמָּ֔ה1×
- הַֽ/חַמָּ֑ה1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 24:23
Then the moon will be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem; and glory will be before his elders.
This verse uses the sun's shame to highlight God's ultimate reign, showing that even celestial powers submit to His authority.
-
Isaiah 30:26
Moreover the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, in the day that Yahweh binds up the fracture of his people, and heals the wound they were struck with.
Here the intensified light of the sun signals a time of healing and restoration for God's people after their suffering.
-
Song of Solomon 6:10
Who is she who looks out as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?
The beloved is compared to the clear brightness of the sun, using the sun's radiance as a metaphor for beauty and clarity.