חֲמוּטַל (cha.mu.tal)
cha.mu.tal
Hamutal
N:N-F-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-F-P
Word Overview
Hamutal is a proper name appearing in only three verses of the Hebrew Bible, identifying her as a wife of King Josiah and the mother of Jehoahaz and Zedekiah. The sources indicate her father was Jeremiah of Libnah, linking her to that specific Judean town. Her name itself carries a meaning often interpreted as "father-in-law is protection" or similar variations depending on the etymological breakdown.
Though she appears in only three passages—primarily in 2 Kings and Jeremiah—her presence marks a pivotal moment in Judah’s final years. As the mother of two kings who reigned during the kingdom’s collapse, her lineage connects the royal house to the broader population outside Jerusalem. The texts mention her without elaborating on her personal actions, yet her identity as Josiah’s wife situates her within the turbulent transition from reform to destruction.
Her brief biblical footprint highlights how women in these records are often defined by familial relationships rather than independent deeds. Yet this limited data preserves a crucial genealogical link: she bridges the house of David with the people of Libnah, reminding readers that the royal narrative was woven from many local connections.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Hamutal appears in Scripture not as a ruler, but as a mother standing at the edge of history. Her name, meaning 'father-in-law is protection,' anchors her identity in family ties rather than political power. In a time when Judah’s kings rose and fell with alarming speed, she is remembered simply as the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah and the wife of Josiah.
Her brief mention connects the royal line to the wider community outside Jerusalem. While the texts do not record her personal deeds, her presence reminds us that behind every major historical shift are real people navigating uncertainty. She bridges the house of David with the everyday life of Libnah, showing how ordinary family connections underpin grand narratives.
For readers today, Hamutal offers a quiet dignity. We often feel defined by our roles—parent, child, spouse—rather than our own achievements. Her story invites us to find value in those faithful, unseen relationships that hold families and communities together during turbulent times.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] Hamutal3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֲמוּטַ֥ל3×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 23:31
Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
This verse establishes Hamutal as the mother of Jehoahaz, highlighting her role in a reign that lasted only three months during Judah's final collapse.
-
II Kings 24:18
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
Here she is identified again as the mother of Zedekiah, linking two successive kings who ruled before Jerusalem’s destruction.
-
Jeremiah 52:1
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign. He reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
The parallel account in Jeremiah confirms her lineage from Libnah, reinforcing the historical record of Judah’s last days through a consistent genealogical detail.