חֲמָתִי (cha.ma.ti)
cha.ma.ti
Hamathite
N:N--LGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--LG
Word Overview
The noun chamati identifies a member of the Hamathite people, an ancient group listed among the descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:18. As a gentilic adjective functioning as a substantive, it simply denotes origin or lineage, marking these individuals as part of the broader family tree of nations that populated the land before Israel’s settlement.
These references appear rarely, occurring only twice in the Hebrew Bible, primarily within genealogical records such as 1 Chronicles. The text groups them with other Canaanite clans like the Sidonians and Hittites, serving to map out the ethnic landscape of the ancient Near East rather than to highlight specific theological themes.
Translators typically render this word as "Hamathite," preserving the proper name of the city or region from which the group derived. The term carries no inherent moral judgment in its usage; it functions strictly as a geographic and ethnic label within the historical narrative of Israel’s ancestors and neighbors.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Hamathite appears in the biblical record as a marker of ancient lineage, identifying people from the region of Hamath. These references are found in genealogical lists that trace the families of nations following the flood. Such records serve to map the ethnic landscape of the ancient world, showing how different groups settled and spread across the earth.
For readers today, these names remind us of God’s care for all peoples, not just Israel. The Bible acknowledges diverse nations and their distinct identities within its historical narrative. This inclusion shows that God’s plan encompasses the whole human family, recognizing each group’s place in history.
While the Hamathites are mentioned only briefly, their presence highlights the richness of biblical history. It invites us to appreciate the complexity of ancient societies and the way Scripture records them with accuracy. This attention to detail reflects a God who knows every tribe and nation by name.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Hamathite[s]2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַֽ/חֲמָתִֽי\׃\ \ס1×
- הַֽ/חֲמָתִ֑י1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 10:18
the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad.
This verse places the Hamathites within the broader genealogy of Canaan’s descendants, showing their role in the post-flood distribution of nations.
-
I Chronicles 1:16
the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
The Chronicler repeats this list to affirm the historical continuity of Israel’s ancestors and their neighbors, preserving the record for future generations.