Strong's Lexicon: H2543 חֲמוֹר חֲמוֹר

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:	H2543
Word:	חֲמוֹר חֲמוֹר
Part of Speech:	noun masc
Etymology:	from H2560
Language:	Hebrew
Occurrences:	98
Transliteration:	chamowr
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:	kham-ore' (or (shortened) chamor {kham-ore}) n-m.
Meaning:	1. a male donkey (from its dun red)
KJV Renderings:	(he)ass.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced

BDB2893

I. חֲמוֺר noun [masculine] heap, absolute ׳ ח with dual חֲמֹרָתָ֑יִם (Baer ׳ חְִמֹרֹת), as if from חֲמֹרָה; — בִּלְחִי הַחֲמוֺר חֲמוֺר חֲמֹרָתָ֑יִם Judg 15:16 with the ass's jawbone, a heap, two heaps, i.e. so many slain.

חֲמֹרֹתָ֑יִם see I. חֲמוֺר . above

BDB2895

II. חֲמוֺר noun masculine^{Gen 45:23} (he)-ass (Late Hebrew id. (sometimes female, but this regularly חֲמוֺרָה); Aramaic הֲמָרָא [untranscribed source text 1822] Arabic [untranscribed source text 1823], Palmyrene חמרא Reckend^{ZMG 1888, 404}; as imêru, Schr^{Cot Gloss}; — name from reddish colour) — absolute חֲמוֺר Gen 22:5 + 43 t.; חֲמֹר Exod 13:13; Deut 22:10 construct חֲמוֺר Exod 23:5 + 4 t.; הֲמֹר Gen 49:14 suffix חֲמֹרְךָ Deut 5:14; Deut 28:31 חֲמֹרֶ֑ךָ Exod 23:12 חֲמֹרוֺ Gen 22:3 + 8 t.; plural חֲמוֺרִים Judg 19:10 + 9 t.; חֲמֹרִים Gen 12:16 + 16 t.; suffix חֲמוֺרֵינוּ Judg 19:19 חֲמֹרֵינוּ Gen 43:18 חֲמוֺרֵיכֶם 1Sam 8:16 חֲמֹרֵיהֶם Gen 34:28 + 4 t.; חֲמוֺרֵיהֶם Josh 9:4 — ass (he-ass; אתון = she-ass) found in all periods (collective only Gen 32:6 ; Isa 21:7); —

1. as (valuable) property, with oxen, sheep, camels, slaves, etc. Gen 12:16; Gen 24:35; Gen 30:48; Gen 47:17; Exod 9:3 (all J ) Exod 20:17 ( E ), Exod 21:33; Exod 22:8 (twice in verse); Exod 22:9; Exod 23:4; Exod 23:5; Exod 23:12; Num 16:15; Josh 6:21; Josh 7:24 (all J E ); note also Exod 13:13 = Exod 34:20 ( J E ; firstlings belong to ׳ י); Gen 36:24; Num 31:28; Num 31:30; Num 31:34; Num 31:39; Num 31:45 (all P ); Deut 5:14 ; Deut 5:18; Deut 22:3; Deut 22:4; Judg 6:4; 1Sam 8:16; 1Sam 12:3; 1Sam 15:3; 1Sam 22:19; 1Sam 27:9; 1Chr 5:21; Ezra 2:67 = Neh 7:68 (Baer), Zech 14:15 collective Gen 32:5 ( J ; || שׁוֺר), צאֹן, עֶבֶד, שִׁפְחָה, but plural (similar ||) Gen 34:28 ( P ), Gen 47:17 ( J ); compare also יְתוֺמִים ׳ ח Job 24:3 the orphans' ass (|| שׁוֺר אַלְמָנָה); as knowing its master's crib Isa 1:3 (|| שׁוֺר); found in camp 2Kgs 7:7; 2Kgs 7:10 (both || סוּסִים); as harnessed ׳ מֶתֶג לַה Prov 26:3 (|| סוּס).

2. used for riding:

a. by women Exod 4:20 ( J ), Josh 15:18 ( J E ) = Judg 1:14 ; 1Sam 25:20 ; 1Sam 25:23 ; 1Sam 25:42 , compare 2Chr 28:15.

b. by men 2Sam 16:2; 2Sam 17:23; 2Sam 19:27; 1Kgs 2:40; 1Kgs 13:13 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 13:23 ; 1Kgs 13:24 ; 1Kgs 13:27; 1Kgs 13:28 (twice in verse); Isa 21:7; Zech 9:9 .

c. צֶמֶד חמורים a pair of asses 2Sam 16:1 (for burdens and for riding); for man and woman Judg 19:3; Judg 19:10; Judg 19:19; Judg 19:21 carrying dead body Judg 19:28, compare ׳ ח 1Kgs 13:29 .

3. beast of burden Gen 22:3; Gen 22:5 (compare Gen 22:6), Gen 42:26; Gen 42:27; Gen 45:23 (all E ) Gen 43:18 ; Gen 43:24 ; Gen 44:3 ; Gen 44:13 (all J ), Josh 9:4 ( J E ), 1Sam 25:18; 1Chr 12:41; Neh 13:15(compare also ׳ צֶמֶד ח 2Sam 16:1 above); metaphor of Issachar נָּ֑רֶם ׳ ח Gen 49:14 (poem), an ass of (strong) bones. — לֶחֶם ׳ ח 1Sam 16:20 read probably חֲמִשָּׁה five, or better עֲשָׂרָה ten, see We Dr.

4. used in tillage Isa 32:20 not to be used in ploughing with an ox (שׁוֺר) Deut 22:10.

5. parts of body of ass mentioned are: ׳ לְחִי ח Judg 15:15; Judg 15:16 jawbone, Samson's weapon; ׳ ראֹשׁ ח 2Kgs 6:25 eaten in famine; ׳ בְּשַׂר ה Ezek 23:20 genital organ of ass (contemptuous simile)

6. ׳ קְבוּרַת ה Jer 22:19 burial of an ass, in figure of ignominious treatment of a corpse.

Other Resources

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke