Lexical Definition

‎אֵם‎ ʼêm (ame) mother ^H:N-F
a primitive word

dam, mother, [idiom] parting.

• a mother (as the bond of the family)
• in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))

1) mother
1a) of humans
1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.)
1c) of animals
2) point of departure or division

See Greek: ἀρχαῖος · γονεύς · μήτηρ · μητρόπολις

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎אֵם‎₂₂₁ noun feminine mother (Phoenician ‎אם‎, Arabic , Ethiopic , Sabean ‎אם‎ (only in proper names compare e. g. Bae^{Rel 118}) Assyrian ummu COT^Gloss; Aramaic ‎אֵם‎, ‎אִימָּא‎, ) — ‎׳‎‎א‎ absolute Gen 32:12* +; construct Gen 3:20 +; suffix ‎אִמִּי‎ Gen 20:12 + etc.; plural only suffix ‎אִמֹּתֵנוּ‎ Lam 5:3 ‎אִמֹּתָם‎ Jer 16:3; Lam 2:12 (twice in verse); —

1. literal (human) mother, as parent Gen 20:12; Gen 32:12*; Gen 44:20; Exod 2:8; Ps 51:7*; Ps 113:9 ( opposed to ‎עֲקֶרֶת‎) Jer 15:8; Jer 15:10; Jer 20:14; Jer 22:26; Jer 50:12; 1Chr 4:9; Song 6:9; Song 8:5 +; hence of Eve ‎אֵם‎ ‎כָּלחָֿ֑י‎ Gen 3:20 in poetry of birth, ‎יָצָא מִבֶּטֶן אֵם‎ Job 1:21; Eccl 5:14* ‎יָצָא מֵרֶחֶם אֵם‎ Num 12:12 compare Ps 139:13 (Jer 20:18 &) ‎מִמְּעֵי אִמִּי גּוֺזִי‎ Ps 71:6 (subject ‎׳‎‎י‎, compare ‎גחה‎ Ps 22:10* > ‎גּוֺזִי‎ = my benefactor from birth Thes Ew Hup Pe); also ‎וַתְּהִי אִמִּי קִבְרִי‎ Jer 20:17 ‎מִבֶּטֶן אֵם‎ = from earliest existence Judg 16:17; Job 31:18; Ps 22:11* so ‎מִמְּעֵי אֵם‎ Isa 49:1 as giving suck Song 8:1 (‎שְׁדֵי אֵם‎) Ps 22:10* compare Ps 131:2 (see Exod 2:9 compare vExod 2:8); as exercising authority Gen 21:21; Gen 24:28; Gen 27:11; Gen 27:13; Gen 27:14; Judg 17:2 f Ruth 1:8; Song 3:4; Song 8:2 etc.; especially of queen-mother as possessing dignity & influence 1Kgs 1:11; 1Kgs 2:13; 1Kgs 2:19; 1Kgs 2:20; 2Chr 22:2; 2Chr 22:3; Song 3:11; Prov 31:1 compare names of mo-thers of kings of Judah 1Kgs 14:21; 1Kgs 14:31; 1Kgs 15:2; 1Kgs 15:10; 1Kgs 15:13 +; as shewing love & care 1Sam 2:19; 1Kgs 3:27; 1Kgs 17:23; 2Kgs 4:30; Isa 66:13 (simile of ‎׳‎‎י‎'s comforting his people; compare also Gen 27:45); as beloved & lamented 1Kgs 19:20 (|| ‎אָב‎) Gen 24:67; Ps 35:14 ‎בֶּןאִֿמּוֺ‎ = own (uterine) brother Gen 43:29 & || ‎אָח‎ Gen 27:29; Deut 13:7*; Judg 8:19; Ps 50:20; Ps 69:9*; Song 1:6 compare Song 8:1 so ‎בַּתאִֿמּוֺ‎ Lev 18:9; Lev 20:17; Deut 27:22 (|| ‎בַּתאָֿבִיו‎) Gen 20:12 often with ‎אָב‎, as parentes Jer 16:3; Zech 13:3 (twice in verse); Isa 8:4 as rightfully claiming honour, authority, etc., compare above, Gen 28:7 (P) compare Gen 37:10 (E) Judg 14:2 f, so in precept Prov 1:8; Prov 6:20; Prov 10:1; Prov 15:20 etc. compare Ezek 22:7 laws enjoining these Exod 20:12 = Deut 5:16; Lev 19:3 compare Deut 22:15 laws prohib. contrary Exod 21:15; Exod 21:17 (E) Lev 20:9 (twice in verse) (H) Deut 21:18; Deut 21:19; Deut 27:16 laws as to mourning for Lev 21:2; Lev 21:11 (H) Num 6:7 (P) compare Jer 16:7; Ezek 44:25 left for wife Gen 2:24 for mother-in-law Ruth 2:24 for husband Deut 21:13 (law for captive women); compare Deut 33:9 (of devoted service of Levites); loving, caring for children Prov 4:3 (on the opposite compare Ps 27:10); loved, cared for Josh 2:13 compare vJosh 2:18; Josh 6:23. 1Sam 22:3; 1Kgs 19:20 compare 2Sam 19:38*.

2. figurative of Deborah as caring for her people ‎אֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל‎ Judg 5:7 (compare ‎אָב‎ Isa 22:21; Job 29:16); so of a city 2Sam 20:19 ('stock, race, community' RS^{K 28 compare Proph. iv. n 8}); of Israel Hos 2:4*; Hos 2:7*; Hos 4:5 compare Hos 10:14 of Judah Isa 50:1 (twice in verse); of Hittite as mother of Jerusalem ‎אָבִיךְ הָאֱמֹרִי‎ ‎וְאִמֵּךְ חִתִּית‎ Ezek 16:3; Ezek 16:45 compare vEzek 16:44 vEzek 16:45 also Ezek 19:2; Ezek 19:10 & see Ezek 23:2.

3. of animals, dam Exod 22:29* (of ox & sheep) Lev 22:27 (of bullock, sheep, or goat); Exod 23:19 = Exod 34:26 = Deut 14:21 (of kid); mother-bird Deut 22:6 (twice in verse); Deut 22:7 figurative Job 17:14 ‎לַשַּׁחַת קָרָאתִי אָבִי אָ֑תָּה אִמִּי וַאֲחֹתִי לָרִמָּֽה ׃‎.

4. = point of departure or division ‎אֵם הַדֶּרֶךְ‎ Ezek 21:26*. (|| ‎ראֹשׁ שְׁנֵי הַדְּרָכִים‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References