Lexical Definition
עַם ʻam (am) people H:N-M
from עָמַם
folk, men, nation, people.
- a people (as a congregated unit)
- specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel)
- hence (collectively) troops or attendants
- figuratively, a flock
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
2) kinsman, kindred
See Greek: ἀνήρ · ἄνθρωπος · γενεά · γένος · γῆ · δῆμος · δούλη · δοῦλον · δοῦλος · δύναμις · ἔθνος · ἡγέομαι · λαός · ὄχλος · παῖς · πλῆθος · συναγωγή · συναγωγή
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Aramaic form: עַם
I. עַם, עָם1840 noun masculineGen 11:6 (see below) people (Late Hebrew id., plebeian, common man; ᵑ7 עַמָּא people, plural peoples, tribes, etc.; Syriac 
; Arabic 
see above; original meaning probably those united, connected, related, compare WeGGN 1893, 480); — absolute עַם Gen 11:6 +, עָם Judg 9:36 +, הָעָם Josh 8:11 +; construct עַם Num 21:29 +; suffix עַמִּי Exod 3:7 +, עַמְּךָ Exod 22:27* +, etc.; plural עַמִּים Isa 2:3 +, עֲמָמִים (compare Biblical Aramaic) Neh 9:22 construct עַמֵּי 1Kgs 8:43 +, עַמְמֵי Neh 9:24 plural with suffix see II. עַם; — (Thes cites following as feminine וְחָטָאת עַמֶּ֑ךָ Exod 5:16 [but corrupt and unintellig.; read perhaps ׳וְחַטָאתָ לְע, so ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Di]; Judg 18:7 [but ישֶׁבֶת must agree with lost word city, or the like, see GFM]; Jer 8:5 [but read שׁוֺבַב for שׁוֺבְבָה Gie]); —
1. a people, nation (sometimes || גּוֺי), collective noun (singular Exod 21:8; Josh 17:14; Josh 17:15; Josh 17:17; 2Sam 17:29 + often, or plural Exod 20:15; Exod 24:2; Jer 5:31 + often, or both in same clause Exod 1:20; 2Sam 13:24): עַם אֶחָד = all mankind Gen 11:6 (J); peoples in general Gen 27:29 (J; || לְאֻמִּים), Exod 19:5 (E), Deut 2:25; Deut 4:6 + often Deuteronomy; Neh 13:24 + often; קְהַל עַמִּים Gen 28:3 (P) an assembly (multitude) of peoples, Gen 48:4 (P), Ezek 23:24; Ezek 32:3 (+ רַבִּים); one's own people Jer 46:16; Ps 45:11*; Ruth 1:10; Ruth 1:15; Ruth 1:16 (twice in verse) + (on עַמִּי נָדִיב Song 6:12 see especially Bu); particular peoples, Egypt Gen 41:40 (E), Exod 1:22 (E), Neh 9:10 +; עַםאֲֿרָם Amos 1:5 עַםכְּֿמוֺשׁ (i.e. Moab) Num 21:29 (JE), Jer 48:46 but especially Israel Exod 1:20 (E) + often; ׳עַםבְּֿנֵי יִשׂ vExod 1:9 (J); called יהוה ׳ע Num 11:29 (E), 1Sam 2:24 +, and (by ׳י) עַמִּי Exod 3:7; Exod 5:1 (J) + often (all periods); קְהַל עַםהָֿאֱלֹהִים Judg 20:2, עַםהַֿקָּהָל Lev 16:33 (P), קְהַל עָם Ps 107:32 especially הָעָם הַזֶּה (often in contempt or disgust) Num 11:1; Num 11:12; Num 11:13 +; figurative of ants Prov 30:25, the shaphan vProv 30:26, locusts Joel 2:2, compare לְעַם לְצִיִּים Ps 74:14 (where read לְעַם צִיִּים Hup-Now). — On Judg 1:16 see עֲמָלֵקִי.
2. = smaller units, e.g.
a. inhabitants of a city Gen 19:4 (J), 1Sam 9:12; 1Sam 9:13; Jer 29:16; Jer 29:25; 2Chr 31:4 + (Jer 8:5 strike out ׳יְרוּוּשׁ ᵐ5 Gie Co Rothst).
b. inhabitants of a locality Jer 37:12 [apparently not = tribe, Deut 33:3 read עַמּוֺ ᵐ5 Di Dr, Hos 10:14; Judg 5:8; Judg 5:14 read בְּעָרֶיךָ We Now; see below ד].
c. retainers, followers Gen 14:16; Gen 32:8*; Gen 33:15; Gen 35:6; Judg 3:18; Judg 8:5; 2Sam 15:17; Jer 41:13; Jer 41:14 +.
d. people bearing arms 1Sam 11:11; 1Kgs 20:10 +; כָּבֵד ׳ע Num 20:20 (JE), i.e. a powerful force; עַם הַצָּבָא Num 31:32 (P), הַמִּלְחָמָה ׳ע Josh 8:1; Josh 8:3; Josh 8:11; Josh 10:7; Josh 11:7 (all J E); so probably Judg 5:8 a (fighting) band; perhaps also vJudg 5:14 (read singular ? see GFM Bu).
3. = common people Jer 21:7; Jer 22:4; Lev 4:27 (opposed to ruler vLev 4:22), Neh 5:1 (opposed to יְהוּדִים), Neh 7:5 (opposed to rulers).
4. people in general, persons Gen 50:20 (E), so apparently ׳כָּלהָֿעָם אֲשֶׁר וגו Exod 33:16 (J), Num 11:34 (J), Josh 5:5 (twice in verse) (D), Judg 9:36 (as singular), vJudg 9:37 (as plural), Jer 36:9 persons labouring 1Kgs 9:23 superior persons Job 12:2 (iron.); עַם עוֺלָם Ezek 26:30 people of long ago (now in Sh®°ôl).
5. phrases are:
a. (עַמָּהּ, עַמִּי, עַמְּךָ) בְּנֵי עַמּוֺ members of one's people, compatriots, fellow-countrymen, etc. Num 22:5 (E), Gen 23:11 (P) Lev 19:18 (H), Judg 14:16; Judg 14:17; Ezek 33:2; Ezek 33:12 +.
b. בְּנֵי הָעָם = common people (see 3) 2Kgs 23:6; Jer 26:23 +; people in general שַׁעַר בְּנֵי הָעָם Jer 17:19 i.e. public gate 2Chr 35:5; 2Chr 35:12.
c. עַם הָאָרֶץ the people at large, as a body 2Kgs 11:14; 2Kgs 11:18; 2Kgs 11:19; 2Kgs 11:20; 2Kgs 15:5; 2Kgs 16:15; 2Kgs 21:24 (twice in verse) +, Jer 37:2; Jer 44:21; Lev 20:2 (H), Gen 23:7; Gen 23:12; Gen 23:13 (P); common people Jer 34:19, compare ׳הא ׳דַּלַּת ע 2Kgs 24:14 distinguished from prince Ezek 45:22; Ezek 46:3; Ezek 46:9, from priests Hag 2:4; Zech 7:5 = Canaanites Num 14:9 (JE), compare עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ 1Chr 5:25 mixed post-exile population Ezra 4:4.
d. עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ usually peoples of the earth Josh 4:24 (D), 2Chr 32:19 +; of heathen peoples about and in Palestine after exile Ezra 10:2; Ezra 10:11 traders Neh 10:31* עַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֺת Neh 9:30; Neh 10:29*; 2Chr 32:13.
e. מִשְׁפְּחוֺת עַמִּים Ps 96:7 = 1Chr 16:28 (compare Ps 22:28*). feminine בַּתעַֿמִּי = people personified Isa 22:4; Jer 4:11 + 7 t. Jeremiah + Jer 6:14 (van d. H.; omit בַּת Baer Gi), Lam 2:11; Lam 3:48; Lam 4:3; Lam 4:6; Lam 4:10 בְּתוּלַת בַּתעַֿמִּי Jer 14:17.
g. designations of Israel are: עַםקָֿרוֺשׁ Deut 7:6 + 3 t., קְדוֺשִׁים ׳ע Dan 8:24, (ה)קֹדֶשׁ ׳ע Isa 62:12; Isa 63:18; Dan 12:7 סְגֻלָּה ׳ע Deut 7:6; Deut 14:2; Deut 26:18.
h. of foreign (non-Israel) peoples: ׳ע נָכְרִי Exod 21:8 (E), אַחֵר ׳ע Deut 28:32, and especially from language, עִמְקֵי שָׂפָה ׳ע Ezek 3:5 compare vEzek 3:6, כִּלְשׁוֺן עַם וָעָם Neh 13:24 compare Esth 1:22 (twice in verse); Esth 3:12, לֹעֵג ׳ע Ps 114:1.
i. עַם עֶבְרָתִי Isa 10:6, חֶרְמִי ׳ע Isa 34:11, מִֿבְחָרָיו׳ע Dan 11:15, עַמֵּי תּוֺעֵבוֺת הָאֵלֶּה Ezra 9:14 לֹא עַם בִּינוֺת Isa 27:11. — For עַםעֿוֺלָם Isa 44:7 read (אֹתִיּוֺת) (מִי הִשְׁמִי)עַ מֵעוֺלָם Oort Du Kit CheHpt compare PerlesAnal. 40, 64.
II. [עַם] noun [masculine] kinsman **later development of I. עַם RSK 58; 2nd ed. 72. (on father's side) (Arabic 
paternal uncle, etc., see I. עמם; compare perhaps Tel Amarna ammu, kinsmen (?); on Nabataean עם ancestor compare Lzb151, 499; see also especially NesEg 187, ZAW xvi (1896), 322f. Krenkelib. viii (1888), 280-84); — suffix עַמִּי in בֶּןעַֿמִּי (q. v.), and proper name following; elsewhere plural suffix עַמֶּיךָ Num 27:13; Num 31:2 (Lev 19:16 read עַמְּךָ ᵐ5 ⅏), + (possibly) עֲמָָמֶיךָ Judg 5:14 עַמָּיו Gen 25:8 + 15 t., עַמֶּיהָ Gen 17:14 + 3 t.; read עַמֶּי (for ᵑ0 עַמִּי, I. עַם; compare Krenkell.c. 281) Gen 49:29 and perhaps Judg 14:3 (compare Lev 21:14); according to Buhl Kit also 2Kgs 4:13 — father's kinsmen: וַיֵּאָסֵף אֶלעַֿמָּיו Gen 25:8 (of joining kinsmen in Sh®°ôl), so vGen 25:17; Gen 35:29; Gen 49:33; Num 20:24; Deut 32:50, compare Gen 49:29 (see above), Num 27:13; Num 31:2; Deut 32:50 (all P); וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ מֵעַמֶּיהָ Gen 17:4 (severed from living kinsmen), so Lev 7:20; Lev 7:21; Lev 7:23; Lev 7:27; Lev 19:8; Lev 23:29; Num 9:13, מִקֶּרֶב עַמֶּיהָ Exod 31:14, compare Exod 30:33; Exod 30:38; Lev 17:9 (all PH); מֵעַמָּיו יִקַּח אִשָּׁה Lev 21:14 (H), and perhaps Judg 14:3 (simile I. עַם: [םָ֯, הָּ֯] מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֺ Lev 17:4; Lev 17:10; Lev 18:29+); other combinations Judg 5:14 (si vera lectio read perhaps בְּעַמֶּ֑ךָ, see I. עַם 2 d ), Lev 21:1; Lev 21:4; Lev 21:15 (H), Ezek 18:18 and (perhaps) 2Kgs 4:13. — בֶּןעַֿמִּי perhaps = son of my kinsman; on proper name with עַם see GrayProp. N. 41 ff.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References