Language Studies

Hebrew Thoughts

tâmîym - תָּמִים (Strong's #8549)
Perfect

The word, תָּמִים tâmîym (Strong's #8549, x91) means "complete perfection" and in the Greek Septuagint Old Testament is translated by such words as τελειος teleios "mature, complete, finished, perfect". It derives from the verb תָּמַם tâmam (Strong's #8552, x64) "to be complete, finished, whole" first used during the famine in Egypt of both the money being "completely" spent and then of the year coming to an "end" (Genesis 47:15,18). תָּמִים tâmîym retains the chronological completeness idea in Joshua 10:13 when the sun stood still for a "whole day".

The adjective is first used of a man, of Noah, who was a "just man, perfect in his generations...[who] walked with God" (Genesis 6:9). Clearly this does not refer to him being "spent" like an old man, nor at an "end" in years, for he lived a long time before and after the Flood. He is both perfect and "just" צַדִּיק tsaddîyq Strong's #6662 or "righteous", a word used to refer to a trustworthy friend in Arabic.

The same usage of תָּמִים tâmîym is found in the injunction to Abra[ha]m to "walk before God and be perfect" (Genesis 17:1). Here it is again paired with the idea of walking before God. As with Genesis 6:9 translators vary their English phraseology between versions and the KJV uses "perfect", to the NRSV/NIV/NKJV's "blameless" and JPS's "wholehearted".

The first two uses, therefore, refer to an upright human character, possibly ethical in meaning, but equally perhaps referring to a wholeheartedness. The next biblical use is of representative physical perfection of a lamb about to be used for the Passover (Exodus 12:5) where it is translated as "without blemish". It is used in this way in half of its occurrences throughout Leviticus, Numbers and Ezekiel 43-46, some 44 times.

The command given earlier to Abraham is later extended to all Israel when they are all instructed to be "blameless/perfect/wholehearted" (Deuteronomy 18:13), only the NRSV varies its previous language here, choosing "completely loyal". Ethical perfection is what is being asked for here rather than loyalty since the context is Israel avoiding the sins of child sacrifice and forms of magic and clairvoyancy. Later we read of David declaring himself "blameless" and defining it as keeping himself from iniquity (2 Samuel 22:24).

The word is used to describe God in Deuteronomy 32:4 and paired with such terms as justice, upright and righteous. To the "upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright" (2 Samuel 22:26, JPS), here to use "blameless" as the NKJV/NRSV/NIV would be awkward, as it would imply that God could be blameworthy or ethically imperfect in response to man's failure. Perhaps, "loyal" or "wholly committed" might be better in this case, but this language would not work for the physically perfect sacrificial lambs who given a choice may not have committed themselves wholly to their fate so willingly.

God is not just described as ethically upright by this term but also as "complete" or "perfect" in knowledge as in Job 36:4; 37:16, as the one who knows everything. An unburnt vine could be described as "complete/whole" in Ezekiel 15:5 and less wholesomely a man could be swallowed "whole", like "eaten alive", when going down to Sheol/the pit in Proverbs 1:12.

Perhaps, therefore, the idea of "whole/wholeness/wholly" might serve all the variant meanings. For man can walk with God and follow him wholly. A whole complete day may pass whilst the sun stood still and the perfect lamb was a symbol of wholeness and also taken and sacrificed and eaten wholly.

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