Bible Lexicons

עַם (with conjunctive accents) and עָם (with distinctives, or with the art.) with suff. עַמִּי, comm. (but rarely f. Exodus 5:16; Judges 18:7 ), a people, so called from their being collected together, see the root עָמַם No. 1 (Arab. عَامَّةُ the common people). It is very often used of Israel, as being the people of God, עַם יְהֹוָה Exodus 15:13; Deuteronomy 32:36 עַם קָדוֹשׁ the holy people, Deuteronomy 7:6 עַם נַחֲלָה the people peculiarly belonging to God, Deuteronomy 4:20, etc.; and in opposition to גּוֹיִם (see גּוֹי ); but the pl. עַמִּים Isaiah 8:9 Psal. 33:10, and עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ Deuteronomy 28:10, etc., is used of all peoples. Specially it is used

(1) of single races or tribes, e.g. עַם זְבֻלוּן Judges 5:18 pl. often of the tribes of Israel (comp. the δήμοι of the Athenians), Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 32:8, 33:3, 19 Deuteronomy 33:19; Isaiah 3:13; Hosea 10:14; Psalms 47:2, 10 Ps4 7:10and even used of the race or family of any one, especially in the plural עַמֵּי פ׳ the kindred, relatives of any one, i.q. אַנְשֵׁי פ׳ (see אִישׁ No. 1, ) Leviticus 21:1, Leviticus 21:4, 19:16. נֶאֱסַף אֶל עַמָּיו to be gathered to one’s people, i.q. elsewhere is called, to be gathered to one’s fathers (see אָסַף Niphal). (Hence has arisen its use in the singular of single relatives; whence Arab. عَمُّ an uncle, and the pr.n. עַמִּיאֵל kinsman of God, אֱלִיעָם to whom God is kinsman.) Poet. used of any peculiar race of men, as עַם עָנִי the afflicted people, Psalms 18:28 comp. גּוֹי צַדִּיק just men, Genesis 20:4.

(2) Opp. to princes, leaders, or the king; it denotes the citizens, the common people (compare λαός opp. to leaders, Il. ii. 365; xiii. 108; xxiv. 28), 1 Kings 12:16; 2 Kings 11:17, 23:21 Ezekiel 7:27 soldiers, Judges 5:2 hence, followed by a genit. the companions, or servants of a leader or lord; i.q. אֲנָשָׁיו (see אִישׁ No. 1, ); feine Leute. Song of Solomon 6:12, מַרְכְּבוֹת עַמִּי נָדִיב “the chariot of the companions of the prince;” die Wagen des fürftlichen Gefolges: (־ִי being, I consider, in this place not a suffix, but paragogic, and a mark of the constr. state). Ecclesiastes 4:16 also used of the servants of a private master, 1 Kings 19:21; 2 Kings 4:41. Elsewhere

(3) when an individual speaks, my people is the people to which I belong; Isaiah 53:8 [?]; Ruth 1:16 whence בְּנֵי עַמִּי the sons of my people; i.e. my countrymen, Genesis 23:11 poet. בַּת עַמִּי id. (see בַּת No. 5 ), Lamentations 2:11, 3:14 4:3,. With the art. it is used

(4) also of the whole human race, i.q. הָאָדָם Isaiah 40:7, 42:5 44:7 and to this may also be referred the words spoken in bitter irony, Job 12:2, אָמְנָם כִּי אַתֶּם עָם “surely ye are the whole human race, and with you wisdom will die,” (ihr fehd alle Welt, und habt aller Welt Weisheit).

(5) Poet. used of a troop, herd of animals, Proverbs 30:25, 26 Proverbs 30:26; Psalms 74:14 compare גּוֹי No. 2; also Gr. δῆμος.

Plur. עַמִּים constr. עַמֵּי (more rarely in the Aramean manner עֲמָמִים constr. עַמְמֵי Nehemiah 9:22, 24 Judges 5:14 ); peoples, nations; also the tribes of Israel; see above No. 1, the kindred, relatives of any one; see above No. 2.

עַם Chald. id. Plur. עַמְמִין, emph. עַמְמַיָּא Daniel 3:4,, 31 5:19 6:26 7:14. Syriac ܥܰܘܠܐܳ; plur. ܥܰܡ̈ܡ̱ܐܶ.

וְעַם֙ וְעַמָּ֖ה ועם ועמה לְעַ֖ם לְעַ֥ם לעם עַ֨ם עַֽמְמַיָּ֔א עַֽמְמַיָּ֗א עַֽמְמַיָּ֜א עַֽמְמַיָּ֞א עַמְמַיָּ֡א עַמָּ֤א עַמָּ֨ה עַמָּה֙ עם עמא עמה עממיא ‘am ‘am·mā ‘am·māh ‘am·may·yā ‘ammā ‘ammāh ‘ammayyā am amMa amMah ammaiYa lə‘am lə·‘am leAm veAm veamMah wə‘am wə‘ammāh wə·‘am wə·‘am·māh