---
title: עַם — kinsman · The Tanakh dictionary
description: עַם (lemma:עַם), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 33 times: kinsman. BDB 1906: kinsman. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# עַם

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«עַם» in the Tanakh dictionary: **kinsman** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 33 times · **Key:** lemma:עַם · **BDB:** עַם³

### Glosses

kinspeople(s) (18); people(s) (7); people (3)

### Meaning (OSHB)

kinsman [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1506/lemma_3a_5e2_5b7_5dd/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

kinsman [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1506/lemma_3a_5e2_5b7_5dd/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** n.\[m.\] kinsman\* kinsman, later development of i. עַם RSK 58; 2nd ed. 72. (on father’s side) (Arabic عَمٌّ paternal uncle, etc. v. I. עמם; cf. perhaps TelAm. ammu, kinsmen (?); on Nab. עם ancestor cf. Lzb151, 499; v. also especially NesEg 187, ZAW xvi (1896), 322 f. Krenkelib. viii (1888), 280–84);—sf. עַמִּי in בֶּן־עַמִּי (q.v.), and n.pr. sqq.; elsewhere pl. sf. עַמֶּיךָ Nu 27:13; 31:2 (Lv 19:16 read עַמְּךָ 𝔊 Sam), + (poss.) עֲמָמֶיךָ Ju 5:14; עַמָּיו Gn 25:8 + 15 times, עַמֶּיהָ 17:14 + 3 times; read עַמַּי (for MT עַמִּי, 1עַם; cf. Krenkell.c. 281) Gn 49:29 and perhaps Ju 14:3 (cf. Lv 21:14); according to Buhl Kit also 2 K 4:13;—father’s kinsmen: וַיֵּאָסֵף אֶל־עַמָּיו Gn 25:8 (of joining kinsmen in Sheʾôl), so v 17; 35:29; 49:33; Nu 20:24; Dt 32:50, cf. Gn 49:29 (v. supr.), Nu 27:13; 31:2; Dt 32:50 (all P); וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ מֵעַמֶּיהָ Gn 17:14 (severed from living kinsmen), so Lv 7:20, 21, 25, 27; 19:8; 23:29; Nu 9:13, מִקֶּרֶב עַמֶּיהָ Ex 31:14, cf. 30:33, 38; Lv 17:9 (all PH); מֵעַמָּיו יִקַּח אִשָּׁה 21:14 (H), and perhaps Ju 14:3 (sim. 1עַם: \[ם—ָ, הּ—ָ\] מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ Lv 17:4, 10; 18:29 +); other combin. Ju 5:14 (si vera l., read perhaps בְּעַמֶּ֑ךָ, v. 1.עַם 2 d), Lv 21:1, 4, 15 (H), Ez 18:18 and (perhaps) 2 K 4:13.—בֶּן־עַמִּי (v. p. 122 b) perhaps = son of my kinsman; on n.pr. c. עַם v. GrayProp. N. 41 ff..

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 32 of its verses cited, 0 words shared with the glosses (8 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 with the glosses (6 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «עַם» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1506/lemma_3a_5e2_5b7_5dd/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Leviticus 21:4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/LEV.21.4/)

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לֹ֥א יִטַּמָּ֖א בַּ֣עַל בְּעַמָּ֑יו לְהֵ֖חַלּֽוֹ׃

*Word for word:* not he.will.make.himself.unclean a.husband among kinspeople(s) his he to profane.himself

*JPS 1917:* He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

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[Leviticus 21:15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/LEV.21.15/)

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וְלֹֽא־יְחַלֵּ֥ל זַרְע֖וֹ בְּעַמָּ֑יו כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ׃פ

*Word for word:* and not he.will.profane offspring his among kinspeople(s) his (dm) I \[am\].Yahweh \[who\].sets him.apart.as.holy

*JPS 1917:* And he shall not profane his seed among his people; for I am the LORD who sanctify him.

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