אלומה ALUMAH, Gen. 37:7
Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 8:41 pm
We read there
וְהִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ מְאַלְּמִים אֲלֻמִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה וְהִנֵּה קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי וְגַם נִצָּבָה וְהִנֵּה תְסֻבֶּינָה אֲלֻמֹּתֵיכֶם וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִי
KJV: "For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf."
This אֲלֻמָּה = אל-הוּא-מ-היא, 'sheaf, bundle, pile, heap, stack, accumulation', is of the root אלם ALM, consisting of the two uniliteral roots L and M; L of elevation and M of mass or balkiness.
Another derivative of this root is אוּלָם ULAM, 'hall, court, large chamber' (related to hill, heal, heel, hull, and keel), as in 2Kings 7:7. Also, לְאוֹם LeOM, 'nation', as in Gen. 25:23.
ALM also exists in the sense of 'inertia, stillness ,quietness, silence, muteness, isolation', as in Isaiah 53:7
נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח-פִּיו כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל וּכְרָחֵל לִפְנֵי גֹזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה
NIV: "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,"
Also, אלמנה ALMANAH, 'widow, mourner, grief stricken', and אלמוֹני = אלם-הוא-הן-היא, ALMONIY, 'certain, some', as in 1S 21:3.
Written with an ע ayin for distinction this root gives rise to עלם and עלמה ALMAH, 'maid, mature girl', as in Gen. 24:43. Also, the verb ALAM, 'pileup', as in Job 6:16, and then, by implication, 'hide conceal, coverup' (compare German "verbergen" and "verstecken").
And, of course, עוֹלָם OLAM, 'eternity, universe'.
Isaac Fried, Boston University
וְהִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ מְאַלְּמִים אֲלֻמִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה וְהִנֵּה קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי וְגַם נִצָּבָה וְהִנֵּה תְסֻבֶּינָה אֲלֻמֹּתֵיכֶם וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִי
KJV: "For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf."
This אֲלֻמָּה = אל-הוּא-מ-היא, 'sheaf, bundle, pile, heap, stack, accumulation', is of the root אלם ALM, consisting of the two uniliteral roots L and M; L of elevation and M of mass or balkiness.
Another derivative of this root is אוּלָם ULAM, 'hall, court, large chamber' (related to hill, heal, heel, hull, and keel), as in 2Kings 7:7. Also, לְאוֹם LeOM, 'nation', as in Gen. 25:23.
ALM also exists in the sense of 'inertia, stillness ,quietness, silence, muteness, isolation', as in Isaiah 53:7
נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנֶה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח-פִּיו כַּשֶּׂה לַטֶּבַח יוּבָל וּכְרָחֵל לִפְנֵי גֹזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה
NIV: "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,"
Also, אלמנה ALMANAH, 'widow, mourner, grief stricken', and אלמוֹני = אלם-הוא-הן-היא, ALMONIY, 'certain, some', as in 1S 21:3.
Written with an ע ayin for distinction this root gives rise to עלם and עלמה ALMAH, 'maid, mature girl', as in Gen. 24:43. Also, the verb ALAM, 'pileup', as in Job 6:16, and then, by implication, 'hide conceal, coverup' (compare German "verbergen" and "verstecken").
And, of course, עוֹלָם OLAM, 'eternity, universe'.
Isaac Fried, Boston University