The Etymology of חכם Ex. 36:2

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Isaac Fried
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Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

The Etymology of חכם Ex. 36:2

Post by Isaac Fried »

וְכֹל אִישׁ חֲכַם לֵב אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהוָה חָכְמָה וּתְבוּנָה בָּהֵמָּה לָדַעַת לַעֲשֹׂת

It is talent, skill, genius, instinct, and is related at once to חם, 'hot', and to קם, 'stand, be up'. Heat, חוֹם, is something that exists קים, in the body.

Similarly, חיים, 'life', is קיים, and היה is חיה.

Also related are גם, אגם, גמע, חומה, המה, המון, כמה

Isaac Fried, Boston University
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