אֵם

H517. em
אֵם221 noun feminine mother (Phoenician אם, Arabic , Ethiopic , Sabean אם (only in proper names compare e. g. BaeRel 118) Assyrian ummu COTGloss; Aramaic אִימָּא אֵם,, ) — ׳א absolute Gen 32:12 +; construct Gen 3:20 +; suffix אִמִּי Gen 20:12 + etc.; plural only suffix אִמֹּתֵנוּ Lam 5:3; אִמֹּתָם Jer 16:3; Lam 2:12 (twice in verse); —
1 literal (human) mother, as parent Gen 20:12; Gen 32:12; Gen 44:20; Exo 2:8; Psa 51:7; Psa 113:9 ( opposed to עֲקֶרֶת) Jer 15:8, Jer 15:10; Jer 20:14; Jer 22:26; Jer 50:12; 1Ch 4:9; Son 6:9; Son 8:5 +; hence of Eve כָּלחָֿ֑י אֵם Gen 3:20; in poetry of birth, אֵם מִבֶּטֶן יָצָא Job 1:21; Ecc 5:14; אֵם מֵרֶחֶם יָצָא Num 12:12 compare Psa 139:13 (Jer 20:18 &) גּוֺזִי אִמִּי מִמְּעֵי Psa 71:6 (subject ׳י, compare גחה Psa 22:10; > גּוֺזִי = my benefactor from birth Thes Ew Hup Pe); also קִבְרִי אִמִּי וַתְּהִי Jer 20:17; אֵם מִבֶּטֶן = from earliest existence Jdg 16:17; Job 31:18; Psa 22:11; so אֵם מִמְּעֵי Isa 49:1; as giving suck Son 8:1 (אֵם שְׁדֵי) Psa 22:10; compare Psa 131:2 (see Exo 2:9 compare Exo 2:8); as exercising authority Gen 21:21; Gen 24:28; Gen 27:11, Gen 27:13, Gen 27:14; Jdg 17:2 f Rth 1:8; Son 3:4; Son 8:2 etc.; especially of queen-mother as possessing dignity & influence 1Ki 1:11; 1Ki 2:13, 1Ki 2:19, 1Ki 2:20; 2Ch 22:2-3, Son 3:11; Pro 31:1; compare names of mo-thers of kings of Judah 1Ki 14:21, 1Ki 14:31; 1Ki 15:2, 1Ki 15:10, 1Ki 15:13 +; as shewing love & care 1Sa 2:19; 1Ki 3:27; 1Ki 17:23; 2Ki 4:30; Isa 66:13 (simile of ׳יs comforting his people; compare also Gen 27:45); as beloved & lamented 1Ki 19:20 (|| אָב) Gen 24:67; Psa 35:14; בֶּןאִֿמּוֺ = own (uterine) brother Gen 43:29; & || אָח Gen 27:29; Deu 13:7; Jdg 8:19; Psa 50:20; Psa 69:9; Son 1:6; compare Son 8:1; so בַּתאִֿמּוֺ Lev 18:9; Lev 20:17; Deu 27:22 (|| בַּתאָֿבִיו) Gen 20:12; often with אָב, as parentes Jer 16:3; Zec 13:3 (twice in verse); Isa 8:4; as rightfully claiming honour, authority, etc., compare above, Gen 28:7 (P) compare Gen 37:10 (E) Jdg 14:2 f, so in precept Pro 1:8; Pro 6:20; Pro 10:1; Pro 15:20 etc. compare Eze 22:7; laws enjoining these Exo 20:12 = Deu 5:16; Lev 19:3 compare Deu 22:15; laws prohib. contrary Exo 21:15, Exo 21:17 (E) Lev 20:9 (twice in verse) (H) Deu 21:18-19, Deu 27:16; laws as to mourning for Lev 21:2, Lev 21:11 (H) Num 6:7 (P) compare Jer 16:7; Eze 44:25; left for wife Gen 2:24; for mother-in-law Ruth 2:24; for husband Deu 21:13 (law for captive women); compare Deu 33:9 (of devoted service of Levites); loving, caring for children Pro 4:3 (on the opposite compare Psa 27:10); loved, cared for Jos 2:13 compare Jos 2:18; Jos 6:23. 1Sa 22:3; 1Ki 19:20 compare 2Sa 19:38.
2 figurative of Deborah as caring for her people בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵם Jdg 5:7 (compare אָב Isa 22:21; Job 29:16); so of a city 2Sa 20:19 ('stock, race, community' RSK 28 compare Proph. iv. n 8); of Israel Hos 2:4; Hos 2:7; Hos 4:5; compare Hos 10:14; of Judah Isa 50:1 (twice in verse); of Hittite as mother of Jerusalem חִתִּית וְאִמֵּךְ הָאֱמֹרִי אָבִיךְ Eze 16:3, Eze 16:45 compare Eze 16:44; Eze 16:45; also Eze 19:2, Eze 19:10 & see Eze 23:2.
3 of animals, dam Exo 22:29 (of ox & sheep) Lev 22:27 (of bullock, sheep, or goat); Exo 23:19 = Exo 34:26 = Deu 14:21 (of kid); mother-bird Deu 22:6 (twice in verse); Deu 22:7; figurative Job 17:14 ׃ לָרִמָּֽה וַאֲחֹתִי אִמִּי אָ֑תָּה אָבִי קָרָאתִי לַשַּׁחַת.
4 = point of departure or division הַדֶּרֶךְ אֵם Eze 21:26. (|| הַדְּרָכִים שְׁנֵי ראֹשׁ).