You Might Be Surprised to Learn What “ḥāmās” Means in the Bible

The Hebrew word "ḥāmās" is in the Bible 60 times. Is its meaning prophetic?

Photo by Peter Herrmann on Unsplash

The following is an adaptation of my article, Did You Know That Hamas Is in the Bible 60 Times?, published 10/30/2023 in Mustard Seed Sentinel on Medium.

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Not long ago, I saw a Facebook post by John Fenn, Bible teacher and leader of an international house church network, and learned that the Hebrew word חָמָס (ḥāmās) is in the Old Testament (Bible). So I decided to do a word study of my own, and when I did, I found it’s in 60 verses of scripture!

Here are a few examples:

The earth was depraved and putrid in God’s sight, and the land was filled with violence (desecration, infringement, outrage, assault, and lust for power). Genesis 6:11 AMPC

Simeon and Levi are brothers [equally headstrong, deceitful, vindictive, and cruel]; their swords are weapons of violence. Genesis 49:5 AMPC

Because you have plundered many nations; now all the survivors will plunder you. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence. Habakkuk 2:8 NLT

Contrary to what you might think based on how pastors and teachers in churches often teach, most Hebrew and Greek words found in the original manuscripts of the Bible have a range of meanings, not just one.

[W]ords generally do not have a single meaning; they have a range of meanings— what linguists refer to as a “semantic field.”¹

In all three scriptures above, the English word used to translate ḥāmās is violence. However, note the amplified meanings of the word (what’s in parenthesis) along with the context of the entire verse:

• desecration

• infringement

• outrage

• assault

• lust for power

• cruelty

• plunder

• murder

Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words says the word can also mean destruction, malice, ruthlessness, or fierceness.²

Another lexicon³ I frequently use breaks it down like this:

1. violence, i.e., a strong, fierce, destructive force resulting in acts that maim, destroy, kill, often implying a lawlessness, terror, and lack of moral restraint.

2. destruction, i.e., the ruining of a thing, or land, or people, with a focus on the violence that accompanies these acts.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Conclusion

Ancient Hebrew writings go back more than 3,500 years to the time of Moses. I don’t know how the terrorist organization came up with its name, but every one of the above terms can fitly be used to describe the Hamas of today. Prophetic, perhaps?

You decide.

My prayer:

Father, in the Name of Jesus, I ask You to intervene on behalf of Israel and innocent Palestinians. Bring peace to Israel. Bring justice as only you can! Reach out Your Hand and destroy those who murder and ravage the innocent. Thank You, oh Lord, that You care about people everywhere, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion. May Your kingdom come, Your will be done ON earth as it is in Heaven. Thank You for hearing my prayer.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles. Psalm 34:17 AMPC

1. Ecclesia Bible Society, The Voice Bible, eBook: Step Into the Story of Scripture (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2012), preface, location 878, Kindle.

2. William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 767. Logos Research Edition e-book.

3. James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997). Logos Research Edition e-book.