Lexical Summary chamoth: Mother-in-law Original Word: חֲמוֹת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance mother in law Or (shortened) chamoth {kham-oth'}; feminine of cham; a mother-in-law -- mother in law. see HEBREW cham NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of cham Definition husband's mother NASB Translation mother-in-law (11). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חָמוֺת] noun feminine husband's mother (Late Hebrew חָמוֺת, Aramaic חֲמָתָא; Arabic  husband's mother; Assyrian êmêtu, ZimBP 48; Ethiopic  ) — only suffix חֲמוֺתֵךְ Ruth 2:11; Ruth 3:17; חֲמוֺתָהּ Ruth 1:14 7t.; חֲמֹתָהּ Micah 7:6; — of Naomi Ruth 1:14; Ruth 2:11,18,19 (twice in verse); Ruth 2:23; Ruth 3:1,6,16,17; בַּת קָמָ֫ה בְאִמָּ֔הּ כַּלָּה בַּחֲמֹתָהּ Micah 7:6. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Range חֲמוֹת identifies the mother of one’s spouse. Scripture employs the term exclusively for the older woman who stands in authority, need, and covenant relationship to her daughter- or son-in-law. Occurrences in Scripture • Ruth 1:14 – Ruth cleaves to Naomi, her חֲמוֹת, in a pledge of lifelong covenant. Ten occurrences in Ruth celebrate familial loyalty; the solitary use in Micah warns of relational breakdown. Cultural Background Israelite households were multigenerational. Upon marriage a woman left her natal family and came under the oversight of her חֲמוֹת. The mother-in-law taught household skills, covenant customs, and corporate worship. In return she received labor, honor, and eventual support in widowhood (Ruth 2:18; 4:15). The Levirate context (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) left the mother-in-law’s lineage and property dependent on a faithful daughter-in-law and a willing kinsman-redeemer. Theological Themes 1. Covenant Loyalty (ḥesed) Ruth’s devotion to Naomi exemplifies God-like steadfast love. Her famous confession, “Your people will be my people and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16), is addressed to a mother-in-law, showing that covenant extends beyond bloodlines. 2. Redemption and Legacy Through Naomi’s guidance, Ruth meets Boaz, ensuring Naomi an heir and securing the Davidic line. The mother-in-law becomes a channel of messianic promise. 3. Blessing versus Curse Micah contrasts Ruth’s harmony with end-times strife: family roles, including that of חֲמוֹת, disintegrate under sin. Jesus cites the passage in Matthew 10:35, preparing disciples for divisions the Gospel will expose. Messianic and New Testament Connections Naomi and Ruth sit within the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). Their account anticipates the Gentile inclusion and the sacrificial love that marks Christ’s community. When Jesus quotes Micah 7:6 He affirms both the reality of familial tension for His followers and the ultimate loyalty owed to Him above even cherished in-law bonds. Pastoral Implications • Family Ministry: Encourage couples to honor and care for aging in-laws, reflecting Ruth 4:15, “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.” Conclusion חֲמוֹת crystallizes both the beauty and the potential strain of extended family life. In Ruth it shines as a vessel of covenant mercy and redemptive history; in Micah it warns of the relational chaos birthed by rebellion. Together the passages call believers to Christ-like fidelity within households, trusting God to weave even ordinary in-law relationships into His extraordinary plan of salvation. Forms and Transliterations בַּחֲמֹתָ֑הּ בחמתה חֲמוֹתֵ֔ךְ חֲמוֹתֵֽךְ׃ חֲמוֹתָ֑הּ חֲמוֹתָ֔הּ חֲמוֹתָ֖הּ חֲמוֹתָ֜הּ חֲמוֹתָֽהּ׃ חמותה חמותה׃ חמותך חמותך׃ לַחֲמוֹתָ֔הּ לַחֲמוֹתָ֗הּ לחמותה ba·ḥă·mō·ṯāh bachamoTah baḥămōṯāh chamoTah chamoTech ḥă·mō·w·ṯāh ḥă·mō·w·ṯêḵ ḥămōwṯāh ḥămōwṯêḵ la·ḥă·mō·w·ṯāh lachamoTah laḥămōwṯāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ruth 1:14 HEB: וַתִּשַּׁ֤ק עָרְפָּה֙ לַחֲמוֹתָ֔הּ וְר֖וּת דָּ֥בְקָה NAS: kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth KJV: kissed her mother in law; but Ruth INT: kissed and Orpah her mother-in-law Ruth clung Ruth 2:11 Ruth 2:18 Ruth 2:19 Ruth 2:19 Ruth 2:23 Ruth 3:1 Ruth 3:6 Ruth 3:16 Ruth 3:17 Micah 7:6 11 Occurrences |
    |