Hebrew · H2930, G3392 · unreviewed

טָמֵא

To be foul , especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated) · to stain

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

טָמֵא H2930 to be foul , especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated)
Pronunciation tame
Ritual impurity that defiles both person and sanctuary; moral and ceremonial contamination are inseparable.
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μιαίνω G3392 to stain
Pronunciation miaínō
Defilement that pollutes morally or ritually, not merely surface soiling like μολύνω
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What does טָמֵא (tame) mean in the Bible?

טָמֵא · μιαίνω is a Hebrew word meaning "To make unclean or polluted, especially in a covenantal sense.". To make unclean or polluted, especially in a covenantal sense.

Full entry for טָמֵא (H2930, G3392) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

To make unclean or polluted, especially in a covenantal sense.
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 39×
Imperfect Hag 2:13 · Lev 5:3 · Lev 11:24 · Lev 11:26 · Lev 11:27 · Lev 11:31 · Lev 11:32 · Lev 11:33 · Lev 11:34 · Lev 11:35 · Lev 11:36 · Lev 11:39 · Lev 13:14 · Lev 13:46 · Lev 14:36 · Lev 14:46 36×
Perfect Ezek 22:4 · Mic 2:10 · Num 6:12
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 22×
Perfect 2Kgs 23:13 · Ezek 18:6 · Ezek 18:11 · Ezek 18:15 · Ezek 22:11 · Gen 34:5 · Gen 34:13 · Num 19:13 · Num 19:20 · Ezek 23:38 · Gen 34:27 · Ps 79:1 · Ezek 5:11 · Ezek 33:26 14×
Imperfect Deut 21:23 · Num 35:34 · Ezek 43:7 · Num 5:3
Sequential imperfect Ezek 9:7
Jussive Lev 11:44
Infinitive absolute Lev 13:44
Infinitive construct Lev 20:3
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 16×
Perfect Ezek 23:7 · Ezek 23:13 · Num 5:13 · Num 5:14 · Num 5:27 · Num 5:28 · Ezek 23:30 · Num 5:20 · Hos 5:3 · Hos 6:10 · Ezek 20:43 · Jer 2:23 · Lev 18:24 14×
Participle passive Ezek 20:30 · Ezek 20:31
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 15×
Imperfect Lev 21:1 · Lev 21:3 · Lev 21:4 · Lev 21:11 · Num 6:7 · Ezek 14:11 · Ezek 37:23 · Ezek 44:25 · Hos 9:4 · Lev 11:24 · Lev 11:43 · Lev 18:30 12×
Jussive Ezek 20:7 · Ezek 20:18 · Lev 18:24
Hithpolal
Perfect Deut 24:4
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject
Participle passive Ezek 4:14
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 94 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Imperfect 56 Perfect 32 Participle passive 3 Imperative 1 Infinitive absolute 1 Infinitive construct 1
Stem
Qal 39 Piel 22 Niphal 16 Hithpael 15 Hothpaal 1 Pual 1
Mood
Indicative/jussive 52 Indicative 32 Jussive 4 Imperative 1
OT Occurrences
Gen 34:5 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Gen 34:13 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Gen 34:27 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Lev 5:3 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:24 Hithpael · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:24 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:26 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:27 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:31 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:32 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:33 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:34 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:34 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:35 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:36 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:39 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:43 Hithpael · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 11:44 Piel · Imperfect · Jussive Lev 12:2 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 13:14 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 13:44 Piel · Infinitive absolute Lev 13:46 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 14:36 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 14:46 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:4 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:4 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:9 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:10 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:19 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:20 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:20 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:23 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:24 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 15:27 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 18:24 Hithpael · Imperfect · Jussive Lev 18:24 Niphal · Perfect · Indicative Lev 18:30 Hithpael · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 20:3 Piel · Infinitive construct Lev 21:1 Hithpael · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Lev 21:3 Hithpael · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive +54 more occurrences

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources