חוֹמָה

n.f. wall (as protection; cstr. חמת MI21.21)—abs. ח׳ Lv 25:29 + 59 times (incl. לְהַחוֹמָה Ne 12:38); חֹמָה Ex 14:29 + 8 times; cstr. חוֹמַת Jos 6:5 + 28 times; sf. חוֹמָתָהּ Na 2:6; 3:8; pl. abs. חוֹמוֹת 2 Ch 8:5; Is 26:1; חֹמוֹת Ct 5:7; cstr. חוֹמוֹת ψ 51:20; חוֹמֹת 2 K 25:10 + 9 times; sf. חוֹמֹתַי Is 56:5; חֹמֹתֶיךָ Dt 28:52; Is 25:12; חוֹמוֹתַיִךְ Ez 26:10, 12; 27:11(×2); חוֹמֹתַיִךְ Is 49:16 + 2 times; חֹמֹתַיִךְ Is 60:10; חֹמוֹתָ֑יִךְ Ez 26:9; חוֹמוֹתֶיהָ Je 50:15; חוֹמֹתֶיהָ ψ 55:11; Je 1:15; du. חוֹמֹתַיִם Is 22:11; חֹמֹתַיִם 2 K 25:4 = Je 52:7; חֹמֹתָ֑ים Je 39:4 (v. Ol§ 113 a Ges§ 87 s);— usually term for wall of city Dt 28:52; Jos 2:15; 6:5, 20 (all JE), 1 S 31:10, 12; 2 S 11:20, 21(×2) 2 K 18:26, 27 = Is 36:11, 12, Am 1:7, 10, 14; Is 2:15; 22:10, 11; 25:12; Na 2:6; 3:8; Ez 26:9 +, Je 1:15 +, Jo 2:7, 9; בֵּין הַחֹמֹתַיִם (of Jerus.) i.e. between the two walls of the Ophel and the SW. hill respectively, of a reservoir Is 22:11, a gate 2 K 25:4 = Je 34:4 = 52:7; symbol of Isr.; Am 7:7; 2 Ch 8:5; 14:6; 25:23; 26:6(×3) ψ 51:20; Ne 1:3 + 31 times in Ne; חוֹמַת אֲנָךְ Am 7:7 (lit. wall of a plummet) is of doubtful meaning: a wall built plumb, or by means of a plumb-line? We thinks unintelligible; עִיר חוֹמָה = walled city, Lv 25:29, עִיר אשׁר לֹא ה׳ v 30 (לֹא = לוֹ), opp. הַחֲצֵרִים אשׁר אין להם ח׳ v 31 (all H); more elaborately עָרִים בְּצֻרֹת ח׳ גְבֹהָה דְּלָתַיִם וּבְרִ֑יחַ Dt 3:5, cf. 2 Ch 8:5; ע׳ גְּדֹלוֹת חוֹמָה וּבְרִיחַ נְחֹשֶׁת 1 K 4:13; ח׳ בְצוּרָה Is 2:15; ח׳ sg. of wall of Jerus. 1 K 3:1 + often; contempt. חוֹמַת אַבְנֵיהֶם Ne 3:35; less often pl. Ne 2:13 +; of specific portions of wall ח׳ הָעֹפֶל 2 Ch 27:3; Ne 3:27; ח׳ בְּרֵכַת הַשֶּׁלַה Ne 3:15; הַח׳ הָֽרְחָבָה 3:8; 12:38; also (generally) of Babylon Je 51:58.—Men build, בנה, the ח׳ 1 K 9:15 +, especially (of rebuilding), Ne 2:17 +; fortify it בִּצֵּר Is 22:10; it is joined together קשׁר Ne 3:38; is repaired עָֽלְתָה אֲרוּכָה לְח׳ Ne 4:1; it falls נפל Jos 6:5, 20; 1 K 20:30; Ez 38:20; the enemy makes it fall הִפִּיל 2 S 20:15 (preceded by מַשְׁחִית si vera l., v. Dr); destroys it הִשְׁחִית La 2:8; שִׁחֵת Ez 26:4; makes a breach in it פָּרַץ בּ׳ 2 K 14:13 = 2 Ch 25:23, cf. פרץ c. acc. 2 Ch 26:6; Ne 3:35, and וַיִּבֶן אֶת־בל־הח׳ הַפְּרוּצָה 2 Ch 32:5; also (in sim.) עִיר פְּרוּצָה ואין ח׳ Pr 25:28; and Pu. pt. מְפֹרָ֑צֶת Ne 1:3; one breaks it down נָתַץ 2 K 25:10; 2 Ch 36:19; Je 39:8; 52:14; tears it down הָרַס Ez 26:12, cf. pass. Je 50:15; Amos predicts that י׳ will send fire into wall (of Gaza, etc.): וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי אֵשׁ בְּח׳ Am 1:7, 10; or kindle fire in וְהִצַּתִּי אֵשׁ בְּח׳ v 14, so Je 49:27. wall of a building: citadel, fortress ח׳ ארמנותיה La 2:7. surrounding new temple Ez 40:5; 42:20. fig. of waters of Red Sea Ex 14:22, 29 (P), cf. Na 3:8; of David’s men as protectors of Nabal’s shepherds 1 S 25:16; of prophet as object of assault חוֹמַת נְחשֶׁת Je 1:18; ח׳ נחשׁת בְּצוּרָה Je 15:20; of strong, virtuous woman Ct 8:9, 10; of salvation, יְשׁוּעָה, as defence Is 26:1 (‖ חֵל); of י׳ himself ח׳ אֵשׁ Zc 2:9; a dangerous polit. scheme is called breach in ח׳ נִשְׂגָּבָה Is 30:13; ח׳ נִשְׂגָּבָה in sim. of wealth Pr 18:11 (‖ קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ); a reckless man is עִיר פְּרוּצָה אֵין ח׳ Pr 25:28.