Lexical Summary
chamoth: Mother-in-law
Original Word:חֲמוֹת
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:chamowth
Pronunciation:khaw-moth'
Phonetic Spelling:(kham-oth')
KJV: mother in law
NASB:mother-in-law
Word Origin:[feminine ofH2524 (חָם - father-in-law)]
1. a mother-in-law
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
mother in law
Or (shortened) chamoth {kham-oth'}; feminine ofcham; a mother-in-law -- mother in law.
see HEBREWcham
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfem. of
chamDefinitionhusband's mother
NASB Translationmother-in-law (11).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Late Hebrew , Aramaic ; Arabic
husband's mother; Assyrian
êmêtu, Zim
BP 48; Ethiopic
) — only suffix
Ruth 2:11;
Ruth 3:17;
Ruth 1:14 7t.;
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;
Micah 7:6.
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Rangeחֲמוֹת 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.
•Ruth 2:11, 18-19 (twice), 23 – Naomi’s welfare is the motive for Ruth’s labor; “She brought out and gave her what she had saved after she was satisfied” (Ruth 2:18).
•Ruth 3:1, 6, 16-17 – Naomi directs Ruth toward redemption: “My daughter, should I not seek a resting place for you, that it may be well with you?” (Ruth 3:1).
•Micah 7:6 – A society under judgment is portrayed where “a daughter-in-law rises against her mother-in-law.”
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 inMatthew 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 quotesMicah 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, reflectingRuth 4:15, “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.”
• Women’s Discipleship: Older women, like Naomi, can guide younger women toward righteous living (cf.Titus 2:3-5) and trust God’s provision.
• Cross-Cultural Fellowship: The Moabite-Israelite union models how faith transcends ethnicity and past hostilities.
• Perseverance Amid Division:Micah 7:6 arms believers with realistic expectations, while Ruth offers hope that God can turn familial sorrow into redemptive joy.
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 laḥămōwṯāh
Links
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