Lexical Summary
ammud: Pillar, column, stand
Original Word:עַמּוּד
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:`ammuwd
Pronunciation:ah-mood
Phonetic Spelling:(am-mood')
KJV: X apiece, pillar
NASB:pillars, pillar, columns, column, posts
Word Origin:[fromH5975 (עָמַד - stand)]
1. a column (as standing)
2. also a stand, i.e. platform
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
apiece, pillar
Or ammud {am-mood'}; fromamad; a column (as standing); also a stand, i.e. Platform -- X apiece, pillar.
see HEBREWamad
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
amadDefinitiona pillar, column
NASB Translationcolumn (1), columns (2), pillar (29), pillars (77), posts (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
,
1101Kings 7:15 ; — absolute1 Kings 7:15 +, constructExodus 13:21 +; absoluteJeremiah 52:21, constructNumbers 14:14; suffix 2Chronicles 23:13; plural1 Kings 7:16 +, less often1 Kings 7:21 +; constructExodus 26:32 +, less oftenExodus 38:17 +; suffixExodus 36:38 +,Exodus 27:10 +, etc.; —
pillar, supporting houseJudges 16:25,26,29;pillars in tabernacleExodus 27:10,11,17;Exodus 36:38;Numbers 3:37 27t. Exodus, Numbers (P), +pillars of acacia woodExodus 26:32,37;Exodus 36:36;pillars in Solomon's palace1 Kings 7:2,3,6,1 Kings 7:6,1 Kings 7:2pillars of cedar (P); in Ezekiel's templeEzekiel 42:6 (twice in verse);Esther 1:6 (in palace),Songs 5:15 (simile).
—1 Kings 7:15;2 Kings 25:13 =Jeremiah 52:17 — before temple1 Kings 7:15 (twice in verse) + 14 t.1 Kings 7, +2 Kings 25:16,17 (twice in verse) =Jeremiah 52:20,21 (twice in verse),Jeremiah 27:19;1 Chronicles 18:8; 2Chronicles 3:15,17 5t. Chronicles; perhaps one of these was by which king stood in temple2 Kings 11:14 2Chronicles 23:13;2 Kings 23:3; > here =standing-place, platform Thes and others; two pillars before Ezekiel's templeEzekiel 40:49.
columns, uprights, of silverSongs 3:10 (litter).
Judges 20:40column of smoke:Exodus 13:21,22 (J) + 6 t. J E, henceNehemiah 9:12,19;Psalm 99:7; ""Exodus 13:21,22 (J),Numbers 14:14 (JE),Nehemiah 9:12,19;Exodus 14:24 (J), all of the theophanies at time of Exodus.
Jeremiah 1:18 (figurative of prophet).
poeticJob 9:5 + Job 75:4, of heavenJob 26:11.
Proverbs 9:1.
Topical Lexicon
Overview of Biblical UsageThe noun עַמּוּד (ʿammûd) designates a pillar, column, or standing post. Its roughly 111 Old Testament occurrences span narrative, legal, poetic, and prophetic texts, giving a panoramic view of how pillars functioned in Israel’s life—physically as supports, visibly as signs of God’s presence, and figuratively as symbols of stability, testimony, and leadership.
Patriarchal and Early Narrative References
While the patriarchs most often erected “standing stones” using a different Hebrew term (matzēbâ), ʿammûd appears in contexts where a vertical form signals divine activity. After the overthrow of Sodom, Lot’s wife became “a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26), underlining judgment that arrested her in immovable form. InJudges 16:25-30 the two central pillars of the Philistine temple become the means of Samson’s final victory, demonstrating Yahweh’s supremacy over pagan strength.
Theophanic Pillars of Cloud and Fire
Central to Israel’s salvation history is the mobile, supernatural column guiding the Exodus community:
•Exodus 13:21-22: “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud… and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light”.
•Numbers 14:14 stresses that this same pillar testified continuously to surrounding nations.
The cloud-and-fire motif reappears inPsalm 99:7 andNehemiah 9:12, 19, recalling God’s covenant faithfulness. The vertical column embodied both transcendence (heaven-to-earth linkage) and immanence (guiding within the camp).
Structural Pillars of the Tabernacle
ChaptersExodus 26; 27; 36; and 38 devote extensive detail to acacia-wood posts overlaid with gold or bronze. These pillars:
1. Held up the linen curtains of the court and the inner tent (Exodus 26:32, 37).
2. Marked thresholds—most prominently the four pillars in front of the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:32; 36:36).
Because each post was socketed in silver or bronze bases, the architecture preached holiness: precious metals at the points of contact between heaven’s dwelling and earth’s soil.
Pillars in Solomon’s Temple
1 Kings 7 and2 Chronicles 3 record the two massive bronze columns—Jachin (“He establishes”) and Boaz (“In Him is strength”)—cast by Hiram of Tyre. Standing before the porch they proclaimed permanence and power, foreshadowing Christ as both foundation and strength of God’s house (compareRevelation 3:12).
Additional interior pillars supported cedar beams, creating a forest-like interior (1 Kings 6:15-18). After Jerusalem’s fall, Babylon dismantled and carried away these bronze pillars (2 Kings 25:13-17;Jeremiah 52:17-23), a theological statement that the visible symbols of security cannot save apart from covenant obedience.
Civic and Royal Architecture
Song of Songs 3:6-10 likens Solomon’s palanquin to “posts of silver,” showcasing regal splendor. The palace complex, the “House of the Forest of Lebanon,” boasted forty-five pillars of cedar (1 Kings 7:2-3), signaling political stability derived, ideally, from divine wisdom (1 Kings 3:9-12).
Pillars as Memorials and Covenantal Witnesses
Beyond supporting weight, pillars marked significant events:
•Genesis 28:18;Exodus 24:4 (using ʿammûd’s synonym) show covenant memorials.
•1 Samuel 15:12 describes Saul setting up a monument to himself—an act implicitly critiqued when contrasted with Yahweh’s rightful honor.
Prophetic and Poetic Imagery
Poets employ ʿammûd figuratively:
•Psalm 75:3: “When the earth and all its dwellers quake, it is I who bear up its pillars.”
•Job 9:6 pictures God shaking “the earth from its place, so that its pillars tremble.”
The prophets use the pillar motif for judgment and hope.Jeremiah 1:18: “Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar… against the whole land.”Zephaniah 2:14 foresees desolate Nineveh where “cedar pillars are exposed.”
Symbolic and Theological Themes
1. Stability and Order: As architectural pillars bear loads, so the Lord undergirds creation and covenant (Psalm 104:5).
2. Revelation and Guidance: The cloud-fire pillar tangibly links divine direction with human obedience.
3. Witness and Accountability: Standing posts record covenant terms; they silently call each generation to fidelity.
4. Mediation and Access: Tabernacle pillars demarcate sacred zones, highlighting the need for atonement to approach God—ultimately accomplished in Christ who “tore the veil” (Matthew 27:51) the pillars once held.
New Testament Parallels
Though Greek terms differ,Revelation 3:12 promises the overcomer: “I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.” Paul calls James, Cephas, and John “pillars” of the Church (Galatians 2:9), echoing the Old Testament concept of steadfast support within God’s household (1 Timothy 3:15).
Ministerial Implications
• Leadership: Elders are to be immovable supports of truth and holiness.
• Discipleship: Believers follow the Spirit as Israel followed the pillar, trusting divine presence in every transition.
• Worship: Church architecture and liturgy should direct attention upward and remind congregants of covenant commitments.
• Mission: Like Jeremiah, servants of God may be positioned as “iron pillars,” proclaiming unchanging truth amid societal upheaval.
Conclusion
ʿAmmûd threads through Scripture as a tangible sign of God’s orderly design and covenant faithfulness. From the fiery column in the wilderness to the bronze giants before Solomon’s porch and the prophetic promise of the overcomer made a pillar forever, the motif invites every generation to stand firm in the unshakable purposes of the Lord.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּעַמּ֣וּד בְּעַמּ֤וּד בְּעַמּ֥וּד בעמוד הָ֨עַמּ֜וּד הָֽעַמֻּדִ֔ים הָֽעַמֻּדִ֖ים הָֽעַמֻּדִ֛ים הָֽעַמּוּדִ֔ים הָֽעַמּוּדִ֖ים הָֽעַמּוּדִ֛ים הָֽעַמּוּדִ֜ים הָֽעַמּוּדִֽים׃ הָֽעַמּוּדִים֙ הָעַמֻּ֣ד הָעַמֻּדִ֑ים הָעַמֻּדִ֛ים הָעַמּ֜וּד הָעַמּ֣וּד הָעַמּ֥וּד הָעַמּוּדִ֑ים הָעַמּוּדִ֔ים הָעַמּוּדִ֖ים הָעַמּוּדִ֣ים ׀ הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃ העמד העמדים העמוד העמודים העמודים׃ וְ֝עַמּוּדֶ֗יהָ וְהָעַמּוּדִ֗ים וְעַמֻּֽדֵיהֶם֙ וְעַמֻּדִ֥ים וְעַמֻּדִים֙ וְעַמֻּדֵ֧י וְעַמֻּדָ֣יו וְעַמֻּדָ֥יו וְעַמּ֣וּדֵי וְעַמּ֥וּד וְעַמּוּדֵי֩ וְעַמּוּדָ֣יו וְעַמּוּדָ֥יו וּבְעַמֻּ֣ד וּבְעַמּ֣וּד וּבְעַמּ֥וּד וּלְעַמּ֥וּד ובעמד ובעמוד והעמודים ולעמוד ועמדי ועמדיהם ועמדיו ועמדים ועמוד ועמודי ועמודיה ועמודיו כְּעַמּוּדֵ֖י כעמודי לַֽעַמּ֥וּד לָֽעַמֻּדִים֮ לָעַמּוּדִ֑ים לעמדים לעמוד לעמודים עַמֻּֽדֵיהֶם֙ עַמֻּדִ֣ים עַמֻּדֵ֥י עַמֻּדֵיהֶ֣ם עַמֻּדֶ֣יהָ עַמֻּדָ֖יו עַמּ֣וּד עַמּ֣וּדֵי עַמּ֤וּד עַמּ֥וּד עַמּ֨וּד עַמּוּד֜וֹ עַמּוּדִ֔ים עַמּוּדִ֣ים עַמּוּדֵ֣י עַמּוּדֵ֨י עַמּוּדֵיהֶ֣ם עַמּוּדֵיהֶ֥ם עַמּוּדֶ֣יהָ עַמּוּדָ֤יו עַמּוּדָֽיו׃ עַמּוּדָיו֙ עמדי עמדיה עמדיהם עמדיו עמדים עמוד עמודו עמודי עמודיה עמודיהם עמודיו עמודיו׃ עמודים ‘am·mu·ḏāw ‘am·mū·ḏāw ‘am·mu·ḏê ‘am·mū·ḏê ‘am·mu·ḏe·hā ‘am·mū·ḏe·hā ‘am·mu·ḏê·hem ‘am·mū·ḏê·hem ‘am·mu·ḏîm ‘am·mū·ḏîm ‘am·mū·ḏōw ‘am·mūḏ ‘ammūḏ ‘ammuḏāw ‘ammūḏāw ‘ammuḏê ‘ammūḏê ‘ammuḏehā ‘ammūḏehā ‘ammuḏêhem ‘ammūḏêhem ‘ammuḏîm ‘ammūḏîm ‘ammūḏōw amMud ammuDav ammuDei ammuDeiha ammudeiHem ammuDim ammuDo bə‘ammūḏ bə·‘am·mūḏ beamMud hā‘ammuḏ hā‘ammūḏ hā‘ammuḏîm hā‘ammūḏîm hā·‘am·mu·ḏîm hā·‘am·mū·ḏîm hā·‘am·muḏ hā·‘am·mūḏ haamMud haammuDim kə‘ammūḏê kə·‘am·mū·ḏê keammuDei la‘ammūḏ lā‘ammuḏîm lā‘ammūḏîm lā·‘am·mu·ḏîm lā·‘am·mū·ḏîm la·‘am·mūḏ laamMud laammuDim ū·ḇə·‘am·muḏ ū·ḇə·‘am·mūḏ ū·lə·‘am·mūḏ ūḇə‘ammuḏ ūḇə‘ammūḏ ūlə‘ammūḏ uleamMud uveamMud veamMud veammuDav veammuDei veammuDeiha veammudeiHem veammuDim vehaammuDim wə‘ammūḏ wə‘ammuḏāw wə‘ammūḏāw wə‘ammuḏê wə‘ammūḏê wə‘ammūḏehā wə‘ammuḏêhem wə‘ammuḏîm wə·‘am·mu·ḏāw wə·‘am·mū·ḏāw wə·‘am·mu·ḏê wə·‘am·mū·ḏê wə·‘am·mū·ḏe·hā wə·‘am·mu·ḏê·hem wə·‘am·mu·ḏîm wə·‘am·mūḏ wə·hā·‘am·mū·ḏîm wəhā‘ammūḏîm
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