Lexical Summary
tamim: Complete, whole, perfect, blameless, without blemish
Original Word:תָּמִים
Part of Speech:Adjective
Transliteration:tamiym
Pronunciation:tah-MEEM
Phonetic Spelling:(taw-meem')
KJV: without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright(-ly), whole
NASB:without defect, blameless, without blemish, perfect, integrity, unblemished, whole
Word Origin:[fromH8552 (תָּמַם - finished)]
1. (literally, figuratively or morally) entire
2. (also, as noun) integrity, truth
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely ity, sound, without spot, undefiled,
Fromtamam; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth -- without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright(-ly), whole.
see HEBREWtamam
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
tamamDefinitioncomplete, sound
NASB Translationblameless (22), blamelessly (1), complete (1), entire (1), full (1), intact (1), integrity (4), perfect (5), sincerity (1), unblemished (2), uprightly (1), who is perfect (1), whole (2), without blemish (12), without defect (36).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
91 ; —
Genesis 6:9 +; feminine
Leviticus 3:9 +; construct
Job 36:4;
Job 37:16; plural
Ezekiel 43:25 +;
Leviticus 23:15; construct
Psalm 119:1;
Proverbs 11:20; —
complete, whole, entire,Job 36:4 ,Job 37:16.
whole, sound healthful, of menProverbs 1:12 ("" ); vineEzekiel 15:5; usually of sacrificial P, P;Exodus 12:5 40t., soEzekiel 43:22 10t.
complete, entire, of time: dayJoshua 10:13; yearLeviticus 25:30; SabbathsLeviticus 23:15.
sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity: of God's wayPsalm 18:31 =2 Samuel 22:31; workDeuteronomy 32:4; lawPsalm 19:8; elsewhere of manGenesis 6:9;Genesis 17:1 (P; both "" );Deuteronomy 18:13;Psalm 18:24, with in ""2 Samuel 22:24; often withway:Psalm 101:2;Ezekiel 28:15;Proverbs 11:20;Psalm 119:1;2 Samuel 22:33 ""Psalm 18:33;Psalm 101:6; omitted, ,Proverbs 28:18;Psalm 15:2;Psalm 119:80; = noun (late), man ofintegrityProverbs 11:5;Job 12:4; pluralProverbs 2:21;Proverbs 28:10;Psalm 37:18.
what is complete, entirely in accord with truth and fact:Amos 5:10;Judges 9:16,19;Joshua 24:14 (E);integrityPsalm 18:26 (construct Ges§ 93s; ""2 Samuel 22:26 ), 2Sam 84:12; . —1 Samuel 14:41 see
Topical Lexicon
Overviewתָּמִים (tamim) describes that which is whole, sound, or complete. The word moves easily between the physical, moral, ritual, and theological spheres, uniting them under the idea of undivided wholeness—“blameless” for persons, “without blemish” for offerings, and “perfect” for the ways and works of God.
Frequency and Distribution
Approximately ninety–one occurrences span the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets. The Torah concentrates on sacrificial animals and priestly stipulations; Joshua through Kings emphasizes covenant fidelity; Psalms and Proverbs use the term for ethical integrity; the Prophets expand it to national accountability and eschatological hope.
Sacrificial Purity
From Exodus through Ezekiel, tamim is the standard for every animal presented at the altar:
•Exodus 12:5 “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male…”
•Leviticus 1:3; 3:1; 4:3 and dozens of parallels repeat the requirement.
•Ezekiel 46:4 projects the same demand into the millennial temple vision.
The ritual use teaches that only an unflawed life can atone for sin, preparing the way for the “lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). Christ fulfils the shadow; believers therefore offer themselves as “living sacrifices…holy and pleasing” (Romans 12:1).
Personal Integrity
Tamim portrays men and women whose lives exhibit moral wholeness before God and neighbour. Key portraits:
• Noah –Genesis 6:9 “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation.”
• Abraham –Genesis 17:1 “Walk before Me and be blameless.”
• Job –Job 1:1 (the cognate adjective תָּם) reinforces the ideal.
• David –2 Samuel 22:24 “I have been blameless before Him.”
In Psalms the term defines covenant piety:
•Psalm 15:2 “He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness…”
•Psalm 101:2 “I will ponder the way of integrity. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart.”
Wisdom literature links integrity to practical righteousness:
•Proverbs 11:5 “The righteousness of the blameless directs their path.”
•Proverbs 28:10 “Whoever leads the upright astray… the blameless will inherit what is good.”
Corporate Identity of Israel
Tamim sets Israel’s collective calling:
•Deuteronomy 18:13 “You must be blameless before the LORD your God,” immediately after banning pagan divination.
•Joshua 24:14 “Now therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth.”
•1 Kings 8:61 “Let your hearts be wholly devoted to the LORD our God.”
National blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 25:13-15; 32:4-6) are measured against this criterion.
Divine Perfection
God Himself is described with the same word, making His perfection both the source and the standard for human conduct:
•Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just.”
•2 Samuel 22:31 /Psalm 18:30 “As for God, His way is perfect.”
•Psalm 19:7 “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.”
When Scripture calls the law tamim, it binds moral wholeness to covenant revelation.
Prophetic Witness
Prophets indict Israel’s hypocrisy by contrasting outward ritual with the inward integrity God requires. Yet they also predict restoration to tamim wholeness:
•Ezekiel 28:12 “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty,” lamenting the fall of the king of Tyre.
•Ezekiel 16:14 recalls Zion’s former “perfect beauty” before her unfaithfulness.
•Zechariah 11:16 sarcastically depicts a shepherd who will not “care for the perishing,” highlighting the absence of tamim compassion.
Messianic Fulfilment
Although tamim is never applied directly to the Messiah in the Old Testament, its sacrificial and ethical dimensions converge in Him.Isaiah 53 presents the Servant as the unblemished offering whose integrity is vindicated in resurrection. The New Testament repeatedly borrows the imagery:
•Hebrews 9:14 “Christ…offered Himself unblemished to God.”
•Ephesians 1:4 “He chose us…to be holy and blameless in His presence.”
In Christ, the requirement moves from the altar to the heart, transforming believers into the blameless bride (Ephesians 5:27).
Practical and Pastoral Application
1. Worship: God still seeks offerings without blemish—now expressed in sincere, undivided devotion (James 1:27).
2. Leadership: Elders are to be “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2), a direct pastoral application of tamim integrity.
3. Witness:Philippians 2:15 calls believers to be “blameless and innocent…shining as lights” in a crooked world.
4. Hope: Jude 24 anchors assurance in Christ, “able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before His glorious presence.”
Key Old Testament Passages
Genesis 6:9; 17:1
Exodus 12:5
Leviticus 1:3; 22:18-25
Deuteronomy 18:13; 32:4
Joshua 24:14
2 Samuel 22:24-26
Psalm 15:2; 18:30; 19:7; 37:37; 101:2-6
Proverbs 11:5; 28:10
Ezekiel 28:12
Daniel 1:4
Summary
Tamim weaves together ritual purity, ethical integrity, and divine perfection. The Old Covenant demands it in the sanctuary and in daily life; the New Covenant realises it in Christ and reproduces it in the lives of His people, securing the future day when the Church will stand “blameless with great joy” before the throne.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּתָמִ֣ים בְּתָמִֽים׃ בתמים בתמים׃ וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים וּבְתָמִ֧ים וּבְתָמִים֙ ובתמים ותמימים תְּ֭מִימָה תְּמִ֖ים תְּמִ֣ים תְּמִ֣ימֵי תְּמִימִ֑ם תְּמִימִ֔ים תְּמִימִ֖ם תְּמִימִ֥ים תְּמִימִ֥ם תְּמִימִֽם׃ תְּמִימִם֙ תְּמִימָ֑ה תְּמִימָ֖ה תְּמִימָ֗ה תְּמִימָ֣ה תְּמִימֹ֥ת תְמִֽימֵי־ תְמִימִ֑ם תְמִימִ֛ם תְמִימָ֔ה תְמִימָ֖ה תְמִימָה֒ תָּ֝מִ֗ים תָּ֭מִים תָּמִ֑ים תָּמִ֔ים תָּמִ֖ים תָּמִ֗ים תָּמִ֛ים תָּמִ֣ים תָּמִ֤ים תָּמִ֥ים תָּמִ֧ים תָּמִ֪ים תָּמִֽים׃ תָמִ֑ים תָמִ֔ים תָמִ֖ים תָמִ֛ים תָמִ֣ים תָמִ֤ים תָמִֽים׃ תמים תמים׃ תמימה תמימי תמימי־ תמימים תמימם תמימם׃ תמימת bə·ṯā·mîm betaMim bəṯāmîm tā·mîm ṯā·mîm taMim tāmîm ṯāmîm tə·mî·māh ṯə·mî·māh tə·mî·mê ṯə·mî·mê- tə·mî·mim tə·mî·mîm ṯə·mî·mim tə·mî·mōṯ tə·mîm teMim təmîm temiMah təmîmāh ṯəmîmāh təmîmê ṯəmîmê- temimei temiMim təmîmim təmîmîm ṯəmîmim temiMot təmîmōṯ ū·ḇə·ṯā·mîm ū·ṯə·mî·mîm ūḇəṯāmîm utemiMim ūṯəmîmîm uvetaMim
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