2036. Horam

Lexical Summary

Horam: Horam

Original Word: הֹרָם
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Horam
Pronunciation: ho-RAHM
Phonetic Spelling: (ho-rawm')
KJV: Horam
NASB: Horam
Word Origin: [from an unused root (meaning to tower up)]

1. high
2. Horam, a Canaanitish king

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Horam

From an unused root (meaning to tower up); high; Horam, a Canaanitish king -- Horam.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a Canaanite king
NASB Translation
Horam (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

הֹרָם proper name, masculine a Canaanitish king ruling in Gezer Joshua 10:33.

Topical Lexicon

Name Significance

Horam (“exalted” or “elevated”) carries connotations of height or loftiness. The irony of the name stands out in the narrative: a king who considered himself high is brought low under the judgment of Israel’s God.

Biblical Occurrence

Horam is mentioned once, in Joshua 10:33: “Then Horam king of Gezer had gone up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him and his people until no survivor was left among them” (Berean Standard Bible).

Historical Setting

Joshua’s southern campaign followed the miraculous victory at Gibeon and the defeat of the Amorite coalition (Joshua 10:1-27). After conquering Makkedah and Libnah, Israel besieged Lachish (Joshua 10:31-32). Horam, ruling the strategic Canaanite city-state of Gezer, marched south to relieve Lachish. The intervention failed, and the Israelite forces annihilated Horam’s army.

Role in the Conquest of Canaan

1. Strategic Importance. Gezer controlled the main passes between the Coastal Plain and the Central Hill Country. By aiding Lachish, Horam attempted to preserve a Canaanite corridor and prevent Israel from severing coastal-inland trade routes.
2. A Sixth Opponent. The text presents Horam apart from the five Amorite kings already defeated. His separate attack highlights how Israel faced fresh opposition even after a decisive victory, yet God’s promise of the land remained unshaken (Joshua 1:3-5).
3. Partial, Not Total, Occupation. Joshua killed Horam, but the narrative does not claim the capture of Gezer itself. The city lingered as a Canaanite enclave (Joshua 16:10), later appearing in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 9:16). Horam’s death was a decisive battle victory; full territorial possession would await later generations.

Gezer’s Later History

• Assigned to Ephraim and set apart for the Levites (Joshua 21:21), yet the Canaanites remained, serving as forced labor in the period of the Judges (Judges 1:29).
• Pharaoh of Egypt eventually captured and burned Gezer, giving it as a dowry to Solomon’s queen (1 Kings 9:16), after which Solomon rebuilt it. Horam’s defeat did not erase Gezer’s prominence; the site continued to influence Israel’s account for centuries.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty in Warfare. Horam’s rout affirms that victory belongs to the Lord (Proverbs 21:31). Israel’s success was never merely military strategy but covenant fulfillment.
2. Judgment on Persistent Rebellion. Horam joined the broader resistance to God’s revealed plan for the land. His downfall exemplifies the fate of those who actively oppose the purposes of God (Psalm 2:1-6).
3. Call to Complete Obedience. Although the king was slain, the lingering presence of Canaanites in Gezer illustrates how incomplete obedience can sow future difficulties (Judges 2:1-3).

Lessons for Faith and Ministry

• God’s promises outlast renewed opposition. Each fresh assault, like Horam’s rescue attempt, becomes another occasion for God to display His faithfulness.
• Leadership must discern when to aid compromised causes. Horam’s decision to align with a doomed Lachish exemplifies the danger of investing resources in ventures already under divine judgment.
• Victory today does not cancel the need for perseverance tomorrow. The fall of a powerful adversary may mark progress, yet continual faithfulness is required until the task is finished (Hebrews 10:36).

Forms and Transliterations

הֹרָם֙ הרם hō·rām hoRam hōrām

Englishman's Concordance

Joshua 10:33
HEB: אָ֣ז עָלָ֗ה הֹרָם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ גֶּ֔זֶר
NAS: Then Horam king of Gezer
KJV: Then Horam king of Gezer
INT: Then came Horam king of Gezer

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2036
1 Occurrence

hō·rām — 1 Occ.