Lexical Summary ummah: Nation, people, tribe Original Word: אֻמַּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance nation, people From the same as 'em; a collection, i.e. Community of persons -- nation, people. see HEBREW 'em NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as em Definition a tribe, people NASB Translation people (1), peoples (1), tribes (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [אֻמָּה] noun feminine tribe, people (Arabic  ; Assyrian ummatu compare JenKosmol. 336, Aramaic  , אוּמָּא) only plural אֻמּוֺת Numbers 25:15; אֻמִּים Psalm 117:1; suffix אֻמֹּתָם Genesis 25:16; — of tribes of Ishmaelites Genesis 25:16; of Midian ("" בֵּיתאָֿב) Numbers 25:15; "" גּוֺיִם Psalm 117:1. אֻמָּה noun feminine nation (Biblical Hebrew id., late); — absolute ׳א Daniel 3:29; plural emphatic אֻמַּיָא Daniel 3:4,7; Daniel 3:31; Daniel 5:19; Daniel 6:26; Daniel 7:14; Ezra 4:10. Topical Lexicon Concept and Semantic Range The Hebrew term אֻמָּה signifies a distinct people group, clan, or tribe that possesses shared descent, culture, and leadership. While it can overlap with other Hebrew words such as גּוֹי (“nation”) or עַם (“people”), אֻמָּה often highlights an identifiable subdivision within a broader ethnic reality, whether inside Israel or among surrounding peoples. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Genesis 25:16 records the “twelve princes of their tribes,” underscoring the organized, clan-based structure of Ishmael’s descendants. Historical Context In the patriarchal and monarchic periods, society in the Ancient Near East was woven from interlocking kinship circles. A clan (אֻמָּה) offered protection, land rights, and judicial recourse. Alliances or conflicts among such clans shaped trade routes, treaty obligations, and even marriage politics, as seen when Midianite and Moabite factions conspired to seduce Israel (Numbers 25). Understanding this framework clarifies why genealogies, boundary markers, and clan chiefs occupy so much narrative space in the Old Testament. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Administration: By identifying clans within covenant histories (Ishmael, Midian, Israel), Scripture demonstrates that God’s sovereign purposes move through concrete social structures. The promise to Abraham that “all families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3) anticipates the ultimate gathering of every אֻמָּה under Messiah’s lordship. Implications for Ministry and Mission • Ethnolinguistic Focus: Modern mission strategy often speaks of “people groups.” The biblical precedent found in אֻמָּה supports pursuing gospel penetration to each distinct culture without assuming that political borders alone define missional finish lines (Matthew 28:19). Contemporary Application • Church Unity: Awareness of our shared identity in Christ supersedes ethnic divisions while honoring cultural distinctives. Local churches can model kingdom diversity by platforming multi-ethnic worship teams and teaching on God’s redemptive plan for all peoples. Conclusion אֻמָּה threads through Scripture from Ishmael’s tents to the Midianite crisis and on to the universal summons of Psalm 117. Each occurrence magnifies God’s sovereignty over human groupings and His intention to redeem worshipers from every tribe. As the church joins that eternal chorus, the word reminds believers that the gospel’s scope is as wide as the world’s countless peoples yet as intimate as each clan that bows before the Lamb. Forms and Transliterations אֻמּ֥וֹת אמות הָאֻמִּֽים׃ האמים׃ לְאֻמֹּתָֽם׃ לאמתם׃ ’um·mō·wṯ ’ummōwṯ hā’ummîm hā·’um·mîm haumMim lə’ummōṯām lə·’um·mō·ṯām leummoTam umMotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 25:16 HEB: עָשָׂ֥ר נְשִׂיאִ֖ם לְאֻמֹּתָֽם׃ NAS: princes according to their tribes. KJV: princes according to their nations. INT: ten princes to their tribes Numbers 25:15 Psalm 117:1 3 Occurrences |
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