Lexical Summary Tsemari: Woolen, wool Original Word: צְמָרִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Zemarite Patrial from an unused name of a place in Palestine; a Tsemarite or branch of the Canaanites -- Zemarite. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as tsemer Definition a Canaanite people NASB Translation Zemarite (1), Zemarites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs צְמָרִי adjective, of a people with article as substantive collective (people of the city called Simirra by Assyrian, COTGn DlPa 281f., Egyptian Da-(m)-ma-ra WMMAs.u.Eur.187; Tel Amarna sumur according to ZimZPV xiii (1890) 145 JastrJBL xii (1898), 63; Greek τὰ Σίμυρα, etc., e.g. Straboxvi. 2, 12 >WklMVG 1896, 203 f., compare Tel Am. 40* thinks ׳צ, Σίμυρα, = Assyrian Zimarra, distinct from Simirra-‚umur); — ׳הַצּ Genesis 10:18 = 1 Chronicles 1:16, ᵐ5. τὸν Σαμαραῖον; Ezekiel 27:11 Co reads וּצְמָרִים for וְגַמָּדִים (q. v.); Toy Krae retain ׳וְג; — compare modern ‚umra, north of Tripoli and south of Ruad (Arvad), see PietschmPhön. 39 BädPal. 3 (1898), 407. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrences Genesis 10:18; 1 Chronicles 1:16 “the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Later the Canaanite clans were scattered.” (Genesis 10:18) Genealogical Placement The Zemarites are listed among the eleven clans descended from Canaan, the grandson of Noah. Their inclusion in the Table of Nations situates them between the Arvadites and the Hamathites, indicating a close kinship with other northern-Canaanite peoples who settled along the eastern Mediterranean. The chronicler’s restatement centuries later (1 Chronicles 1:16) confirms the enduring memory of this clan within Israel’s sacred history. Historical and Geographical Considerations Ancient Near Eastern texts refer to a coastal city called Sumur (also rendered Simyra) located just north of modern Tripoli, Lebanon. Archaeological work at Tell Kazel has uncovered Middle and Late Bronze Age levels consistent with Sumur’s description, making it a strong candidate for Zemarite territory. The site lay on a major trade route linking Ugarit, Byblos, and Hamath, which explains why the Zemarites are grouped with maritime and commercially oriented relatives such as the Sidonians and Arvadites. The eventual scattering noted in Genesis 10:18 likely reflects the region’s repeated upheavals under Egyptian, Hittite, and later Aramean influence, contributing to the disappearance of the Zemarites as a distinct ethnic entity. Theological Themes • Divine Sovereignty over Nations The brief mention of the Zemarites contributes to the larger biblical theme that God “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands” (Acts 17:26). Even obscure peoples are accounted for in His providential ordering of history. • Continuity of Scripture The matching lists in Genesis and Chronicles demonstrate the consistency of the biblical record across a millennium of composition. This unity affirms the reliability of Scripture’s historical framework. • Covenant Context The Zemarites, like the other Canaanite clans, occupied the land that would later be promised to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15:18-21). Their eventual disappearance illustrates the fulfillment of divine warnings that the inhabitants who persisted in idolatry would be removed, paving the way for Israel’s inheritance (Deuteronomy 7:1-2). Ministry Implications 1. Confidence in the Word The precision with which Scripture preserves the names of even minor clans bolsters confidence in its accuracy. Believers can trust that the larger redemptive storyline is equally dependable. 2. God’s Heart for All Peoples While the Zemarites vanished from history, their inclusion in the Table of Nations underscores that every people group matters to God. This encourages the Church to proclaim the gospel “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). 3. Lessons from Forgotten Nations The Zemarites’ disappearance warns against cultural complacency. Nations rise and fall, but only those who honor the Lord endure in His purposes (Psalm 33:12). This truth calls contemporary believers to personal and corporate faithfulness. Related Passages for Further Study Genesis 15:18-21; Deuteronomy 7:1-2; Psalm 33:12; Acts 17:26; Acts 1:8 Forms and Transliterations הַצְּמָרִ֖י הצמרי haṣ·ṣə·mā·rî haṣṣəmārî hatztzemaRiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 10:18 HEB: הָֽאַרְוָדִ֥י וְאֶת־ הַצְּמָרִ֖י וְאֶת־ הַֽחֲמָתִ֑י NAS: and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; KJV: And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: INT: and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite and afterward 1 Chronicles 1:16 2 Occurrences |
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