Lexical Summary taom: Twin Original Word: תָּאוֹם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance twins Or taom {taw-ome'}; from ta'am; a twin (in plural only), literally or figuratively -- twins. see HEBREW ta'am NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee toam. Brown-Driver-Briggs [תּוֺאָם (Köii. 1. 69 תְּאֹם)] noun masculine twin (Late Hebrew id.; compare Phoenician proper name, masculine תאם, Greek Θωμᾶς = δίδυμος John 20:24); — plural absolute of two boys תּוֺמִם Genesis 25:24 (Ges§ 23f.) תְּאוֺמִים Genesis 38:27 (both J); of animals, construct תְּאוֺמֵי צְבִיָּה Cant 4:5, ׳תָּאֳמֵי צ Cant 7:4. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrences and ContextGenesis 25:24 — “When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb.” The birth of Jacob and Esau inaugurates the long-running theme of divine election and covenant succession. The shared womb underscores their common ancestry, yet their divergent destinies (Genesis 25:23) highlight God’s sovereign choice that the younger would carry the promise. Genesis 38:27 — “When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb.” Tamar’s twin sons Perez and Zerah secure the continuation of Judah’s line. Perez becomes ancestor to King David (Ruth 4:18-22) and ultimately to Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3), showing how an apparently irregular episode is woven into redemptive history. Song of Solomon 4:5; 7:3 — “Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, browsing among the lilies.” The repeated simile celebrates symmetrical beauty, tenderness, and fertility. The picture of twin fawns evokes innocence and delight within covenant marriage, illustrating the goodness of God-given intimacy. Historical and Cultural Background In ancient Near Eastern societies twin births were statistically uncommon and often viewed with a mixture of awe and apprehension. Scripture treats them without superstition, presenting each occurrence as purposeful within the divine plan. Genealogical lists in Israel relied on strict first-born rights, so twins posed significant questions of inheritance—questions that God Himself answers in His providential ordering of events (e.g., Jacob chosen over Esau, Perez breaking out before Zerah). Theological Themes and Doctrinal Insights 1. Sovereign Election. Jacob’s selection over Esau before birth (Romans 9:10-13) demonstrates that grace is not grounded in human merit or chronology but in God’s free purpose. Messianic Foreshadowing and Typology Perez’s name (“breach, breakthrough”) anticipates the Messiah who will “stand as a banner for the peoples” (Isaiah 11:10) and “break open the way” for His flock (Micah 2:13). The unlikely circumstances of his birth forecast the surprising means by which God brings salvation—culminating in Jesus’ virgin birth, unexpected yet divinely orchestrated. Devotional and Pastoral Applications • Trusting Providence. Believers may rest in God’s governance over life’s beginnings, knowing that family circumstances, even when perplexing, are tools of His faithful plan. Intertextual Echoes and Literary Function The pairing motif recurs throughout Scripture—two tablets of the Law, two cherubim over the Mercy Seat, two witnesses in Revelation 11. Twin references thus contribute to a broader biblical pattern of testimony and confirmation: “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15). By highlighting twins, the text subtly supports the reliability of God’s word and the certainty of His promises. Forms and Transliterations תְּאוֹמֵ֣י תְאוֹמִ֖ים תָּאֳמֵ֥י תאומי תאומים תאמי תוֹמִ֖ם תומם tā’omê tā·’o·mê tə’ōwmê ṯə’ōwmîm tə·’ō·w·mê ṯə·’ō·w·mîm teoMei teoMim ṯō·w·mim toMim tooMei ṯōwmimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 25:24 HEB: לָלֶ֑דֶת וְהִנֵּ֥ה תוֹמִ֖ם בְּבִטְנָֽהּ׃ KJV: were fulfilled, behold, [there were] twins in her womb. INT: to be delivered behold twins her womb Genesis 38:27 Songs 4:5 Songs 7:3 4 Occurrences |
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