Lexical Summary Tammuz: Tammuz Original Word: תַּמּוּז Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Tammuz Of uncertain derivation; Tammuz, a Phoenician deity -- Tammuz. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a Bab. god NASB Translation Tammuz (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תַּמּוּז proper name, of a divinity Tammuz (Babylonian Dûzu (also Dumuzi) COTEzekiel 8:14 ZimKAT3, 397 f. JastrRel. Babylonian 482 et pass; on the phonetic change HptZA ii. 270, but also JägerBAS i. 591); — ׳מְבַכּוֺת אֶתהַֿיּ Ezekiel 8:14; ׳ת = Greek Adonis (אדון); compare BaudRel. Semitic i. 35. 300 f DrDaniel 11:37 CheEncy. Bib.TAMMUZ SayHast. DB ID. תְּמוּנָה see מין. תְּמוּרָה see מור. תְּמוּתָה see מות Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence Tammuz appears only once in Scripture: “Then He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and I saw women sitting there, weeping for Tammuz” (Ezekiel 8:14). The solitary reference underscores how foreign worship had penetrated even the Temple precincts on the eve of Jerusalem’s fall (circa 592 B.C.). Historical and Cultural Background In Mesopotamian religion Dumuzi (Akkadian; Hebrew form Tammuz) was a shepherd-god associated with fertility and the seasonal cycle of vegetation. Mythology recounts his death, descent to the underworld, and periodic revival through the mourning of his consort Inanna/Ishtar. Annual laments—attested by cuneiform liturgies—sought to secure renewed agricultural vitality. As Judah came under Babylonian influence, this cultic practice spread westward, tempting God’s covenant people with an emotionally charged but idolatrous ritual. Theological Significance 1. Idolatry within the Sanctuary Ezekiel’s vision catalogues successive “greater abominations” (Ezekiel 8:6-15). The women’s tears for Tammuz represent a poignant reversal: grief once reserved for national sin (Joel 2:12-17) is redirected toward a pagan myth. The scene exposes how deceptive piety can mask rebellion when affection is misplaced (compare Jeremiah 2:13). 2. Counterfeit Resurrection Motif Ancient Near Eastern tales of dying-and-rising gods foreshadow no redemptive reality; they illustrate humanity’s longing for renewal. Scripture answers that longing definitively in the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:20). The contrast highlights the sufficiency of divine revelation over human imagination. 3. Judgment and Exile The Tammuz lament is cited moments before Ezekiel witnesses the glory of the LORD depart (Ezekiel 10:18-19). Its inclusion underscores that spiritual compromise, not merely political miscalculation, precipitated national catastrophe (2 Kings 17:7-18). Liturgical and Calendar Influence After the exile, Jewish practice adopted Babylonian month names; the fourth month (June-July) came to be called Tammuz. Scripture never employs this name, preserving a distinction between canonical usage and later convention. Rabbinic tradition later commemorated tragedies on the seventeenth of Tammuz, but this custom remains extrabiblical. Prophetic Lessons for Ministry • Guard the Place of Worship. Religious activity conducted “in the house of the LORD” (Ezekiel 8:14) can still offend God if theology is compromised. Contemporary ministry must prioritize doctrinal fidelity over cultural assimilation. Summary Tammuz stands as a brief yet powerful reminder that syncretism, however moving, provokes divine jealousy. Ezekiel’s indictment, framed within the larger biblical narrative, reinforces the exclusivity of Israel’s God and the enduring call to worship Him alone “in the splendor of holiness” (Psalm 96:9). Forms and Transliterations הַתַּמּֽוּז׃ התמוז׃ hat·tam·mūz hattamMuz hattammūzLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 8:14 HEB: מְבַכּ֖וֹת אֶת־ הַתַּמּֽוּז׃ ס NAS: there weeping for Tammuz. KJV: women weeping for Tammuz. INT: were sitting weeping Tammuz 1 Occurrence |
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