From amam; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock -- folk, men, nation, people.
see HEBREW amam
H5971. am
I. עָם עַם,1840
noun masculineGenesis 11:6 (see below) people (Late Hebrew id., plebeian, common man; עַמָּא ᵑ7 people, plural peoples, tribes, etc.; Syriac ; Arabic see above; original meaning probably those united, connected, related, compare WeGGN 1893, 480); — absolute עַם 11:6 +, עָם Judges 9:36 +, הָעָם Joshua 8:11 +; construct עַם Numbers 21:29 +; suffix עַמִּי Exodus 3:7 +, עַמְּךָ 22:27 +, etc.; plural עַמִּים Isaiah 2:3 +, עֲמָמִים (compare Biblical Aramaic) Nehemiah 9:22; construct עַמֵּי 1 Kings 8:43 +, עַמְמֵי Nehemiah 9:24; plural with suffix see II. עַם; — (Thes cites following as feminine עַמֶּ֑ךָ וְחָטָאת Exodus 5:16 [but corrupt and unintellig.; read perhaps לְע ׳וְחַטָאתָ, so ᵑ6 ᵐ5 Di]; Judges 18:7 [but ישֶׁבֶת must agree with lost word city, or the like, see GFM]; Jeremiah 8:5 [but read שׁוֺבַב for שׁוֺבְבָה Gie]); —
1 a people, nation (sometimes "" גּוֺי), collective noun (singular Exodus 21:8; Joshua 17:14-15, 17; 2 Samuel 17:29 +? Exodus 20:15; 24:2; Jeremiah 5:31 +? Exodus 1:20; 2 Samuel 13:24): אֶחָד עַם = all mankind Genesis 11:6 (J); peoples in General 27:29 (J; "" לְאֻמִּים), Exodus 19:5 (E), Deuteronomy 2:25; 4:6 +? Deuteronomy; Nehemiah 13:24 + often; עַמִּים קְהַל Genesis 28:3 (P) an assembly (multitude) of peoples, 48:4 (P), Ezekiel 23:24; 32:3 (+ רַבִּים); one's own people Jeremiah 46:16; Psalm 45:11; Ruth 1:10, 15, 16 (twice in verse) + (on נָדִיב עַמִּי Song of Solomon 6:12 see especially Bu); particular peoples, Egypt Genesis 41:40 (E), Exodus 1:22 (E), Nehemiah 9:10 +; עַםאֲֿרָם Amos 1:5; עַםכְּֿמוֺשׁ (i.e. Moab) Numbers 21:29 (JE), Jeremiah 48:46; but especially Israel Exodus 1:20 (E) + often; יִשׂ ׳עַםבְּֿנֵי 1:9 (J); called ׳ע יהוה Numbers 11:29 (E), 1 Samuel 2:24 +, and (by ׳י) עַמִּי Exodus 3:7; 5:1 (J) + often (all periods); עַםהָֿאֱלֹהִים קְהַל Judges 20:2, עַםהַֿקָּהָל Leviticus 16:33 (P), עָם קְהַל Psalm 107:32; especially הַזֶּה הָעָם (often in contempt or disgust) Numbers 11:1, 12, 13 +; figurative of ants Proverbs 30:25, the shaphan 30:26, locusts Joel 2:2, compare לְצִיִּים לְעַם Psalm 74:14 (where read צִיִּים לְעַם Hup-Now). — On Judges 1:16 see עֲמָלֵקִי. 2 = smaller units, e.g.
a. inhabitants of a city Genesis 19:4 (J), 1 Samuel 9:12-13, Jeremiah 29:16, 25; 2 Chronicles 31:4 + (Jeremiah 8:5 strike out ᵐ5 ׳יְרוּוּשׁ Gie Co Rothst).
b. inhabitants of a locality Jeremiah 37:12 [apparently not = tribe, Deuteronomy 33:3 read ᵐ5 עַמּוֺ Di Dr, Hosea 10:14; Judges 5:8, 14 read בְּעָרֶיךָ We Now; see below ד].
c. retainers, followers Genesis 14:16; 32:8; 33:15; 35:6; Judges 3:18; 8:5; 2 Samuel 15:17; Jeremiah 41:13-14, +.
d. people bearing arms 1 Samuel 11:11; 1 Kings 20:10 +; ׳ע כָּבֵד Numbers 20:20 (JE), i.e. a powerful force; הַצָּבָא עַם 31:32 (P), ׳ע הַמִּלְחָמָה Joshua 8:1, 3, 11; 10:7; 11:7 (all J E); so probably Judges 5:8 a (fighting) band; perhaps also 5:14 (read singular ? see GFM Bu).
3 = common people Jeremiah 21:7; 22:4; Leviticus 4:27 (opposed to ruler 4:22), Nehemiah 5:1 (opposed to יְהוּדִים), 7:5 (opposed to rulers).
4 people in General, persons Genesis 50:20 (E), so apparently וגו אֲשֶׁר ׳כָּלהָֿעָם Exodus 33:16 (J), Numbers 11:34 (J), Joshua 5:5 (twice in verse) (D), Judges 9:36 (as singular), 9:37 (as plural), Jeremiah 36:9; persons labouring 1 Kings 9:23; superior persons Job 12:2 (iron.); עוֺלָם עַם Ezekiel 26:30 people of long ago (now in Sh®°ôl).
5 phrases are:
a. (עַמְּךָ עַמִּי, עַמָּהּ,) עַמּוֺ בְּנֵי members of one's people, compatriots, fellow-countrymen, etc. Numbers 22:5 (E), Genesis 23:11 (P) Leviticus 19:18 (H), Judges 14:16-17, Ezekiel 33:2, 12 +.
b. הָעָם בְּנֵי = common people (see
3) 2 Kings 23:6; Jeremiah 26:23 +; people in General הָעָם בְּנֵי שַׁעַר 17:19 i.e. public gate2 Chronicles 35:5, 12.
c. הָאָרֶץ עַם the people at large, as a body 2 Kings 11:14, 18, 19, 20; 15:5; 16:15; 21:24 (twice in verse) +, Jeremiah 37:2; 44:21; Leviticus 20:2 (H), Genesis 23:7, 12, 13 (P); common people Jeremiah 34:19, compare ע ׳דַּלַּת ׳הא 2 Kings 24:14; distinguished from prince Ezekiel 45:22; 46:3, 9, from priests Haggai 2:4; Zechariah 7:5; = Canaanites Numbers 14:9 (JE), compare הָאָרֶץ עַמֵּי 1 Chronicles 5:25; mixed post-exile population Ezra 4:4.
d. הָאָרֶץ עַמֵּי usually peoples of the earth Joshua 4:24 (D), 2 Chronicles 32:19 +; of heathen peoples about and in Palestine after exile Ezra 10:2, 11; traders Nehemiah 10:31; הָאֲרָצוֺת עַמֵּי 9:30; 10:29; 2 Chronicles 32:13.
e. עַמִּים מִשְׁמְּחוֺת Psalm 96:7 = 1 Chronicles 16:28 (compare Psalm 22:28).
f. בַּתעַֿמִּי = people personified Isaiah 22:4; Jeremiah 4:11 7t. Jeremiah + 6:14 (van d. H.; omit בַּת Baer Gi), Lamentations 2:11; 3:48; 4:3, 6, 10; בַּתעַֿמִּי בְּתוּלַת Jeremiah 14:17.
g. designations of Israel are: עַםקָֿרוֺשׁ Deuteronomy 7:6 3t., ׳ע קְדוֺשִׁים Daniel 8:24, ׳ע (ה)קֹדֶשׁ Isaiah 62:12; 63:18; Daniel 12:7; ׳ע סְגֻלָּה Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 26:18.
h. of foreign (non-Israel) peoples: נָכְרִי ׳ע Exodus 21:8 (E), ׳ע אַחֵר Deuteronomy 28:32, and especially from language, ׳ע שָׂפָה עִמְקֵי Ezekiel 3:5 compare 3:6, וָעָם עַם כִּלְשׁוֺן Nehemiah 13:24 compare Esther 1:22 (twice in verse); 3:12, ׳ע לֹעֵג Psalm 114:1.
i. עֶבְרָתִי עַם Isaiah 10:6, ׳ע חֶרְמִי 34:11, מִֿבְחָרָיו׳ע Daniel 11:15, הָאֵלֶּה תּוֺעֵבוֺת עַמֵּי Ezra 9:14; בִּינוֺת עַם לֹא Isaiah 27:11. — For עַםעֿוֺלָם 44:7 read (אֹתִיּוֺת) מֵעוֺלָם הִשְׁמִי)עַ (מִי Oort Du Kit CheHpt compare PerlesAnal. 40, 64.
II. [עַם] noun [masculine] kinsman **later development of I. עַם RSK 58; 2nd ed. 72. (on father's side) (Arabic paternal uncle, etc., see I. עמם; compare perhaps Tel Amarna ammu, kinsmen (?); on Nabataean עם ancestor compare Lzb151, 499; see also especially NesEg 187, ZAW xvi (1896), 322f. Krenkelib. viii (1888), 280-84); — suffix עַמִּי in בֶּןעַֿמִּי (q. v.), and proper name following; elsewhere plural suffix עַמֶּיךָ Numbers 27:13; 31:2 (Leviticus 19:16 read ⅏ ᵐ5 עַמְּךָ), + (possibly) עֲמָָמֶיךָ Judges 5:14; עַמָּיו Genesis 25:8 15t., עַמֶּיהָ 17:14 3t.; read עַמֶּי (for עַמִּי ᵑ0, I. עַם; compare Krenkell.c. 281) 49:29 and perhaps Judges 14:3 (compare Leviticus 21:14); according to Buhl Kit also 2 Kings 4:13; — father's kinsmen: אֶלעַֿמָּיו וַיֵּאָסֵף Genesis 25:8 (of joining kinsmen in Sh®°ôl), so 25:17; 35:29; 49:33; Numbers 20:24; Deuteronomy 32:50, compare Genesis 49:29 (see above), Numbers 27:13; 31:2; Deuteronomy 32:50 (all P); מֵעַמֶּיהָ הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְנִכְרְתָה Genesis 17:4 (severed from living kinsmen), so Leviticus 7:20-21, 23, 27; 19:8; 23:29; Numbers 9:13, עַמֶּיהָ מִקֶּרֶב Exodus 31:14, compare 30:33, 38; Leviticus 17:9 (all PH); אִשָּׁה יִקַּח מֵעַמָּיו 21:14 (H), and perhaps Judges 14:3 (simile I. עַם: [הָּ֯ םָ֯,] עַמּוֺ מִקֶּרֶב Leviticus 17:4, 10; 18:29+); other combinations Judges 5:14 (si vera lectio read perhaps בְּעַמֶּ֑ךָ, see I. עַם 2d ), Leviticus 21:1, 4, 15 (H), Ezekiel 18:18 and (perhaps) 2 Kings 4:13. — בֶּןעַֿמִּי perhaps = son of my kinsman; on proper name with עַם see GrayProp. N. 41 ff.
עַם noun masculineEzra 6:12 people (see Biblical Hebrew I. עַם עמם,); — ׳ע absolute Daniel 2:44; 3:29; Ezra 6:12, construct Daniel 7:27; emphatic עַמָּה Ezra 5:12, עַמָּא 7:13, 16, 25; plural emphatic עַמֲמַיָּא (K§§ 15d); 55, 5 a)) Daniel 3:4, 7 (twice in verse); Daniel 3:31; 5:19; 6:26; 7:14.