Library / Calmet's Dictionary of the Holy Bible, Complete and Unabridged

Volume I · H

Hormah

HORMAH, Herma, Harma, or Arama; it should be written Chorma, or Cherma. This City was called Zephath before the Hebrews gave it the name of Hormah, which signifies Anathema. What gave occasion for this denomination, was this: the King of Arad, who was a Canaanite, and dwelt to the south of the Land of Promise, having attacked the Hebrews, put them to flight, and took a very rich booty from them: hereupon the Israelites engaged themselves by vow to devote every thing belonging to the King of Arad to the curse, and intirely destroy it: for which reason this place was called Numb. xxi. 3. חרמה Chormah.Hormah. It is very probable that this vow was not executed till after Joshua entred into the Land of Promise. Among the Kings overcome by him, we find a King of Herma or Hormah, and a King of Ared or Josh. xv. 30.Arad. Hormah belonged to the Tribe of Simeon.

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Augustin Calmet, O.S.B., “Hormah,” in Calmet's Dictionary of the Holy Bible, Complete and Unabridged, English translation, Mind of the Church, https://mindofthechurch.com/works/calmet-dictionary/h/hormah/.

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