Original Word: χαμαί
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: chamai
Pronunciation: khä-mī'
Phonetic Spelling: (kham-ah'-ee)
Definition: On the ground, to the ground
Meaning: on or to the ground.

on the ground.

Adverb perhaps from the base of chasma through the idea of a fissure in the soil; earthward, i.e. Prostrate -- on (to) the ground.

see GREEK chasma

Word Origin
a prim. adverb
Definition
on or to the ground
NASB Translation
ground (2).

STRONGS NT 5476: χαμαί

χαμαί, adverb;

a. on the ground, on the earth.

b. to the ground; in both senses from Homer down; in the latter sense John 9:6 (where, however, English idiom retains on); .

Word Origin: A primary word in Greek.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of being on the ground or falling to the ground is also present in the Hebrew Scriptures, though there is no direct one-to-one correspondence with a single Hebrew word. However, similar ideas can be found in Hebrew words such as:

• H5307 נָפַל (naphal): Meaning "to fall," often used in contexts of falling to the ground or being cast down.
• H776 אֶרֶץ ('erets): Meaning "earth" or "ground," used to describe the physical ground or land.

These Hebrew terms capture similar themes of physical descent or positioning on the earth, reflecting the shared cultural and theological understandings of the ground as a place of humility and submission.

Usage: The term is used in the New Testament to describe something that is on or falls to the ground. It is often used in a literal sense to describe physical position or action.

Context: The Greek word "χαμαί" appears in the New Testament to convey the idea of being on the ground or falling to the ground. This term is used in contexts that describe physical actions or states, often highlighting humility, submission, or the natural order of things.

In the Berean Standard Bible, "χαμαί" is used in passages that depict events where individuals or objects are brought low or are positioned on the earth. For example, in Mark 9:20, the term is used to describe a boy who falls to the ground during a convulsion: "So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth."

The use of "χαμαί" in the New Testament often carries symbolic significance, illustrating themes of humility, the frailty of human life, or the power of divine intervention that brings about a change in physical or spiritual state. The imagery of falling or being on the ground can also serve as a metaphor for submission to God's will or the acknowledgment of one's own limitations.

χαμαι χαμαί χαμαὶ χαμαιλέοντες χαμαιλέων chamai chamaí chamaìInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts