Original Word: חֶמְאָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: chem'ah
Pronunciation: khay-maw'
Phonetic Spelling: (khem-aw')
KJV: butter
NASB: curds, butter
Word Origin: [from the same root as H2346 (חוֹמָה - wall)]

1. curdled milk or cheese

butter

Or (shortened) chemah {khay-maw'}; from the same root as chowmah; curdled milk or cheese -- butter.

see HEBREW chowmah

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
curd
NASB Translation
butter (2), curds (8).

חֶמְאָה noun feminine curd; — ׳ח Genesis 18:8 6t.; = חֵמָה Job 29:6; construct חֶמְאַת Deuteronomy 32:14; curd, curdled milk, modern labben ׳מִיץ חָלָב יוֺצִיא ח Proverbs 30:33, elsewhere joined with חָלָב Genesis 18:8(J) Deuteronomy 32:14 (poem; חֶמְאַת בָּקָר וַחֲלֵב צאֹן), Judges 5:25 (where served בְּסֵפֶל אַדִּירִים, see ספל); with דְּבַשׁ 2 Samuel 17:29; Isaiah 7:15,22 (twice in verse); compare ׳נַחֲלֵי דבשׁ וח figurative of abundance Job 20:17; בִּרְחֹץ חֲלִיכַי בְּחֵמָ֑ה Job 29:6 ("" מַּלְגֵישָֽֿׁמֶן ׃ צוּר יָצוּק). **On mode of making lebben, by shaking milk in sour milk-skin, see Doughty^{Arab. Des. i. 221, 263; ii. 304, etc.} Thomson^{Land and Book ii. 418} See also ARSK^{Ency. Bib. MILK}.

Essence of חֶמְאָה

A rich dairy product obtained by the natural coagulation or churning of milk, מודרני “curds / butter” served both as an everyday food and as a delicacy of honor in the ancient Near East. Scripture presents it in pastoral, domestic, royal, and prophetic settings, underscoring God’s provision from the herd and the skillful stewardship of Israel’s flocks.

Occurrences and Narrative Settings

• Genesis 18:8 – Abraham’s hospitality: “Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared and set it before them”. Curds accompany meat and milk to honor the three visitors, illustrating that the righteous patriarch offers his best.
• Deuteronomy 32:14 – The Song of Moses celebrates covenant bounty: “Curds of cows and milk of the flock… with the finest wheat,” picturing the Promised Land’s overflowing goodness.
• Judges 5:25 – Jael’s tactical generosity: “He asked for water; she gave him milk. In a magnificent bowl she brought him curdled milk,” a gesture that lowers Sisera’s guard before judgment falls.
• 2 Samuel 17:29 – Refuge for the fugitive king: Shobi and others provide David with “honey, curds, sheep, and cheese,” tangible mercy in exile.
• Job 20:17; 29:6 – Contrasting destinies: the wicked will be deprived of “streams of curds and honey,” while Job once walked where “my steps were bathed in cream.”
• Proverbs 30:33 – A household lesson: “For as churning milk produces butter… so stirring up anger produces strife,” linking tangible dairy practice to moral cause and effect.
• Isaiah 7:15, 22 – Messianic and remnant diet: Immanuel and survivors will “eat curds and honey,” portraying both humble wartime fare and covenant reassurance.

Hospitality and Covenant Favor

Curds often appear in scenes of welcome (Genesis 18; Judges 5; 2 Samuel 17). To serve חֶמְאָה signals abundance and goodwill; only herds that are well-kept yield enough milk for luxury items. Thus the product becomes shorthand for covenant blessing—an edible witness that Yahweh supplies more than mere subsistence.

Symbol of Plenty and Security

Deuteronomy 32 locates curds among the choicest of the land’s produce. Prophets inherit this imagery: Isaiah envisions a devastated Judah still nourished by curds and honey, intimating that God’s remnant will experience sufficiency though the vine and fig tree fail. Job’s reflection, “my steps were bathed in cream,” evokes a path overflowing with prosperity and favor.

Moral and Didactic Use

Proverbs 30:33 turns the familiar chore of butter-making into an ethic: constant agitation inevitably yields a result. Just as milk thickens into butter, so provoked anger solidifies into open conflict. The Spirit-led teacher may apply this to personal relationships, church unity, and peacemaking.

Prophetic and Messianic Resonance

Isaiah 7 links curds with both judgment and hope. Immanuel’s diet of “curds and honey” depicts voluntary simplicity in a land stripped bare by invading armies; yet the same fare testifies that God still provides. The passage foreshadows the Messiah’s identification with the humble and His ability “to reject evil and choose good,” fed by the Father’s faithful care.

Agricultural and Liturgical Background

Producing חֶמְאָה required early-morning milking, prompt straining, and patient churning—tasks often assigned to women in Israelite households. The process fostered communal cooperation and daily thanksgiving. In later rabbinic memory, firstfruits of dairy were offered in recognition that “the earth is the LORD’s” (Psalm 24:1).

Ministry Applications

1. Hospitality: Curds model tangible love for guests and the needy. Congregations can emulate Abraham by sharing quality food rather than leftovers.
2. Stewardship: The transformation of milk to butter reminds believers that diligent, intelligent labor multiplies God’s raw gifts.
3. Contentment: Isaiah’s remnant eating curds and honey challenges modern expectations of plenty, pointing to satisfaction in God Himself during lean seasons.
4. Teaching analogies: Proverbs 30 furnishes a vivid object lesson—ministers may churn milk before a class to illustrate the consequences of anger or gossip.
5. Christological reflection: Immanuel’s curds underscore the Incarnation’s genuine humanity and His experience of ordinary sustenance, strengthening believers’ confidence that the High Priest truly knows life’s simplicities.

Summary

חֶמְאָה threads through Scripture as evidence of Yahweh’s generosity, a tool of instruction, and a token of covenantal faithfulness in both feast and famine. Whether laid before heavenly guests, hidden in a noblewoman’s bowl, or served to the coming Christ, it invites God’s people to taste and see that the LORD is good.

בְּחֵמָ֑ה בחמה וְחֶמְאָ֗ה וְחֶמְאָֽה׃ וחמאה וחמאה׃ חֶמְאַ֨ת חֶמְאָ֑ה חֶמְאָ֗ה חֶמְאָ֜ה חֶמְאָ֤ה חֶמְאָ֥ה חֶמְאָֽה׃ חמאה חמאה׃ חמאת bə·ḥê·māh becheMah bəḥêmāh chemAh chemAt ḥem’āh ḥem’aṯ ḥem·’āh ḥem·’aṯ vechemAh wə·ḥem·’āh wəḥem’āhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts