Original Word: חַמָּן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chamman
Pronunciation: kham-mawn'
Phonetic Spelling: (kham-mawn')
KJV: idol, image
NASB: incense altars, incense stands
Word Origin: [from H2535 (חַמָּה - sun)]

1. a sun-pillar

idol, image

From chammah; a sun-pillar -- idol, image.

see HEBREW chammah

Word Origin
from chamam
Definition
a sun pillar
NASB Translation
incense altars (7), incense stands (1).

[חַמָּן] noun masculine sun-pillar, used in idolatrous worship (see Thes^489ff. RS^{Semitic i, 469}, Lag^{M i, 228} Now ^{Archaeology ii, 302}; = Palmyrene חמנא Vog^{No. 123 a}; **#NAME?^{N. Semitic Inscr., No. 136}; Lzb^{Ephem. ii {1906}, 280}; Phoenician לבעל חמן often as epithet of solar Baal); — only plural absolute חַמָּנִים Isaiah 27:9 4t.; suffix חַמָּנֵיכֶם Leviticus 26:30 2t.; "" בָּמוֺת Leviticus 26:30 (H), 2 Chron 14:4, compare Ezekiel 6:4,6; "" מזבחות הבעלים2Chronicles 34:4; "" אשׁרים Isaiah 17:8; Isaiah 27:9; "" אשׁרים and מְּסִלִים2Chronicles 34:7.

Overview

חַמָּן refers to the pagan “sun-pillars” or “incense altars” that were integral to Canaanite and syncretistic Israelite worship. Always appearing in the plural, the term designates upright stone columns or small standing altars placed at high places. Their purpose was to honor the sun-deity and to serve as focal points for offerings and incense. Scripture consistently treats these objects as detestable, marking them for destruction along with the rest of the paraphernalia of idolatry.

Occurrences in Scripture

Eight passages record the word: Leviticus 26:30; 2 Chronicles 14:5; 2 Chronicles 34:4; 2 Chronicles 34:7; Isaiah 17:8; Isaiah 27:9; Ezekiel 6:4; Ezekiel 6:6. The Berean Standard Bible renders the term “incense altars,” “sun-images,” or similar language, but the context in every case is the same—the objects are condemned and destined for removal.

• Leviticus 26:30 sets the precedent in the Law: “I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your corpses on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you”.
• 2 Chronicles 14:5 records King Asa’s early reforms: “He also removed the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him”.
• The most thorough purge comes under Josiah: “He cut to pieces the incense altars … smashed the Asherah poles … ground them to powder, and scattered the dust over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them” (2 Chronicles 34:4).
• Isaiah foretells a day when “they will have no regard for the Asherim or the incense altars” (Isaiah 17:8), and Isaiah 27:9 links their annihilation to the atonement of Jacob’s guilt.
• Ezekiel, prophesying to the exiles, says, “Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars smashed” (Ezekiel 6:4).

Historical Background

Archaeology confirms that sun-images and incense stands were widespread throughout the ancient Near East. Canaanite religion treated the sun as a powerful life-giving deity, and the Israelites, when they drifted from the covenant, adopted these practices (see Judges 2:11-13). The Law of Moses forbade any pillar-worship (Deuteronomy 16:22), yet the temptation remained, prompting periodic reforms led by godly kings.

Role in Israel’s Apostasy

Chammanim symbolized more than ritual error; they represented a wholesale shift of trust from the LORD to created powers. Because sun worship promised fertility and military success, it directly contradicted the covenant’s call to rely on the LORD alone. Their presence in Judah’s cities (2 Chronicles 14:5) shows how deeply idolatry penetrated everyday life.

Reformation and Destruction

The chronicler highlights two reform movements: Asa’s in the ninth century B.C. and Josiah’s in the seventh. Both kings “removed,” “tore down,” and “cut to pieces” the chammanim, signifying total repudiation. Josiah’s pulverizing of the pillars (2 Chronicles 34:4) fulfilled the Deuteronomic mandate to destroy idolatrous objects “beyond recovery” (compare Deuteronomy 12:3). The prophets promise that, in the final restoration, no trace of such images will survive (Isaiah 27:9).

Prophetic Significance

By linking the removal of chammanim to atonement (Isaiah 27:9) and covenant restoration (Ezekiel 6:6), Scripture teaches that true reconciliation with God demands not only inner repentance but also the physical elimination of rival objects of worship. The pillars therefore become a prophetic symbol of comprehensive cleansing—spiritual, social, and geographical.

Theological and Ministry Lessons

1. Exclusive Worship: The destruction of chammanim underscores the first commandment’s demand for exclusive loyalty. Any modern “pillar” that competes for the believer’s devotion—whether materialism, human approval, or philosophical systems—must be torn down.
2. Leadership and Reform: Asa and Josiah illustrate how committed leadership can purge entrenched sin. Reform begins with a heart renewed by God but extends to visible, decisive action.
3. Hope of Complete Purity: Isaiah envisions a future in which no chamman remains. This foreshadows the eschatological promise that “the dwelling place of God is with man” (Revelation 21:3), free from all idolatry.
4. Corporate Responsibility: The repeated plural—“incense altars”—and their location “in all the cities of Judah” (2 Chronicles 14:5) show that idolatry is rarely isolated. The community of faith must address systemic sin, not merely individual lapses.

Conclusion

חַמָּן serves as a sobering reminder of the ease with which God’s people can appropriate cultural idols, yet also a testament to the Lord’s power to purify His people. The biblical record moves from warning (Leviticus) through historical struggle (Kings and Chronicles) to prophetic promise (Isaiah, Ezekiel), tracing a coherent theme: the LORD alone is worthy of worship, and all competing altars—ancient or modern—must fall before Him.

הַֽחַמָּנִ֑ים הַֽחַמָּנִ֥ים החמנים וְהַֽחַמָּנִ֛ים וְהָחַמָּנִֽים׃ וְחַמָּנִֽים׃ והחמנים והחמנים׃ וחמנים׃ חַמָּ֣נֵיכֶ֔ם חַמָּֽנֵיכֶ֑ם חמניכם chamManeiChem ha·ḥam·mā·nîm hachammaNim haḥammānîm ḥam·mā·nê·ḵem ḥammānêḵem vechammaNim vehachammaNim wə·ha·ḥam·mā·nîm wə·hā·ḥam·mā·nîm wə·ḥam·mā·nîm wəhaḥammānîm wəhāḥammānîm wəḥammānîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts