Original Word: תָּם
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: tam
Pronunciation: tahm or tahm-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (tawm)
KJV: X thence, there, X where
NASB: there
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H8033 (שָׁם - there)]

1. there

thence, there, where

(Aramaic) corresponding to sham; there -- X thence, there, X where.

see HEBREW sham

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to sham
Definition
there
NASB Translation
there (3), where* (1).

תַּמָּה adverb there (so Egyptian Aramaic (RÉS^{361B 5} [also תנה^{A 4}, so Cilician Aramaic, Cooke^{68. 5}, compare Palmyrene תנן ib.^{121. 3}, Syriac ] S-C^{A 4, J 6}); ᵑ7 תַּמָּן, Syriac , see Biblical Hebrew שָׁם); — Ezra 5:17; Ezra 6:1,12; ׳מִןתֿ thence Ezra 6:6.

Meaning and Literary Role

תָּם functions as a logical connector in the Aramaic sections of Ezra, signaling a consequential step, a “therefore” or “then.” Although small, it steers the narrative from report to royal response, from decree to implementation, underlining decisive moments in the restoration of the Temple.

Occurrences in Ezra

1. Ezra 5:17 – Provincial officials end their letter: “Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon…”.
2. Ezra 6:1 – “King Darius then issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives stored in the treasury in Babylon.”
3. Ezra 6:6 – Darius’ reply begins with resolve: “Therefore, Tattenai, governor of the region west of the Euphrates… keep away from that place.”
4. Ezra 6:12 – The king seals the edict: “…I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be carried out diligently.”

Each use marks a pivot: request, investigation, command, and solemn ratification.

Historical Setting

The word appears in official correspondence between Persian authorities (Tattenai and Shethar-bozenai) and King Darius I, dated ca. 520–515 BC. The Jews, stirred by the prophetic ministries of Haggai and Zechariah, had resumed Temple construction. Suspected of rebellion, they faced imperial scrutiny. The Aramaic wording, preserved verbatim, authenticates the legal process and God’s providence in using Gentile rulers to advance His purposes.

Theological Themes

1. Divine sovereignty over rulers: “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord…” (Proverbs 21:1). Every תָּם in Ezra signals God turning bureaucratic gears for covenant fulfillment.
2. Covenant faithfulness: Cyrus’ forgotten decree is unearthed, proving that God’s word never expires (Isaiah 55:11).
3. Orderly petition and submission to authority: The Jews respect civil channels while steadfastly obeying God, echoing later exhortations in Romans 13:1 and 1 Peter 2:13–17.

Ministry Lessons

• Discern wisely when to appeal to legal structures; God often works through established processes.
• Small transitions—spoken or written—can carry great weight. Clear, respectful communication fosters peaceable outcomes.
• Perseverance amid opposition is sustained by confidence that God orchestrates both the “therefore” and the “then.”

Redemptive Significance

By marking each step that led to the Temple’s completion (Ezra 6:15), תָּם silently testifies that God’s redemptive plan advances unhindered. The restored Temple would host continued worship, safeguard genealogies, and prepare the setting for the coming Messiah, who would declare, “One greater than the temple is here” (Matthew 12:6).

Summary

Strong’s Hebrew 8536, though a modest connective, ties together royal edicts, prophetic obedience, and divine sovereignty. In the narrative flow of Ezra, every “therefore” secured by this word moves God’s people from halted construction to a finished house of worship, reminding believers that no detail in Scripture is accidental and that every transition in life can be entrusted to the Author of history.

תַּמָּ֖ה תַּמָּ֗ה תַּמָּֽה׃ תַמָּה֮ תמה תמה׃ tam·māh ṯam·māh tamMah tammāh ṯammāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts