Bahimat
The triliteral root bā hā mīm (ب ه م) occurs in the Quran 3 times.
Etymology
According to Arthur Jeffery (Australian professor of Semitic languages) it appears first in discussions of dietary laws and thus is likely borrowed from Hebrew בְּהֵמָה (behemá). Else it belongs to the root ب ه م (b-h-m) to which there is also بَهْمَة (bahma, "lamb").
Hebrew בְּהֵמָה (behemá) cognate with Ugaritic (bhmt); and Ge'ez (baham, "to be dumb").
The Hebrew word is either:
- an intensive plural of בהמה (bəhēmāh, "beast"), from Proto-Semitic (compare Ethiopic ብህመ (bəhmä, "to be dumb, to be speechless"),
- a borrowing of Egyptian (*pꜣ-jḥ-mw, "hippopotamus", literally "the ox of the water"), from pꜣ ("definite article") + jḥ ("ox, cattle") + mw ("water") in a direct genitive construction. behemoth
In The Quran
(5:1) O you who acknowledge, honor your contracts. Made lawful for you are all the animals (Arab. بَهِيمَةُ, bahīmatu) of the livestock, except what is recited to you, which is not lawful, and what you are not allowed to hunt of the game while you are under restriction. God decrees as He pleases.
(22:28) So that they may witness benefits for themselves and recall God's name in the appointed days over what He has provided for them of the animal (Arab. بَهِيمَةِ, bahīmati) livestock. So eat from it and feed the needy and the poor.
(22:34) For every nation We have made a rite that they may mention God's name over what He has provided for them of the animal (Arab. بَهِيمَةِ, bahīmati) livestock. So your god is One god, so to Him peacefully surrender and give good tidings to those who obey.
In The Bible
Book of Job
(Job 40:15) Behold now, Behemoth (Hebrew. בְ֭הֵמוֹת, ḇə-hê-mō-wṯ), which I made as well as you; He eats grass like an ox.
Book of Ezra
(Ezra 1:4) Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle (Hebrew. וּבִבְהֵמָ֑ה, ū-ḇiḇ-hê-māh), together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.
