חֲבַרְבֻּרָה
𐤇𐤁𐤓𐤁𐤓𐤄
chăbarburâh
H2272 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A marking that appears as a spot, stripe, or patch, typically found on the skin or the surface of an animal, such as a tiger-like or leopard-like marking. The word emphasizes the visual pattern rather than its cause or physical nature. In some contexts, it can refer to a wound or bruise that forms a distinct mark or streak, but its primary sense is of visually distinctive spots or stripes.
Semantic Range
patch, spot, streak, stripe, mottled marking, distinctive patterned spot (as on animals); in some contexts, bruise or wound mark
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root חָבַר (ḥavar), meaning 'to join, bind, be joined.' The word חֲבַרְבֻּרָה is a reduplicated form, where the doubling of the root elements evokes the multiplicity or pattern of marks. While the root denotes 'joining,' in the noun its meaning shifts to a mark or spot characterized by distinct boundaries or appearance against a background, as if 'joined' or set off from the rest.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲבַרְבֻּרָה appears only in Jeremiah 13:23, describing the patterns or spots on a leopard (often with reference to the question of whether such inherent characteristics can be changed). The term seems to have fallen out of common usage in later Hebrew, replaced by more general terms for bruise, wound, or spot. English translations sometimes render it as 'spot' or 'mark,' but this may underrepresent the patterned, variegated, or streaked nature described by the word. The concept appears tied to the visual appearance of intrinsic markings (as on animals), not acquired features like wounds (though some late/post-biblical sources use similar terms for bruises). As such, its usage is quite restricted contextually, making it somewhat distinct from more common terms for physical marks or injuries.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
by reduplication from חָבַר; a streak (like a line), as on the tiger; spot.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חבר (ḥ-b-r) — to join, bind, associate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2249 | חָבוֹר | and in Chabor |
| H2250 | חַבּוּרָה | welt-mark |
| H2266 | חָבַר | let me bind together |
| H2267 | חֶבֶר | your alliances |
| H2268 | חֶבֶר | Association |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2272-01 |
חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑י/ו | chavareburotayv | HNcfpc/Sp3ms |
his spots | his patterned spots | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2272-01 |
Jeremiah 13:23 | חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑י/ו | chavareburotayv | HNcfpc/Sp3ms |
his spots | his patterned spots |