חוּב
𐤇𐤅𐤁
chûwb
H2325 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be under obligation, be guilty, to incur liability, to be subject to penalty or required action; the verb חוּב (chûwb) fundamentally refers to the state of being obligated, bound, or indebted, whether in a concrete, legal, or moral sense. In various contexts, it denotes being held responsible or accountable, owing something (primarily in legal or moral disputes), or incurring a penalty due to transgression. The concept can extend to being subject to reparation, restitution, or punishment.
Semantic Range
to owe, to be obligated, to incur liability, to be guilty, to be responsible for, to forfeit, to be subject to penalty, to require restitution
Root / Etymology
From the root חוּב, likely originating in the sense of being tied or bound (root meaning: to bind, to be obliged). Over time, it developed into the notion of being under obligation, in debt, or liable—whether financially, legally, or morally. The relation to physical tying serves as a metaphor for legal or social obligation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חוּב (chûwb) appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in legal or forensic contexts. Its range includes mutual obligation, incurring blame or guilt, and the requirement for restitution or other penalty. The related root חָיַב (chayav, H816), which more frequently carries the sense of legal guilt or obligation, appears in parallel legal contexts. While later Jewish tradition employs the root in civil and religious law for concepts of legal liability, the biblical usage remains primarily in legal responsibility and culpability. English translations such as 'to owe,' 'to be liable,' or 'to be guilty' capture only segments of the meaning; 'to bind' in the metaphorical sense is more fundamental. In post-biblical Hebrew, the root is used extensively for financial and legal liability.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
also חָיַב; a primitive root; properly, perhaps to tie, i.e. (figuratively and reflexively) to owe, or (by implication) to forfeit; make endanger.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חוב (ch-w-b) — to bind, to be obligated, to owe, to be liable
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2326 | חוֹב | debt-obligation |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2325-01 |
וְ/חִיַּבְתֶּ֥ם | vechiyavetem | HC/Vpq2mp |
and you would endanger | and you made liable | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2325-01 |
Daniel 1:10 | וְ/חִיַּבְתֶּ֥ם | vechiyavetem | HC/Vpq2mp |
and you would endanger | and you made liable |