חַיִץ
𐤇𐤉𐤑
chayits
H2434 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A physical structure serving as a barrier or enclosure, typically an upright partition that separates, defines, or protects spaces or domains; commonly used for a dividing wall or boundary wall. The term primarily refers to a constructed separation in dwellings, fields, or compounds, but less frequently than the more common חוֹמָה or גָּדֵר. In contextual usage, it denotes the function of demarcation, privacy, or protection in architectural or agricultural settings.
Semantic Range
interior wall, partition wall, boundary wall, physical barrier, divider within a building, enclosure wall
Root / Etymology
The noun חַיִץ is derived from the root חוץ (chuts), meaning 'outside' or 'external.' Its form as a noun denotes the thing that creates an 'outside': a barrier between spaces. The actual lexical sense 'wall' is secondary to the root's meaning 'outside.' Some derivational uncertainty exists because חַיִץ is a rarer form, likely paralleling the meaning of חוּץ in certain contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חַיִץ is relatively rare in biblical usage, appearing mainly in later biblical books and in poetic or post-exilic texts. It functions much like חוֹמָה ('wall' in a purely architectural or fortification sense) or גָּדֵר (which often connotes a fence or hedge, especially for fields or vineyards). However, חַיִץ typically refers to an interior or partition wall rather than a city wall or fortified boundary. Its use may signal a concern with physical boundaries within homes or communal spaces, which gained prominence in the Second Temple period's administrative and architectural records. English translations often simply render it as 'wall,' but this can obscure contrasts with other Hebrew terms for enclosing structures. The word's appearance alongside or in distinction from חוּץ ('outside; street') highlights its function as an intervening boundary rather than an outermost barrier.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
another form for חוּץ; a wall; wall.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חוץ (ḥ-w-ṣ) — to be outside, to separate, to divide
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2351 | חוּץ | in the outside |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2434-01 |
חַ֔יִץ | chayits | HNcmsa |
wall | separating wall | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2434-01 |
Ezekiel 13:10 | חַ֔יִץ | chayits | HNcmsa |
wall | separating wall |