חֵיק (H2436) — Hebrew Lexicon

חֵיק

𐤇𐤉𐤒

chêyq

H2436 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חיק to encompass, to embrace, to enclose

Definition

A fold or hollow formed by the body or clothing, particularly the space between the arms and chest (the bosom or lap); by extension, the intimate, protected, or interior area of a person, group, or place. Figuratively, used for the locus of affection, nurture, or possession, such as the bosom of a family or the inner area of a community. Also used to denote the inner or central part of objects and lands.

Semantic Range

bosom, lap, fold (of garment), chest, crook of arm, intimate care, nurture, possession, inner part, midst, interior

Root / Etymology

Root: חיק. Derived from an unused root meaning 'to encompass, to enclose, to embrace.' The noun refers to the area of the chest/breast where the arms meet the trunk, especially as a place of embracing or holding, but not attested as a verb in Hebrew.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֵיק appears primarily as a concrete anatomical term for the bosom or lap — the crook of the arm or the fold of the garment where items or persons may be carried (e.g., carrying a lamb in one’s bosom, Isaiah 40:11; or a child held close, Numbers 11:12). It is frequently used as a metaphor for intimate relationships or protection and nurture, including close familial bonds (2 Samuel 12:3), or divine compassion (Isaiah 40:11). It can also denote the midst or interior (as in land or community contexts, e.g., 'the midst of the land'). While English translations often render it as 'bosom' or 'lap,' these sometimes fail to capture the broader metaphorical sense present in biblical usage. The figurative sense of 'within,' 'in the care/possession of,' or 'the innermost part' extends to both people and places. Later translation traditions (e.g. in Greek or English Bibles) sometimes associated this with intimacy or favor ('in Abraham’s bosom'), but the Hebrew sense typically centers on physical closeness, nurture, and personal possession rather than later theological interpretations. The term does not denote a specific religious identity or status.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or חֵק; and חוֹק; from an unused root, apparently meaning to inclose; the bosom (literally or figuratively); bosom, bottom, lap, midst, within.

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Root Family

חיק (ḥ-y-q) — encompass, embrace, enclose

Word Forms

24 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H2436-12`	חֵיקֶ֔/ךָ	cheyqekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your bosom	your bosom	4
`H2436-09`	חֵ֥יק	cheyq	`HNcmsc`	bosom	enfolding bosom of	3
`H2436-11`	חֵיקָֽ/ם	cheyqam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their bosom	their bosom	3
`H2436-06`	בְּ/חֵיקֶ֔/ךָ	becheyqekha	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	into your embrace	in your bosom	3
`H2436-14`	חֵיק֑/וֹ	cheyqo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his bosom	his bosom-fold	2
`H2436-19`	וּ/בְ/חֵיק֣/וֹ	uvecheyqo	`HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	and in his bosom	and in his enclosing-bosom	2
`H2436-23`	בְ/חֵיקִֽ/י	vecheyqi	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	in my bosom	in my embracing-fold	2
`H2436-22`	בְ/חֵיקֶ֗/ךָ	vecheyqekha	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	in your bosom	in your embracing bosom	2
`H2436-07`	בְּ/חֵיק֑/וֹ	becheyqo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	in his bosom	in his embrace-fold	2
`H2436-05`	בְּ/חֵיקָ֑/הּ	becheyqah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	in her bosom	in her bosom-fold	1
`H2436-10`	חֵיקָ֔/הּ	cheyqah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	of her bosom	her bosom	1
`H2436-18`	וּ/מֵ/חֵ֨יק	umecheyq	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and from the bosom	and from the embracing bosom	1
`H2436-21`	בְ/חֵיקָ֔/הּ	vecheyqah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	in her bosom	in her embracing-bosom	1
`H2436-02`	בַּ֭/חֵיק	bacheyq	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in the lap	in the bosom-fold	1
`H2436-03`	בְּ/חֵקִֽ/י	becheqi	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	within me	in my bosom	1
`H2436-13`	חֵיקִ֥/י	cheyqi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my bosom	my embracing fold	1
`H2436-04`	בְּ/חֵ֥יק	becheyq	`HR/Ncmsc`		bosom-fold of	1
`H2436-17`	מֵֽ/חֵיק֔/וֹ	mecheyqo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	from his bosom	from his bosom	1
`H2436-08`	חֵ֣ק	cheq	`HNcmsc`	the bosom	enfolding bosom of	1
`H2436-24`	וְ/הַֽ/חֵיק	vehacheyq	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and-its-base	and the embracing-bosom	1
`H2436-16`	מֵ/חֵיקָ֗/הּ	mecheyqah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	from her bosom	from her bosom	1
`H2436-15`	מֵ֭/חֵיק	mecheyq	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the bosom	from the bosom of	1
`H2436-01`	בַּ֝/חֵ֗ק	bacheq	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in the bosom	in the enclosing-bosom	1
`H2436-20`	וְ/חֵ֨יק	vecheyq	`HC/Ncmsc`	and-the-base	and bosom of	1

Occurrences in Scripture

38 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H2436-06`	Genesis 16:5	בְּ/חֵיקֶ֔/ךָ	becheyqekha	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	into your embrace	in your bosom
`H2436-06`	Exodus 4:6	בְּ/חֵיקֶ֔/ךָ	becheyqekha	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	into your bosom	in your bosom
`H2436-07`	Exodus 4:6	בְּ/חֵיק֑/וֹ	becheyqo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	into his bosom	in his embrace-fold
`H2436-12`	Exodus 4:7	חֵיקֶ֔/ךָ	cheyqekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your bosom	your bosom
`H2436-14`	Exodus 4:7	חֵיק֑/וֹ	cheyqo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his bosom	his bosom-fold
`H2436-17`	Exodus 4:7	מֵֽ/חֵיק֔/וֹ	mecheyqo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	from his bosom	from his bosom
`H2436-22`	Numbers 11:12	בְ/חֵיקֶ֗/ךָ	vecheyqekha	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	in your bosom	in your embracing bosom
`H2436-12`	Deuteronomy 13:7	חֵיקֶ֗/ךָ	cheyqekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	of your bosom	your bosom
`H2436-14`	Deuteronomy 28:54	חֵיק֔/וֹ	cheyqo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	of his bosom	his bosom-fold
`H2436-10`	Deuteronomy 28:56	חֵיקָ֔/הּ	cheyqah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	of her bosom	her bosom
`H2436-19`	2 Samuel 12:3	וּ/בְ/חֵיק֣/וֹ	uvecheyqo	`HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	and-in-his-bosom	and in his enclosing-bosom
`H2436-06`	2 Samuel 12:8	בְּ/חֵיקֶ֔/ךָ	becheyqekha	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	in-your-bosom	in your bosom
`H2436-22`	1 Kings 1:2	בְ/חֵיקֶ֔/ךָ	vecheyqekha	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	in your bosom	in your embracing bosom
`H2436-05`	1 Kings 3:20	בְּ/חֵיקָ֑/הּ	becheyqah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	in her bosom	in her bosom-fold
`H2436-23`	1 Kings 3:20	בְ/חֵיקִֽ/י	vecheyqi	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	in my bosom	in my embracing-fold
`H2436-16`	1 Kings 17:19	מֵ/חֵיקָ֗/הּ	mecheyqah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	from her bosom	from her bosom
`H2436-09`	1 Kings 22:35	חֵ֥יק	cheyq	`HNcmsc`	the lap	enfolding bosom of
`H2436-19`	Isaiah 40:11	וּ/בְ/חֵיק֖/וֹ	uvecheyqo	`HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	and in his bosom	and in his enclosing-bosom
`H2436-11`	Isaiah 65:6	חֵיקָֽ/ם	cheyqam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their bosom	their bosom
`H2436-11`	Isaiah 65:7	חֵיקָֽ/ם	cheyqam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their bosom	their bosom
`H2436-09`	Jeremiah 32:18	חֵ֥יק	cheyq	`HNcmsc`	bosom	enfolding bosom of
`H2436-20`	Ezekiel 43:13	וְ/חֵ֨יק	vecheyq	`HC/Ncmsc`	and-the-base	and bosom of
`H2436-18`	Ezekiel 43:14	וּ/מֵ/חֵ֨יק	umecheyq	`HC/R/Ncmsc`	and from the bosom	and from the embracing bosom
`H2436-24`	Ezekiel 43:17	וְ/הַֽ/חֵיק	vehacheyq	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and-its-base	and the embracing-bosom
`H2436-12`	Micah 7:5	חֵיקֶ֔/ךָ	cheyqekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	in your bosom	your bosom
`H2436-13`	Psalms 35:13	חֵיקִ֥/י	cheyqi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my bosom	my embracing fold
`H2436-12`	Psalms 74:11	חֵֽיקְ/ךָ֣	cheyqekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your bosom	your bosom
`H2436-11`	Psalms 79:12	חֵיקָ֑/ם	cheyqam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their bosom	their bosom
`H2436-23`	Psalms 89:51	בְ֝/חֵיקִ֗/י	vecheyqi	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	in my bosom	in my embracing-fold
`H2436-08`	Proverbs 5:20	חֵ֣ק	cheq	`HNcmsc`	the bosom	enfolding bosom of
`H2436-07`	Proverbs 6:27	בְּ/חֵיק֑/וֹ	becheyqo	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	in his bosom	in his embrace-fold
`H2436-02`	Proverbs 16:33	בַּ֭/חֵיק	bacheyq	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in the lap	in the bosom-fold
`H2436-15`	Proverbs 17:23	מֵ֭/חֵיק	mecheyq	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the bosom	from the bosom of
`H2436-01`	Proverbs 21:14	בַּ֝/חֵ֗ק	bacheq	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in the bosom	in the enclosing-bosom
`H2436-03`	Job 19:27	בְּ/חֵקִֽ/י	becheqi	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	within me	in my bosom
`H2436-21`	Ruth 4:16	בְ/חֵיקָ֔/הּ	vecheyqah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	in her bosom	in her embracing-bosom
`H2436-09`	Lamentations 2:12	חֵ֖יק	cheyq	`HNcmsc`	bosom	enfolding bosom of
`H2436-04`	Ecclesiastes 7:9	בְּ/חֵ֥יק	becheyq	`HR/Ncmsc`		bosom-fold of

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