← H2441 H2443 →

חָכָה

𐤇𐤊𐤄

châkâh

H2442 verb

SILEX Entry

Root חכה to wait, to tarry, to long for, to hope for

Definition

To wait, to look forward to, to remain in expectation; conveys a sense of patient endurance, persistent hope, or confident anticipation, often with the nuance of enduring a period of delay or hardship in anticipation of a desired event or person.

Semantic Range

to wait; to tarry; to long for; to await with expectation; to remain in hopeful anticipation; to endure while waiting

Root / Etymology

Root: חכה. The word derives from the root חכה, which means primarily 'to wait' or 'to tarry.' There is a traditional suggestion of relation to the root חקה (to inscribe, engrave, prescribe) via the notion of 'fixing' or 'setting a mark,' but this is speculative and lacks strong philological evidence. The primary semantic field is that of anticipation or waiting. Other proposed links (such as through an idea of 'piercing') are not securely established.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָכָה appears primarily in poetic and prophetic texts to describe waiting for divine action, deliverance, or intervention, often with a tone of steadfast trust and hope (e.g., Psalm 33:20; Isaiah 8:17; 30:18). While overlapping with קָוָה (qavah, H6960 ‘to hope, wait eagerly’), חָכָה emphasizes waiting that is active and patient, rather than passive resignation. In later periods and post-biblical Hebrew, the usage becomes rare. English translations usually render as 'wait,' 'wait for,' or 'long for,' but may not fully reflect the nuance of confident expectation inherent in the verb. It does not imply mere persistence or passivity, but rather a focused, hopeful patience often directed toward YHWH or a significant coming event. In contrast to some related verbs (like צָפָה, 'to lookout/watch'), חָכָה does not include the idea of visual vigilance but of emotional or spiritual anticipation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root (apparently akin to חָקָה through the idea of piercing); properly, to adhere to; hence, to await; long, tarry, wait.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

חכה (ḥ-k-h) — to wait, to tarry, to long for, to hope for

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2443 חַכָּה fishhook

Word Forms

14 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2442-07 הַֽ/מְחַכֶּ֖ה hamechakeh HTd/Vprmsa who waits the eagerly waiting one 1
H2442-08 הַֽ/מְחַכִּ֣ים hamechakim HTd/Vprmpa who long for the eagerly waiting ones 1
H2442-01 חַכֵּה chakeh HVpv2ms wait Wait expectantly 1
H2442-06 ח֥וֹכֵי chokhey HVqrmpc who wait those waiting for 1
H2442-03 חִכָּ֣ה chikah HVpp3ms had waited her hopeful waiting 1
H2442-10 תְחַכֶּֽה techakeh HVpi2ms wait you will eagerly wait 1
H2442-14 יְחַכֶּ֤ה yechakeh HVpi3ms will wait he will earnestly wait 1
H2442-09 לִ/מְחַכֵּה limechakeh HR/Vprmsc for him who waits for the eagerly waiting one 1
H2442-02 חַכּוּ chaku HVpv2mp wait Wait expectantly! 1
H2442-13 וְ/חִכִּ֨יתִי֙ vechikiti HC/Vpq1cs And I will wait and I waited expectantly 1

Occurrences in Scripture

14 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2442-12 2 Kings 7:9 וְ/חִכִּ֛ינוּ vechikinu HC/Vpq1cp and wait and we eagerly waited
H2442-10 2 Kings 9:3 תְחַכֶּֽה techakeh HVpi2ms wait you will eagerly wait
H2442-13 Isaiah 8:17 וְ/חִכִּ֨יתִי֙ vechikiti HC/Vpq1cs And I will wait and I waited expectantly
H2442-14 Isaiah 30:18 יְחַכֶּ֤ה yechakeh HVpi3ms will wait he will earnestly wait
H2442-06 Isaiah 30:18 ח֥וֹכֵי chokhey HVqrmpc who wait those waiting for
H2442-09 Isaiah 64:3 לִ/מְחַכֵּה limechakeh HR/Vprmsc for him who waits for the eagerly waiting one
H2442-11 Hosea 6:9 וּ/כְ/חַכֵּ֨י ukhechakey HC/R/Vpc and like ambushers and as eagerly waiting
H2442-01 Habakkuk 2:3 חַכֵּה chakeh HVpv2ms wait Wait expectantly
H2442-02 Zephaniah 3:8 חַכּוּ chaku HVpv2mp wait Wait expectantly!
H2442-04 Psalms 33:20 חִכְּתָ֣ה chiketah HVpp3fs waits she eagerly waited
← H2441 Hebrew Lexicon H2443 →