חֵץ (H2671) — Hebrew Lexicon — Scattered Israelites

חֵץ

𐤇𐤑

chêts

H2671 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חצץ to divide, split, pierce

Definition

A pointed projectile weapon, primarily an arrow used with a bow; also extends to any missile or dart with a similar shape or function. In metaphorical usage, it can refer to anything swift and piercing, including a flash of lightning or a sudden destructive agent. The term can describe the literal physical object, the act of shooting such objects, or metaphorically refer to swift disaster or judgment.

Semantic Range

arrow, dart, projectile, missile, shaft of a spear, lightning/thunderbolt (figurative), cause or agent of wounds or destruction (metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חָצַץ (ḥāṣaṣ), meaning 'to divide, split, or pierce.' The noun חֵץ (chêts) develops from the core notion of something that pierces or divides, coming to refer specifically to an arrow or similar missile. There is a secondary suggested interchange with עֵץ (ʿēṣ, 'wood' or 'tree'), possibly due to the arrow's wooden shaft, but this influence is likely secondary and does not alter the primary root meaning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term חֵץ most commonly refers to arrows used in ancient Israelite warfare and hunting. Archaeological finds of arrowheads in Levantine contexts confirm their everyday and military significance. In poetic and prophetic passages, חֵץ is used metaphorically for sudden destruction (e.g., divine judgment as 'arrows'), or for swift, unstoppable forces such as lightning ('thunderbolts'). Later periods sometimes expand the term to refer to other flying projectiles. The use of חֵץ as a metaphor for divine action is common in Psalms and prophetic texts. The term is distinct from קֶשֶׁת (qešet, 'bow'), which is the launching instrument, and from other missile words like רֹמַח (romach, 'spear/javelin'). English translations often narrow the term to 'arrow,' but such renderings can obscure metaphorical nuances, especially in poetry or apocalyptic imagery.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָצַץ; also by interchange for עֵץ; properly, a piercer, i.e. an arrow; by implication, a wound; figuratively, (of God) thunderbolt; the shaft of aspear; [phrase] archer, arrow, dart, shaft, staff, wound.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

חצץ (ḥ-ṣ-ṣ) — divide, split, pierce

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2686	חָצַץ	the one who cuts
H2687	חָצָץ	sharp gravel

Word Forms

23 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H2671-02`	חֵץ	chets	`HNcmsc`	an arrow	piercing-arrow of	7
`H2671-05`	חִצָּי/ו֙	chitsayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	his arrows	his piercing-arrows	5
`H2671-07`	חִצֶּ֨י/ךָ֙	chitseykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	your arrows	your piercing-projectiles	4
`H2671-06`	חִצֵּי֩	chitsey	`HNcmpc`	arrows	piercing-arrows of	3
`H2671-23`	וְ/חִצִּ֑ים	vechitsim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and arrows	and piercing-arrows	3
`H2671-09`	חִצִּֽים	chitsim	`HNcmpa`	arrows	piercing arrows	3
`H2671-20`	וְ/חֵ֣ץ	vechets	`HC/Ncmsc`	and arrow	piercing-arrow of	2
`H2671-03`	חִצָּ֣/ם	chitsam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their arrow	their piercing-arrow	2
`H2671-04`	חִצַּ֖/י	chitsay	`HNcmpc/Sp1cs`	my arrows	my piercing-arrows	2
`H2671-15`	לְ/חֵ֣ץ	lechets	`HR/Ncmsa`	as an arrow	to a piercing-arrow	1
`H2671-16`	מֵ֝/חֵ֗ץ	mechets	`HR/Ncmsa`	of arrow	piercing-arrow	1
`H2671-12`	הַ/חִצִּים֮	hachitsim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the arrows	the arrows	1
`H2671-22`	וְ/חִצֶּ֕י/ךָ	vechitseykha	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms`	and your arrows	your piercing-arrows	1
`H2671-17`	וּ/בַ/חִצִּ֖ים	uvachitsim	`HC/Rd/Ncmpa`	and with arrows	and with the piercing-arrows	1
`H2671-11`	חצ/ו	chtsv	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his arrow	his piercing arrow	1
`H2671-08`	חִצִּ֣/י	chitsi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my wound	my piercing-arrow	1
`H2671-19`	ו/חץ	vchts	`HC/Ncmsc`	and staff	and piercing-arrow of	1
`H2671-10`	חִצּ֑/וֹ	chitso	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his-arrow	his piercing-arrow	1
`H2671-13`	כְּ/חִצִּ֥ים	kechitsim	`HR/Ncmpa`	like arrows	like piercing-arrows	1
`H2671-18`	וּ/בְ/חִצִּ֔ים	uvechitsim	`HC/R/Ncmpa`	and with arrows	and with piercing-arrows	1
`H2671-14`	לַ/חֵֽץ	lachets	`HRd/Ncmsa`	for the arrow	to a piercing arrow	1
`H2671-21`	וְ/חִצָּ֥י/ו	vechitsayv	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	with his arrows	and his piercing-arrows	1
`H2671-01`	בַּֽ/חִצִּים֙	bachitsim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	the arrows	in the arrows	1

Occurrences in Scripture

45 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H2671-09`	Genesis 49:23	חִצִּֽים	chitsim	`HNcmpa`	arrows	piercing arrows
`H2671-21`	Numbers 24:8	וְ/חִצָּ֥י/ו	vechitsayv	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	with his arrows	and his piercing-arrows
`H2671-04`	Deuteronomy 32:23	חִצַּ֖/י	chitsay	`HNcmpc/Sp1cs`	my arrows	my piercing-arrows
`H2671-04`	Deuteronomy 32:42	חִצַּ/י֙	chitsay	`HNcmpc/Sp1cs`	my arrows	my piercing-arrows
`H2671-19`	1 Samuel 17:7	ו/חץ	vchts	`HC/Ncmsc`	and staff	and piercing-arrow of
`H2671-09`	2 Samuel 22:15	חִצִּ֖ים	chitsim	`HNcmpa`	arrows	piercing arrows
`H2671-23`	2 Kings 13:15	וְ/חִצִּ֑ים	vechitsim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and arrows	and piercing-arrows
`H2671-23`	2 Kings 13:15	וְ/חִצִּֽים	vechitsim-2	`HC/Ncmpa`	and arrows	and piercing-arrows
`H2671-02`	2 Kings 13:17	חֵץ	chets	`HNcmsc`	Arrow	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-20`	2 Kings 13:17	וְ/חֵ֣ץ	vechets	`HC/Ncmsc`	and arrow	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-02`	2 Kings 19:32	חֵ֑ץ	chets	`HNcmsa`	an arrow	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-05`	Isaiah 5:28	חִצָּי/ו֙	chitsayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	arrows	his piercing-arrows
`H2671-02`	Isaiah 37:33	חֵ֑ץ	chets	`HNcmsa`	an arrow	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-15`	Isaiah 49:2	לְ/חֵ֣ץ	lechets	`HR/Ncmsa`	as an arrow	to a piercing-arrow
`H2671-02`	Jeremiah 9:7	חֵ֥ץ	chets	`HNcmsa`	arrow	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-05`	Jeremiah 50:9	חִצָּי/ו֙	chitsayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	his-arrows	his piercing-arrows
`H2671-02`	Jeremiah 50:14	חֵ֑ץ	chets	`HNcmsa`	arrows	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-12`	Jeremiah 51:11	הַ/חִצִּים֮	hachitsim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the arrows	the arrows
`H2671-06`	Ezekiel 5:16	חִצֵּי֩	chitsey	`HNcmpc`	arrows	piercing-arrows of
`H2671-01`	Ezekiel 21:26	בַּֽ/חִצִּים֙	bachitsim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	the arrows	in the arrows
`H2671-22`	Ezekiel 39:3	וְ/חִצֶּ֕י/ךָ	vechitseykha	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms`	and your arrows	your piercing-arrows
`H2671-18`	Ezekiel 39:9	וּ/בְ/חִצִּ֔ים	uvechitsim	`HC/R/Ncmpa`	and with arrows	and with piercing-arrows
`H2671-07`	Habakkuk 3:11	חִצֶּ֨י/ךָ֙	chitseykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	of your arrows	your piercing-projectiles
`H2671-10`	Zechariah 9:14	חִצּ֑/וֹ	chitso	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his-arrow	his piercing-arrow
`H2671-05`	Psalms 7:14	חִ֝צָּ֗י/ו	chitsayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	his-arrows	his piercing-arrows
`H2671-03`	Psalms 11:2	חִצָּ֣/ם	chitsam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their arrow	their piercing-arrow
`H2671-05`	Psalms 18:15	חִ֭צָּי/ו	chitsayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	his arrows	his piercing-arrows
`H2671-07`	Psalms 38:3	חִ֭צֶּי/ךָ	chitseykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	your arrows	your piercing-projectiles
`H2671-07`	Psalms 45:6	חִצֶּ֗י/ךָ	chitseykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	your arrows	your piercing-projectiles
`H2671-23`	Psalms 57:5	וְ/חִצִּ֑ים	vechitsim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and arrows	and piercing-arrows
`H2671-11`	Psalms 58:8	חצ/ו	chtsv	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his arrow	his piercing arrow
`H2671-05`	Psalms 58:8	חִ֝צָּ֗י/ו	chitsayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	his arrows	his piercing-arrows
`H2671-03`	Psalms 64:4	חִ֝צָּ֗/ם	chitsam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their arrow	their piercing-arrow
`H2671-02`	Psalms 64:8	חֵ֥ץ	chets	`HNcmsa`	an-arrow	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-16`	Psalms 91:5	מֵ֝/חֵ֗ץ	mechets	`HR/Ncmsa`	of arrow	piercing-arrow
`H2671-06`	Psalms 120:4	חִצֵּ֣י	chitsey	`HNcmpc`	arrows	piercing-arrows of
`H2671-13`	Psalms 127:4	כְּ/חִצִּ֥ים	kechitsim	`HR/Ncmpa`	like arrows	like piercing-arrows
`H2671-07`	Psalms 144:6	חִ֝צֶּ֗י/ךָ	chitseykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	your arrows	your piercing-projectiles
`H2671-02`	Proverbs 7:23	חֵ֡ץ	chets	`HNcmsa`	arrow	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-20`	Proverbs 25:18	וְ/חֵ֣ץ	vechets	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-arrow	piercing-arrow of
`H2671-09`	Proverbs 26:18	חִצִּ֥ים	chitsim	`HNcmpa`	arrows	piercing arrows
`H2671-06`	Job 6:4	חִצֵּ֪י	chitsey	`HNcmpc`	arrows	piercing-arrows of
`H2671-08`	Job 34:6	חִצִּ֣/י	chitsi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my wound	my piercing-arrow
`H2671-14`	Lamentations 3:12	לַ/חֵֽץ	lachets	`HRd/Ncmsa`	for the arrow	to a piercing arrow
`H2671-17`	1 Chronicles 12:2	וּ/בַ/חִצִּ֖ים	uvachitsim	`HC/Rd/Ncmpa`	and with arrows	and with the piercing-arrows

← H2670 Hebrew Lexicon H2672 →