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חֹק

𐤇𐤒

chôq

H2706 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חקק to inscribe, to engrave, to decree, to prescribe

Definition

A statute, ordinance, prescribed enactment, or regulation. חֹק refers primarily to a rule, regulation, or decree established by authority, especially those that are legislated or prescribed as binding within the Israelite community. The term encompasses official statutes set by the deity, as well as, in some contexts, customs or established norms universally observed. It may refer to laws regarding religious, social, or ritual obligations, prescribed measurements or portions, as well as allotted times or appointed tasks.

Semantic Range

statute, ordinance, prescribed regulation, decree, enactment, custom, assigned portion, prescribed measurement, appointed time, fixed law, established rule, ordinance of nature

Root / Etymology

From the root חקק (ḥ-q-q), meaning 'to inscribe, to engrave, to decree.' The form חֹק is a masculine noun denoting that which is inscribed—thus, a fixed decree, binding statute, or an established regulation. The concrete meaning of the root is to make an incision or engrave, reflecting the practice of inscribing laws or decrees, which then came to signify the law or decree itself.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֹק appears across diverse genres and periods of the Hebrew Bible, from Pentateuchal legal texts to wisdom literature. In legal and ritual contexts (e.g., Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers), it refers to specific regulations or prescriptions, distinguishing from מִשְׁפָּט (judgment/ordinance based on custom and case law) and תּוֹרָה (instruction or teaching, often the broader law of YHWH). In poetic and wisdom texts, חֹק can denote cosmic or natural boundaries, such as the regulations prescribing the courses of the sun (Job 38:33), or the appointment of times for observances. After the exile, the term retained its sense of a binding divine or communal regulation but could also broaden to refer to standing customs or official allotments (Ezra 3:4; Nehemiah 10:34). English translations often render חֹק as 'statute,' 'decree,' 'ordinance,' or 'regulation,' but these may not always capture its nuance of something both fixed and prescribed, distinct from tradition (חֻקָּה) or judicial case law (מִשְׁפָּט). Modern religious traditions sometimes translate חֹק using later terms like 'law' or 'Jewish law'; such designations do not reflect the ancient Israelite understanding or historical usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָקַק; an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage); appointed, bound, commandment, convenient, custom, decree(-d), due, law, measure, [idiom] necessary, ordinance(-nary), portion, set time, statute, task.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חקק (ḥ-q-q) — to inscribe, to engrave, to decree, to prescribe

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2708 חֻקָּה in inscribed statutes of
H2710 חָקַק in his inscribing it
H2711 חֵקֶק inscribed decrees of
H2712 חֻקֹּק Marked-Out Place

Word Forms

33 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2706-20 הַ/חֻקִּ֖ים hachuqim HTd/Ncmpa the statutes the prescribed statutes 19
H2706-15 חֻקֶּֽי/ךָ chuqeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms Your statutes your prescribed statutes 15
H2706-08 חֹ֨ק choq HNcmsa decree prescribed statute 15
H2706-12 חֻקָּ֑י/ו chuqayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his statutes his inscribed decrees 8
H2706-21 לְ/חָק lechaq HR/Ncmsa as a statute to a prescribed statute 7
H2706-30 וְ/חֻקָּ֖י/ו vechuqayv HC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms and his statutes and his prescribed statutes 6
H2706-17 חֻקִּים֙ chuqim HNcmpa statutes inscribed decrees 6
H2706-05 חָק chaq HNcmsc statute inscribed statute of 6
H2706-33 וְ/הַֽ/חֻקִּ֖ים vehachuqim HC/Td/Ncmpa and the statutes the inscribed statutes 5
H2706-22 לְ/חֹק֩ lechoq HR/Ncmsa as a statute for a prescribed statute 5

Occurrences in Scripture

128 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2706-08 Genesis 47:22 חֹ֨ק choq HNcmsa an allotment prescribed statute
H2706-10 Genesis 47:22 חֻקָּ/ם֙ chuqam HNcmsc/Sp3mp allotment their prescribed statute
H2706-22 Genesis 47:26 לְ/חֹק֩ lechoq HR/Ncmsa as a statute for a prescribed statute
H2706-07 Exodus 5:14 חָקְ/כֶ֤ם chaqekhem HNcmsc/Sp2mp your quota your inscribed statute
H2706-21 Exodus 12:24 לְ/חָק lechaq HR/Ncmsa as a statute to a prescribed statute
H2706-08 Exodus 15:25 חֹ֥ק choq HNcmsa a statute prescribed statute
H2706-12 Exodus 15:26 חֻקָּ֑י/ו chuqayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms His statutes his inscribed decrees
H2706-14 Exodus 18:16 חֻקֵּ֥י chuqey HNcmpc the statutes inscribed statutes of
H2706-20 Exodus 18:20 הַ/חֻקִּ֖ים hachuqim HTd/Ncmpa the statutes the prescribed statutes
H2706-21 Exodus 29:28 לְ/חָק lechaq HR/Ncmsc as a statute to a prescribed statute
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