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חָקַק

𐤇𐤒𐤒

châqaq

H2710 verb

SILEX Entry

Root חָקַק to inscribe, to engrave, to carve, to set by inscription

Definition

To inscribe or engrave, especially by carving or hacking into a hard surface; by extension, to establish or ordain something with authority, commonly referring to the enacting of laws, customs, or decrees that are fixed as if inscribed. In poetic and metaphorical passages, may refer to the act of defining, delineating, or marking out (e.g., boundaries, ordinances, or roles).

Semantic Range

to carve or engrave, to inscribe words or decrees, to enact or establish (law, custom), to prescribe or ordain, to portray or delineate, to appoint or assign a role (esp. in poetic usage), to serve as lawgiver or authority

Root / Etymology

From the triliteral Hebrew root ח-ק-ק (חקק), which fundamentally means 'to cut' or 'to engrave.' The verb reflects the physical act of incising or carving, and its abstract or extended senses develop from the concept of permanence and authoritative setting through inscription. Related nouns (e.g. חֹק chok, 'statute') derive from the same root, emphasizing the lasting and binding nature of what is established.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the oldest Hebrew texts, חָקַק primarily denotes the physical act of engraving or inscribing on stone or other durable material, as in the case of lawgiving (cf. Deuteronomy and poetic texts such as Judges 5:14). Over time, the meaning extends to the broader, more abstract sense of 'decreeing' or 'establishing,' particularly of laws, customs, or social norms, reflecting a conceptual shift from the act of physical inscription to the authority such inscription represents. In poetic literature, the root can carry imagery of setting, prescribing, or even assigning roles (e.g., 'lawgiver,' 'commander'). English translations (e.g. KJV) often render some forms as 'lawgiver,' 'decree,' or 'engrave,' but context determines whether a physical or more abstract action is intended. The idea of a 'governor' (as in someone who establishes or enacts law) arises from the participial forms. In later biblical and post-biblical Hebrew, the abstract sense becomes more prevalent, paralleling developments in Akkadian and other Semitic languages where physical inscription and decreeing are conceptually aligned.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to hack, i.e. engrave (Judges 5:14, to be a scribe simply); by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (gen.) prescribe; appoint, decree, governor, grave, lawgiver, note, pourtray, print, set.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חקק (ḥ-q-q) — inscribing, engraving, carving, enacting by inscription

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2706 חֹק in my prescribed statutes
H2708 חֻקָּה in inscribed statutes of
H2711 חֵקֶק inscribed decrees of
H2712 חֻקֹּק Marked-Out Place

Word Forms

17 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2710-11 מְחֹֽקְקִ/י mechoqeqi HVprmsc/Sp1cs my lawgiver my decree-engraver 2
H2710-01 בְּ/ח֥וּק/וֹ bechuqo HR/Vqc/Sp3ms when he inscribed in his inscribing it 2
H2710-05 חֹקְקִ֥י choqeqi HVqrmsc carver engraver of 1
H2710-08 לְ/חוֹקְקֵ֣י lechoqeqey HR/Vqrmpc to the rulers to the inscribers of 1
H2710-02 בִּ/מְחֹקֵ֖ק bimechoqeq HR/Vmrmsa with the scepter with the inscribing-one 1
H2710-12 מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔ים mechoqeqim HVmrmpa commanders the inscribing ones 1
H2710-16 וְ/יֻחָֽקוּ veyuchaqu HC/VHi3mp that they might be engraved they will be inscribed 1
H2710-07 הַ/חֹֽקְקִ֖ים hachoqeqim HTd/Vqrmpa who decree the inscribing ones 1
H2710-03 חַקֹּתִ֑י/ךְ chaqotikhe HVqp1cs/Sp2fs I have inscribed you I have engraved you 1
H2710-13 מְחֻקָּ֑ק mechuqaq HVPsmsa what is decreed inscribed one 1

Occurrences in Scripture

19 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2710-14 Genesis 49:10 וּ/מְחֹקֵ֖ק umechoqeq HC/Vmrmsa and the ruler's staff inscribing one
H2710-02 Numbers 21:18 בִּ/מְחֹקֵ֖ק bimechoqeq HR/Vmrmsa with the scepter with the inscribing-one
H2710-09 Deuteronomy 33:21 מְחֹקֵ֖ק mechoqeq HVmrmsa lawgiver decree-engraver
H2710-08 Judges 5:9 לְ/חוֹקְקֵ֣י lechoqeqey HR/Vqrmpc to the rulers to the inscribers of
H2710-12 Judges 5:14 מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔ים mechoqeqim HVmrmpa commanders the inscribing ones
H2710-07 Isaiah 10:1 הַ/חֹֽקְקִ֖ים hachoqeqim HTd/Vqrmpa who decree the inscribing ones
H2710-05 Isaiah 22:16 חֹקְקִ֥י choqeqi HVqrmsc carver engraver of
H2710-06 Isaiah 30:8 חֻקָּ֑/הּ chuqah HVqv2ms/Sp3fs inscribe it engraved statute
H2710-10 Isaiah 33:22 מְחֹקְקֵ֑/נוּ mechoqeqenu HVmrmsc/Sp1cp is our lawgiver our engraver-ordainer
H2710-03 Isaiah 49:16 חַקֹּתִ֑י/ךְ chaqotikhe HVqp1cs/Sp2fs I have inscribed you I have engraved you
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