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חָשַׂךְ

𐤇𐤔𐤊

châsak

H2820 verb

SILEX Entry

Root חָשַׂךְ to withhold, to hold back, to spare, to restrain

Definition

To withhold or hold back, to restrain something or someone from occurring, giving, or being released. In context, often used in the sense of sparing (i.e., not inflicting something negative) or of refraining from permitting or supplying (e.g., withholding blessings, punishment, information, or resources). May imply self-control, withholding a specific action, or restraining oneself from speech or deed.

Semantic Range

to withhold, to spare (from harm or punishment), to refrain (from action or speech), to hold back (resources, emotion, punishment), to restrain (oneself or another), to keep in reserve, to forbear

Root / Etymology

חָשַׂךְ derives from the Semitic root חשׂך (ח-ש-ך), which primarily conveys the idea of holding back or restraining. The root is related to the concept of restricting motion or flow, and this sense extends to derived forms of withholding, sparing, keeping in reserve, or abstaining from action. It is sometimes discussed alongside the visually similar but distinct root חָשַׁךְ (ח-ש-ך, H2821/H2822), which means 'to be dark' or 'grow dark,' but they are lexically distinct despite the orthographic similarity.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָשַׂךְ occurs in a variety of contexts across the Hebrew Bible, ranging from God's withholding of blessing or punishment (e.g., withholding rain or forgiveness) to human acts of restraint, such as sparing someone's life or refraining from giving or acting. In poetic literature (especially Psalms and Proverbs), the verb is used to describe self-restraint or restraint exercised by the deity. The semantic field in biblical usage emphasizes the deliberate holding back, whether for punitive, protective, or beneficial purposes. Contrast with עָצַר ('to restrain, stop, detain'), which can emphasize physical prevention or a sudden cessation. Standard English translations often narrow the meaning to 'withhold' or 'spare,' but the underlying sense encompasses active restraint, forbearance, and sometimes the maintenance or conservation of something by not using or letting it go. The root does not inherently convey the idea of darkness, though confusion can arise due to a morphologically similar root. The sense of 'punish' or 'observe' is contextually derived and not the core meaning. The verb is active and transitive, usually governing the thing withheld (object) and sometimes a person from whom it is withheld. It appears throughout the major biblical periods with consistent core meaning, though the objects of restraint vary with context (e.g., speech, material goods, harm, favor).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; also interchangeable with חָשַׁךְ; to restrain or (reflex.) refrain; by implication, to refuse, spare, preserve; to observe; assuage, [idiom] darken, forbear, hinder, hold back, keep (back), punish, refrain, reserve, spare, withhold.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חשך (ḥ-ś-k) — withholding, restraining, sparing, holding back

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2816 חֲשׁוֹךְ the darkness
H2821 חָשַׁךְ he withheld
H2822 חֹשֶׁךְ in the darkness
H2823 חָשֹׁךְ dark ones
H2824 חֶשְׁכָה darkness of

Word Forms

14 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2820-01 חָשַׂ֤ךְ chasakhe HVqp3ms had restrained he withheld 6
H2820-13 יַחְשֹֽׂךְ yachesokhe HVqi3ms He keeps back he withholds 3
H2820-02 חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ chasakheta HVqp2ms have-restrained you withheld 3
H2820-14 יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ yechasekhe HVNi3ms is assuaged he will be restrained 2
H2820-07 חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ chosekhe HVqrmsa restrains one who withholds 2
H2820-12 וְ/חֹשֵׂ֖ךְ vechosekhe HC/Vqrmsa and restraining and withholding one 2
H2820-09 תַּחְשֹׂ֔ךְ tachesokhe HVqj2ms hold back may you withhold 2
H2820-06 חֲשֹׂ֬ךְ chasokhe HVqv2ms keep back Withhold! 1
H2820-03 חָשַׂ֥כְתִּי chasakheti HVqp1cs I have reserved I withheld 1
H2820-05 חָ֥שְׂכוּ chasekhu HVqp3cp they withhold they withheld 1

Occurrences in Scripture

27 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2820-11 Genesis 20:6 וָ/אֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְ vaechesokhe HC/Vqw1cs and I withheld and I withheld
H2820-02 Genesis 22:12 חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ chasakheta HVqp2ms withheld you withheld
H2820-02 Genesis 22:16 חָשַׂ֖כְתָּ chasakheta HVqp2ms you withheld you withheld
H2820-01 Genesis 39:9 חָשַׂ֤ךְ chasakhe HVqp3ms has he kept back he withheld
H2820-01 1 Samuel 25:39 חָשַׂ֣ךְ chasakhe HVqp3ms has kept back he withheld
H2820-01 2 Samuel 18:16 חָשַׂ֥ךְ chasakhe HVqp3ms had restrained he withheld
H2820-01 2 Kings 5:20 חָשַׂ֣ךְ chasakhe HVqp3ms has-spared he withheld
H2820-01 Isaiah 14:6 חָשָֽׂךְ chasakhe HVqp3ms restraint he withheld
H2820-10 Isaiah 54:2 תַּחְשֹׂ֑כִי tachesokhi HVqj2fs spare may you withhold
H2820-09 Isaiah 58:1 תַּחְשֹׂ֔ךְ tachesokhe HVqj2ms hold back may you withhold
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