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חָתַל

𐤇𐤕𐤋

châthal

H2853 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To wrap or bind around; specifically, to swaddle a newborn infant in cloth strips. The term denotes the act of enveloping something, most commonly referenced in the context of newborn care. More broadly, it can indicate securely binding or wrapping up, but is chiefly attested in reference to swaddling babies.

Semantic Range

to wrap (with cloth), to swaddle a baby, to envelop securely, to bind around

Root / Etymology

Root: חתל. The root conveys the idea of binding or wrapping together. The derived verb form חָתַל means to wrap tightly, particularly to enclose with strips of cloth, as with an infant. Etymology is straightforward within Northwest Semitic; parallels are attested in cognate Semitic languages with similar senses of binding or wrapping, though extended uses are rare or absent.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָתַל occurs sparingly in the Hebrew Bible and is primarily found in poetic or metaphorical contexts (such as Ezekiel 16:4, which references swaddling as part of birth and infancy imagery). Its concrete meaning is tied to the physical act of caring for a newborn, underscoring familial or societal responsibility for vulnerable members. Later Hebrew relies more on related terms for wrapping, such as עָטַף (to envelop, wrap). English translations often use "swaddle" for חָתַל, which accurately captures the term's main sense, but occasionally fail to convey the cultural importance of swaddling as a routine aspect of infant care and nurture in the ancient Near East. There is no significant semantic drift or theological nuance added in later periods, but the word serves as a marker of cultural competence in caregiving imagery.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to swathe; [idiom] at all, swaddle.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חתל (ḥ-t-l) — bind, wrap, swaddle

Root חָתַל to bind, wrap, swaddle
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2848 חִתּוּל swaddling band
H2854 חֲתֻלָּה his swaddling-cloth
H2855 חֶתְלֹן Chethlon

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2853-01 חֻתָּֽלְתְּ chutalete HVPp2fs were you swaddled you were swaddled you were swaddled 1
H2853-02 וְ/הָחְתֵּ֖ל vehachetel HC/VHa and swaddling to be swaddled to be swaddled 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2853-02 Ezekiel 16:4 וְ/הָחְתֵּ֖ל vehachetel HC/VHa and swaddling to be swaddled to be swaddled
H2853-01 Ezekiel 16:4 חֻתָּֽלְתְּ chutalete HVPp2fs were you swaddled you were swaddled you were swaddled
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