לָחַשׁ
𐤋𐤇𐤔
lâchash
H3907 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To speak or utter in a low voice, whisper, or mutter. In extended usage, to recite incantations or murmur spells in a subdued tone, often associated with magical or ritual contexts. Also refers to the act of charm-speech or confidential communication, particularly in contexts involving secrecy or conjuration.
Semantic Range
to whisper, to speak softly, to murmur privately, to recite an incantation, to mutter spells, to charm, charm-speech, ritual murmuring
Root / Etymology
Root לחש (L-Ḥ-Sh) carries the primary sense of murmuring, whispering, or uttering in a subdued manner. The verb form לָחַשׁ (lâchash) stems directly from the root, denoting 'to whisper' and, by extension, 'to enchant' or 'to speak spells' due to the association of whispered speech with magical practices in ancient contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, לָחַשׁ appears in both secular and cultic contexts. In regular speech, it denotes whispering as a mode of private or secret communication (Isaiah 26:16). In cultic or magical settings, it refers to the murmuring of incantations, often by practitioners of magic or charmers (e.g., Isaiah 3:3; Ecclesiastes 10:11), reflecting ancient Near Eastern beliefs about the efficacy of whispered or muttered words in ritual. The specific sense of 'enchanter' or 'charmer' emerges from the association between low-voiced speech and spell-casting, though the act of whispering itself is not inherently magical. Standard English translations (such as 'charmer,' 'enchanter,' or 'whisperer') reflect these usages but sometimes obscure the nuance between natural whispering and ritual utterance. Over time, the Hebrew term remained associated with magical practices, as seen in post-biblical literature and later rabbinic tradition.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to whisper; by implication, to mumble aspell (as a magician); charmer, whisper (together).
Bantu Hebrew
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לחש (l-ḥ-sh) — whispering, murmuring, muttering (often secret or incantatory)
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3907-01 |
מְלַחֲשִׁ֑ים | melachashim | HVprmpa |
whisperers | spell-mutterers | spell-mutterers | 1 |
H3907-02 |
מִֽתְלַחֲשִׁ֔ים | mitelachashim | HVtrmpa |
were whispering | those whispering among themselves | were whispering | 1 |
H3907-03 |
יִ֭תְלַחֲשׁוּ | yitelachashu | HVti3mp |
they whisper | they whisper among themselves | they whisper among themselves | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3907-02 |
2 Samuel 12:19 | מִֽתְלַחֲשִׁ֔ים | mitelachashim | HVtrmpa |
were whispering | those whispering among themselves | were whispering |
H3907-03 |
Psalms 41:8 | יִ֭תְלַחֲשׁוּ | yitelachashu | HVti3mp |
they whisper | they whisper among themselves | they whisper among themselves |
H3907-01 |
Psalms 58:6 | מְלַחֲשִׁ֑ים | melachashim | HVprmpa |
whisperers | spell-mutterers | spell-mutterers |