לַחַשׁ
𐤋𐤇𐤔
lachash
H3908 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A soft, murmured sound; in contexts, a whisper or murmur uttered quietly, typically to conceal or for intimacy. The term denotes subdued speech (whisper, mutter), and by extension may refer to private utterances such as confidential speech or prayer. In negative contexts, it refers to secretive speech intended for magical purposes—an incantation or spell. Less commonly, it can denote an object associated with magical practice, such as a charm or amulet.
Semantic Range
whisper, murmured speech, private utterance, confidential prayer, spell, incantation, enchantment, charm, amulet
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root לחש (lamed-chet-shin), meaning 'to whisper, to murmur, to speak in a low voice.' The noun form לַחַשׁ (lachash) conveys the result or product of this action: a whisper or murmured phrase, sometimes with the implication of secrecy or magical potency.
Historical & Contextual Notes
לַחַשׁ is attested in both neutral and negative contexts in the Hebrew Bible. Neutral use refers to murmuring, quiet speech, or soft communication, sometimes linked with prayer or confidential discussion (Isaiah 26:16). In other contexts, especially in prophetic literature, it is associated with illicit magical practice—whispered incantations or spells used by practitioners condemned in Israelite society (such as Isaiah 3:3, Ecclesiastes 10:11). The association with an object like an amulet arises through metonymy: the spoken charm (whispered incantation) may also refer to an object believed to carry protective power. English translations sometimes render לַחַשׁ as 'enchantment,' 'spell,' or 'amulet'; none fully capture its range from innocuous whisper to forbidden magical utterance. The semantic domain partially overlaps with נחשׁ (nachash, 'to practice divination'), but לחש tends to emphasize the manner of speech—murmured, secretive utterance—rather than the whole act of divination. Usage develops from simply denoting soft speech to a specialized term for ritual or magical utterance, especially as Israelite religion distinguishes its acceptable and unacceptable forms of spiritual practice. In late biblical or extra-biblical Hebrew, lachash may occur in reference to magical or apotropaic objects and formulas, reflecting ongoing semantic shifts.
Translation Consistency
לַחַשׁ most often denotes a soft, murmured or secret utterance (whisper/mutter) — the primary, natural English match. "Whisper" covers private speech, subdued prayer, and murmuring meanings well; the rarer sense of magical incantation or charm can be understood as a "whispered" spell, so using "whisper" gives a consistent, natural rendering across contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from לָחַשׁ; properly, a whisper, i.e. by implication, (in a good sense) a private prayer, (in a bad one) an incantation; concretely, an amulet; charmed, earring, enchantment, orator, prayer.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לחש (l-ḥ-sh) — to whisper, to mutter, to murmur
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3908-01 |
לָֽחַשׁ | lachash | HNcmsa |
a whisper | a whispered utterance | a whispered utterance | 4 |
H3908-02 |
וְ/הַ/לְּחָשִֽׁים | vehalechashim | HC/Td/Ncmpa |
and the amulets | whispers | and the amulets | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3908-01 |
Isaiah 3:3 | לָֽחַשׁ | lachash | HNcmsa |
enchanter | a whispered utterance | a whispered utterance |
H3908-02 |
Isaiah 3:20 | וְ/הַ/לְּחָשִֽׁים | vehalechashim | HC/Td/Ncmpa |
and the amulets | whispers | and the amulets |
H3908-01 |
Isaiah 26:16 | לַ֔חַשׁ | lachash | HNcmsa |
a whisper | a whispered utterance | a whispered utterance |
H3908-01 |
Jeremiah 8:17 | לָ֑חַשׁ | lachash | HNcmsa |
charm | a whispered utterance | a whispered utterance |
H3908-01 |
Ecclesiastes 10:11 | לָ֑חַשׁ | lachash | HNcmsa |
charming | a whispered utterance | a whispered utterance |