Lexical Summary chob: Debt, obligation Original Word: חֹב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bosom By contraction from chabab; properly, a cherisher, i.e. The bosom -- bosom. see HEBREW chabab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chabab Definition bosom NASB Translation bosom (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חֹב] noun [masculine] bosom (Aramaic) לִטְמוֺן בְּחֻבִּי עֲוֺנִ֑י Job 31:33 (compare חֵיק). Topical Lexicon Contextual Usage Job employs the term within his oath of innocence: “Have I concealed my sin like Adam, hiding my guilt in my bosom?” (Job 31:33). Here the word marks the covert fold of one’s garment—an emblem of secrecy—contrasted with the open confession expected before God. Imagery in Ancient Garb The flowing robe of the ancient Near East, cinched by a sash, created a pouch near the heart. Money, documents, or stolen goods could be slipped into this hidden space, making the “bosom” a natural metaphor for anything nursed in private. Its proximity to the heart deepens the image: what is hidden shapes affections and character. Comparative Biblical Usage Though other Hebrew terms speak of “bosom,” the motif is consistent: These texts demonstrate that the bosom is both a literal pocket and a figurative chamber of the inner life. Ethical and Doctrinal Observations 1. Secrecy sustains sin; disclosure brings deliverance (Proverbs 28:13). Historical Background Job 31 mirrors ancient self-maledictory oaths in which the speaker invites judgment if found deceitful. Against that backdrop, hiding sin in the “bosom” would be perjury before the Divine Judge, threatening covenant curses. Pastoral and Ministry Application • Personal holiness: believers examine hidden motives, echoing Psalm 139:23–24. Christological and Eschatological Trajectory Job’s integrity foreshadows the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, in whom “there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). The cross empties the believer’s bosom of guilt, transferring it to the Sin-Bearer (Isaiah 53:6). Consequently, redeemed saints rest “in the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18), awaiting the day when every hidden thing is brought to light and only holiness remains. Forms and Transliterations בְּחֻבִּ֣י בחבי bə·ḥub·bî bechubBi bəḥubbîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 31:33 HEB: פְּשָׁעָ֑י לִטְמ֖וֹן בְּחֻבִּ֣י עֲוֹֽנִי׃ NAS: By hiding my iniquity in my bosom, KJV: by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom: INT: my transgressions hiding my bosom my iniquity 1 Occurrence |
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