Lexical Summary chabereth: Company, association, band Original Word: חֲבֶרֶת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance companion Feminine of chaber; a consort -- companion. see HEBREW chaber NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of chaber Definition consort NASB Translation companion (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חֲבֶ֫רֶת] noun feminine consort, i.e. wife וְהִיא חֲבֶרְתְּךָ Malachi 2:14 ("" אֵשֶׁת בְּרִיתֶ֑ךָ). Topical Lexicon Linguistic and Conceptual Backgroundחֲבֶרֶת derives from a Semitic idea of joining or knitting together. While the form appears but once in the Old Testament, it stands within a wider family of terms that picture close, covenantal attachment. The word does not merely denote physical proximity; it carries the nuance of chosen affinity, mutual obligation, and enduring solidarity—the very essence of biblical companionship. Single Canonical Occurrence: Malachi 2:14 “Yet you ask, ‘Why?’ Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your covenant.” (Malachi 2:14) Here חֲבֶרֶת is rendered “partner” or “companion,” set in poetic parallel with “wife of your covenant.” The prophet confronts post-exilic men who were discarding their Israelite wives in favor of foreign marriages (cf. Malachi 2:11). By choosing this term, the Spirit underscores that marriage is not merely contractual but relational—a companionship to which God Himself testifies. Companionship Imagery in the Old Testament 1. Parallel Vocabulary 2. Covenant Embeddedness Malachi couples חֲבֶרֶת with “covenant” to teach that companionship and covenant are inseparable. The union is tri-partite: husband, wife, and Yahweh as witness (Proverbs 3:32). 3. God as the Archetypal Companion Israel repeatedly hears, “I will be with you” (Isaiah 41:10). Human marriage reflects this divine presence; to betray one’s spouse is to distort a living parable of God’s fidelity. Historical Setting Around 450 BC the returned exiles struggled with social and spiritual instability. Mixed marriages threatened covenant identity (Ezra 9–10; Nehemiah 13:23–27). Malachi confronts the heart of the issue: these unions were being formed at the cost of forsaking wives who had shared the hardships of exile. חֲבֶרֶת thus evokes shared history, reminding the men that sinning against their wives meant rupturing long-standing bonds nurtured through suffering and hope. New Testament Resonance Though the Hebrew term itself does not reappear, its theology permeates the New Testament: • Matthew 19:6: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” Rabbinic and Intertestamental Echoes Later Jewish writings employ derivatives of the root to describe study partners in Torah, underscoring that true companionship involves shared pursuit of God’s word. The shift from merely living together to laboring together for righteousness traces directly back to Malachi’s rebuke. Theological Significance 1. Sanctity of Marital Union Malachi’s language elevates marriage above social convention to divine ordinance. To violate a spouse is to invite covenant sanctions (Malachi 2:16). 2. God’s Witnessing Role Marriage vows are spoken in the presence of God, who remains an active guarantor. His witness empowers forgiveness and restoration for those who repent. 3. Companionship as Missional Healthy marriages display God’s character to a watching world (John 13:35 applied domestically). The bond signified by חֲבֶרֶת thus participates in God’s redemptive mission. Ministry Implications • Premarital Counseling: Emphasize companionship as primary, preceding romance or procreation. Summary חֲבֶרֶת appears only once, yet its weight is profound. It crystallizes the biblical view that marriage is a God-witnessed companionship grounded in covenant. By honoring this truth, believers mirror the steadfast love of the Lord, uphold the integrity of the community, and offer a living testimony to the gospel of Christ. Forms and Transliterations חֲבֶרְתְּךָ֖ חברתך chaverteCha ḥă·ḇer·tə·ḵā ḥăḇertəḵāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Malachi 2:14 HEB: בָּ֔הּ וְהִ֥יא חֲבֶרְתְּךָ֖ וְאֵ֥שֶׁת בְּרִיתֶֽךָ׃ NAS: you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife KJV: against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet [is] she thy companion, and the wife INT: have dealt she is your companion and your wife covenant 1 Occurrence |
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