2530. chamad
Lexical Summary
chamad: To desire, to covet, to take pleasure in, to delight in

Original Word: חָמַד
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chamad
Pronunciation: khaw-MAD
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-mad')
KJV: beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, (X great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing)
NASB: covet, desirable, desired, desires, precious, attracted, coveted
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to delight in

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, great delight, desire, lust,

A primitive root; to delight in -- beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, (X great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to desire, take pleasure in
NASB Translation
attracted (1), covet (6), coveted (1), delight (1), desirable (2), desire (1), desired (2), desires (2), pleasing (1), precious (2), precious things (1), took great delight (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
חָמַד verb desire, take pleasure in (Aramaic חֲמַד (not in Syriac); Arabic praise, eulogize, appove of; Sabean חמדם in gratitude [praise] there-for DHMZMG 1875, 595; 1876, 686) —

Qal Perfect ׳ח Psalm 68:17; Proverbs 12:12; חָֽמְדוּ Proverbs 1:22; וְחָֽמְדוּ consecutive Micah 2:2; חֲמַדְתֶּם Isaiah 1:29; Imperfect יַחְמֹד Exodus 34:24; 2masculine singular תַּחְמֹד Exodus 20:16 (twice in verse) + 3t. (including Proverbs 6:25 jussive); suffix וָאֶחְמְדֵם Joshua 7:21; וְנֶחְמְדֵ֫הוּ Isaiah 53:2; Passive participle חֲמוּדוֺ Psalm 39:12; Job 20:20, חֲמוּדֵיהֶם Isaiah 44:9; — desire:

a. in bad sense of inordinate, ungoverned, selfish desire, followed by accusative Exodus 20:17 (twice in verse) (E) = Deuteronomy 5:18 (Deuteronomy 5:18 b has תִּתְאַוֶּה), Exodus 34:24 (JE) Deuteronomy 7:25; Joshua 7:21 (JE) Micah 2:2; Proverbs 12:12; of lustful desire Proverbs 6:25.

b. = take pleasure in, of idolatrous tendency Isaiah 1:29, so participle plural חֲמוּדֵיהֵם Isaiah 44:9 their delightful things (things in which they delight, see also Isaiah 44:11 and BevJPhoenician xvii. 1888. p. 126); לֵצִים לָצוֺן חָֽמְדוּ Proverbs 1:22 how long do scorners delight in scoring.

c. less often in good sense, said of God לְשִׁבְתּוֺ ׳הָהָר חָמַד א, poetic Psalm 68:17; object the suffering servant of ׳י, Isaiah 53:2 no beauty in him, that we should desire him (choose him, be drawn toward him); passive participle collective חֲמוּדוֺ Psalm 39:12 his desired things, i. e. chosen, choice, desirable (see Niph`al); so probably Job 20:20.

Niph`al Participle נֶחְמָד Genesis 2:9 2t.; הַנֶּחֱמָדִים Psalm 19:11; — desirable: ׳עץ נ לְמַרְאֶה Genesis 2:9, לְהַשְׂכִּיל ׳נ Genesis 3:6, מִזָּהָב ׳הַנֶּח Psalm 19:11 which are more desirable than gold; אוֺצָר נֶחְמָד Proverbs 21:20 desirable, i.e. costly treasure.

Pi`el Perfect1singular delight greatly וְיָשַׁ֫בְתִּי ׳בְּצִלּוֺ ח Songs 2:3 in his shadow I greatly delighted and sate, i.e. sate with great delight.

[חֲמוּדָה] noun feminine desirableness, preciousnessPlural absolute חֲמוּדוֺת Daniel 9:23; חֲמוּדֹת Ezra 8:37; חֲמֻדוֺת2Chronicles 20:25 4t.; חֲמֻדֹת Genesis 27:15; construct חֲמֻדוֺת Daniel 11:43; — desirable, choice things i.e. garments Genesis 27:15 ("" בגדים); compare Daniel 11:38 ("" אבן יקרה), Daniel 11:43 (חֲמֻדוֺת מִצְרַיִם); = precious things Ezra 8:27 (as gold); ׳כלי ח2Chronicles 20:25; ׳לֶחֶם ח Deuteronomy 10:3; of man only ׳אִישׁחֿ Daniel 10:11,19, and, without אישׁ, אָ֫תָּה ׳ח Daniel 9:23 thou art a precious treasure (on construction see Dr§ 189, 2; see Bev and compare negative חמד Isaiah 53:2).

Topical Lexicon
Scope and Nuances of חָמַד

The root paints a spectrum that ranges from wholesome delight to illicit craving. Scripture uses it for what is “pleasant” to behold (Genesis 2:9), for treasures rightly valued (Psalm 19:10), and for coveting that violates God’s law (Exodus 20:17). Context alone distinguishes noble appreciation from sinful grasping; the same verb can introduce Eden’s beauty or Achan’s theft.

Edenic Delight and the Fall

Genesis locates the first occurrences. The trees were “pleasing to the sight” (Genesis 2:9)―an unspoiled capacity to recognize God-given goodness. In Genesis 3:6 the same sense is twisted: “the tree was desirable for obtaining wisdom.” The verb thus becomes a hinge between innocence and rebellion, illustrating how a God-installed appetite can be bent toward autonomy.

Covenant Ethics: The Tenth Commandment

At Sinai the Lord legislates inward desire: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house … wife … or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21). Unlike previous commands that regulate external actions, this statute exposes the heart. Later prophets review Israel’s breaches—Micah 2:2 indicts land–seizing nobles who “covet fields and seize them,” proving that social injustice springs from violated interior boundaries.

Historical Narratives: Craving that Costs

Joshua 7:21 records Achan’s confession: “I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak … and I coveted them and took them.” The act undermined Israel’s entire campaign. In 1 Kings 20:6 Ben-hadad threatens to take “whatever is pleasant in your eyes,” weaponizing desire to demoralize Israel. These accounts show חָמַד as a tactical fault line where obedience may either hold or collapse.

Wisdom Literature: Ordering Desire

Proverbs contrasts right and wrong longings: “The wicked covet the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous bears fruit” (Proverbs 12:12). Psalm 19:10 extols God’s judgments: “They are more desirable than gold.” Desire becomes an evaluative faculty harnessed by revelation; the fear of the LORD reshapes what the heart finds attractive.

Song of Songs: Celebrated Delight

In a book dedicated to covenant love, the bride sings, “I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste” (Song of Songs 2:3). Here חָמַד dignifies romantic and physical enjoyment within divinely sanctioned marriage, balancing the negative prohibitions elsewhere.

Prophetic Reproof and Consolation

Isaiah 1:29 foretells shame for those who “delighted in the oaks,” exposing idolatrous desire. Yet Isaiah 53:2 declares the Servant lacked the beauty “to attract us to Him,” indicating that redemption arrives in a form men do not naturally desire, confronting our aesthetic expectations.

Daniel’s Visions: The Beloved of God

Three times Daniel is addressed as “highly precious” (Daniel 9:23; 10:11; 10:19). The root shifts from human yearning to divine esteem: the prophet is the object of heavenly delight. The passages foreshadow New Testament teaching that God’s gracious regard, not human merit, defines true worth.

Eschatological Hints

Though Haggai 2:7 uses the related noun, the connection suggests an ultimate “desired” advent that will shake the nations. The verb teaches that final restoration involves rightly directed global longing, fulfilled in Messiah.

Ministry and Discipleship Applications

1. Heart Diagnosis: Since חָמַד may denote sin before any outward act, preaching and counseling must address motives, not merely behaviors (compare Romans 7:7).
2. Cultivating Holy Delight: Psalm 19 invites believers to train desire toward Scripture, turning the appetite redeemed in Christ toward what enriches the soul.
3. Contentment and Stewardship: Exodus 20:17 guards community life; practical ministry equips saints to resist consumerism and envy.
4. Worship Orientation: Isaiah exposes misplaced delight in idols; corporate worship re-centers affections on God’s splendor.

Key Themes Interwoven

• Desire is originally good yet easily corrupted.
• God’s law penetrates the level of longing, revealing sin’s depth.
• Rightly ordered desire magnifies the worth of God, His Word, His people, and covenant relationships.
• Messianic redemption re-calibrates human longing and demonstrates what God Himself finds desirable.

Representative References

Genesis 2:9; 3:6

Exodus 20:17

Deuteronomy 5:21

Joshua 7:21

1 Kings 20:6

Psalm 19:10; 68:16

Proverbs 12:12

Song of Songs 2:3

Isaiah 1:29; 53:2

Daniel 9:23; 10:11; 10:19

Micah 2:2

Forms and Transliterations
בַּ֝חֲמוּד֗וֹ בחמודו הַֽנֶּחֱמָדִ֗ים הנחמדים וְחָמְד֤וּ וְנֶחְמְדֵֽהוּ׃ וְנֶחְמָ֤ד וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖ם וָֽאֶחְמְדֵ֖ם וּבַחֲמֻדֽוֹת׃ ואחמדם ובחמדות׃ וחמדו וחמודיהם ונחמד ונחמדהו׃ חֲ֠מֻדוֹת חֲמַדְתֶּ֑ם חֲמֻד֔וֹת חֲמֻד֛וֹת חֲמֻד֞וֹת חֲמֻד֣וֹת חֲמוּד֑וֹ חֲמוּד֖וֹת חִמַּ֣דְתִּי חָמְד֣וּ חָמַ֣ד חמד חמדו חמדות חמדתי חמדתם חמודו חמודות יַחְמֹ֥ד יחמד נֶחְמָ֣ד נֶחְמָ֥ד נחמד תַּחְמֹ֣ד תַחְמֹ֖ד תַחְמֹ֞ד תַחְמֹד֩ תחמד ba·ḥă·mū·ḏōw bachamuDo baḥămūḏōw chaMad chamadTem chameDu chamuDo chamuDot chimMadti ḥā·maḏ ḥă·maḏ·tem ḥā·mə·ḏū ḥă·mu·ḏō·wṯ ḥă·mū·ḏō·wṯ ḥă·mū·ḏōw ḥāmaḏ ḥămaḏtem ḥāməḏū ḥămūḏōw ḥămuḏōwṯ ḥămūḏōwṯ han·ne·ḥĕ·mā·ḏîm hannechemaDim hanneḥĕmāḏîm ḥim·maḏ·tî ḥimmaḏtî nechMad neḥ·māḏ neḥmāḏ tachMod taḥ·mōḏ ṯaḥ·mōḏ taḥmōḏ ṯaḥmōḏ ū·ḇa·ḥă·mu·ḏō·wṯ ūḇaḥămuḏōwṯ uvachamuDot vachamudeiHem vaechmeDem vechameDu venechMad venechmeDehu wā’eḥməḏêm wā·’eḥ·mə·ḏêm wa·ḥă·mū·ḏê·hem waḥămūḏêhem wə·ḥā·mə·ḏū wə·neḥ·māḏ wə·neḥ·mə·ḏê·hū wəḥāməḏū wəneḥmāḏ wəneḥməḏêhū yachMod yaḥ·mōḏ yaḥmōḏ
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Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 2:9
HEB: כָּל־ עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב
NAS: tree that is pleasing to the sight
KJV: every tree that is pleasant to the sight,
INT: every tree is pleasing to the sight and good

Genesis 3:6
HEB: ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל
NAS: and that the tree was desirable to make [one] wise,
KJV: and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise,
INT: and that it to the eyes was desirable the tree to make wise

Exodus 20:17
HEB: לֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ
NAS: You shall not covet your neighbor's
KJV: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's
INT: shall not covet house your neighbor's

Exodus 20:17
HEB: רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֹֽא־ תַחְמֹ֞ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֗ךָ
NAS: house; you shall not covet your neighbor's
KJV: house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's
INT: your neighbor's shall not covet wife your neighbor's

Exodus 34:24
HEB: גְּבוּלֶ֑ךָ וְלֹא־ יַחְמֹ֥ד אִישׁ֙ אֶֽת־
NAS: man shall covet your land
KJV: neither shall any man desire thy land,
INT: your borders and no shall covet man your land

Deuteronomy 5:21
HEB: וְלֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֑ךָ
NAS: You shall not covet your neighbor's
KJV: Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's
INT: shall not covet wife your neighbor's

Deuteronomy 7:25
HEB: בָּאֵ֑שׁ לֹֽא־ תַחְמֹד֩ כֶּ֨סֶף וְזָהָ֤ב
NAS: with fire; you shall not covet the silver
KJV: with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver
INT: fire nor covet the silver the gold

Joshua 7:21
HEB: שְׁקָלִים֙ מִשְׁקָל֔וֹ וָֽאֶחְמְדֵ֖ם וָֽאֶקָּחֵ֑ם וְהִנָּ֨ם
NAS: in weight, then I coveted them and took
KJV: weight, then I coveted them, and took
INT: shekels weight coveted and took and behold

2 Chronicles 20:25
HEB: וּפְגָרִים֙ וּכְלֵ֣י חֲמֻד֔וֹת וַיְנַצְּל֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם
INT: bodies things beauty took than

Job 20:20
HEB: שָׁלֵ֣ו בְּבִטְנ֑וֹ בַּ֝חֲמוּד֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃
NAS: him, He does not retain anything he desires.
KJV: he shall not save of that which he desired.
INT: quiet within desires no retain

Psalm 19:10
HEB: הַֽנֶּחֱמָדִ֗ים מִ֭זָּהָב וּמִפַּ֣ז
NAS: They are more desirable than gold,
KJV: More to be desired [are they] than gold,
INT: desirable gold fine

Psalm 39:11
HEB: וַתֶּ֣מֶס כָּעָ֣שׁ חֲמוּד֑וֹ אַ֤ךְ הֶ֖בֶל
NAS: as a moth what is precious to him; Surely
KJV: for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away
INT: consume A moth is precious Surely mere

Psalm 68:16
HEB: גַּבְנֻ֫נִּ֥ים הָהָ֗ר חָמַ֣ד אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְשִׁבְתּ֑וֹ
NAS: which God has desired for His abode?
KJV: [which] God desireth to dwell in;
INT: with peaks the mountain has desired God in

Proverbs 1:22
HEB: וְלֵצִ֗ים לָ֭צוֹן חָמְד֣וּ לָהֶ֑ם וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים
NAS: And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
KJV: and the scorners delight in their scorning,
INT: ambassador scoffing delight like and fools

Proverbs 6:25
HEB: אַל־ תַּחְמֹ֣ד יָ֭פְיָהּ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ
NAS: Do not desire her beauty
KJV: Lust not after her beauty
INT: Nor desire her beauty your heart

Proverbs 12:12
HEB: חָמַ֣ד רָ֭שָׁע מְצ֣וֹד
NAS: The wicked man desires the booty
KJV: The wicked desireth the net of evil
INT: desires the wicked the booty

Proverbs 21:20
HEB: אוֹצָ֤ר ׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה
NAS: There is precious treasure and oil
KJV: [There is] treasure to be desired and oil
INT: treasure is precious and oil the dwelling

Songs 2:3
HEB: הַבָּנִ֑ים בְּצִלּוֹ֙ חִמַּ֣דְתִּי וְיָשַׁ֔בְתִּי וּפִרְי֖וֹ
NAS: In his shade I took great delight and sat down,
KJV: down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit
INT: the young his shade took and sat and his fruit

Isaiah 1:29
HEB: מֵאֵילִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲמַדְתֶּ֑ם וְתַ֨חְפְּר֔וּ מֵהַגַּנּ֖וֹת
NAS: which you have desired, And you will be embarrassed
KJV: of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded
INT: of the oaks which have desired will be embarrassed the gardens

Isaiah 44:9
HEB: כֻּלָּם֙ תֹּ֔הוּ וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖ם בַּל־ יוֹעִ֑ילוּ
NAS: of them futile, and their precious things are of no
KJV: [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit;
INT: are all futile and their precious no profit

Isaiah 53:2
HEB: וְלֹֽא־ מַרְאֶ֖ה וְנֶחְמְדֵֽהוּ׃
NAS: appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
KJV: him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him.
INT: Nor appearance should be attracted

Daniel 9:23
HEB: לְהַגִּ֔יד כִּ֥י חֲמוּד֖וֹת אָ֑תָּה וּבִין֙
INT: to tell for beauty you give

Daniel 10:3
HEB: לֶ֣חֶם חֲמֻד֞וֹת לֹ֣א אָכַ֗לְתִּי
INT: food beauty nor eat

Daniel 10:11
HEB: דָּנִיֵּ֣אל אִישׁ־ חֲ֠מֻדוֹת הָבֵ֨ן בַּדְּבָרִ֜ים
INT: Daniel man beauty understand the words

Daniel 10:19
HEB: תִּירָ֧א אִישׁ־ חֲמֻד֛וֹת שָׁל֥וֹם לָ֖ךְ
INT: be afraid man beauty Peace take

28 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2530
28 Occurrences


ba·ḥă·mū·ḏōw — 1 Occ.
ḥā·maḏ — 2 Occ.
ḥă·maḏ·tem — 1 Occ.
ḥā·mə·ḏū — 1 Occ.
ḥă·mū·ḏōw — 1 Occ.
ḥă·mu·ḏō·wṯ — 6 Occ.
ḥim·maḏ·tî — 1 Occ.
han·ne·ḥĕ·mā·ḏîm — 1 Occ.
neḥ·māḏ — 2 Occ.
ṯaḥ·mōḏ — 5 Occ.
ū·ḇa·ḥă·mu·ḏō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
wa·ḥă·mū·ḏê·hem — 1 Occ.
wā·’eḥ·mə·ḏêm — 1 Occ.
wə·ḥā·mə·ḏū — 1 Occ.
wə·neḥ·māḏ — 1 Occ.
wə·neḥ·mə·ḏê·hū — 1 Occ.
yaḥ·mōḏ — 1 Occ.

2529
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