2556. chamets
Lexicon
chamets: To be leavened, to be sour

Original Word: חָמֵץ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chamets
Pronunciation: khaw-mates'
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-mates')
Definition: To be leavened, to be sour
Meaning: to be pungent, in taste, in color

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cruel man, dyed, be grieved, leavened

A primitive root; to be pungent; i.e. In taste (sour, i.e. Literally fermented, or figuratively, harsh), in color (dazzling) -- cruel (man), dyed, be grieved, leavened.

Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. חָמֵץ verb be sour, leavened (Late Hebrew id., Pi`el Hiph`il make sour, leaven; Arabic be sour; Aramaic חֲמַע be sour, leavened, be leavened) —

Qal Perfect חָמֵץ Exodus 12:39; Imperfect יֶחְמָ֑ץ Exodus 12:34; Infinitive suffix חֻמְצָתוֺ Hosea 7:4 +; — be leavened, of dough (בָּצֵק), Exodus 12:34,39 (E), compare Hosea 7:4.

Hitph. be soured, embittered, Psalm 73:21 ("" כִּלְיוֺתַי אֶשְׁתּוֺנָן).

II. [חמץ] verb be red (? compare Aramaic Ethpa`al blush, be ashamed, possibly originally be red); —

Qal Passive participle construct חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים red of garments Isaiah 63:1; possibly also Imperfect3feminine singular תֶּחֱמַץ Psalm 68:24 that thy foot may be red with blood (for ᵑ0 תמחץ; so Krochm Hi Gr; most, however, read תרחץ see רחץ).

III. [חמץ] verb be ruthless (dubious √; perhaps by-form of חמס; perhaps erroneous for it; identification by most with I. חמץ, be sour, hence sharp, violent, but connection improbable) — only

Qal Participle active מִכַּף מְעַוֵּל וְחוֺמֵץ Psalm 71:4 from the hand of the unjust and ruthless ("" מִיַּד רָשָׁע).

Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: G91 (ἀζύμη, azymē): Refers to unleavened bread, used in the context of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
G1572 (ἐκζυμόω, ekzumoō): To leaven, to cause to ferment or rise.
G2220 (ζύμη, zymē): Leaven, used metaphorically in the New Testament to describe influence, often of a corrupting nature.

These Greek terms reflect the continuation of the metaphorical use of leaven in the New Testament, emphasizing the pervasive and often negative influence of certain teachings or behaviors.

Usage: The term חָמֵץ is used in the context of leavening, often referring to the process of fermentation that causes bread to rise. It is associated with the concept of leaven, which is prohibited during certain religious observances such as Passover.

Context: • The root חָמֵץ (chametz) is primarily used in the Hebrew Bible to describe the process of leavening, which is the fermentation that causes dough to rise. This process is symbolic in various biblical contexts, particularly in the observance of Passover, where the consumption of leavened bread is strictly forbidden. The prohibition of leaven during Passover is a reminder of the Israelites' hasty departure from Egypt, during which they did not have time to let their bread rise.
• In a broader sense, חָמֵץ can also refer to anything that is sour or pungent, extending metaphorically to describe moral corruption or impurity. The leavening process, which involves the transformation of dough, serves as a metaphor for the pervasive nature of sin and impurity, which can spread and corrupt if not checked.
• The concept of leaven is used in various biblical passages to illustrate spiritual truths. For example, in the New Testament, Jesus warns against the "leaven of the Pharisees," which refers to their hypocrisy and false teachings (cf. Matthew 16:6, BSB).
• The term appears in several key passages related to the observance of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, such as Exodus 12:15, where the Israelites are commanded to remove all leaven from their homes: "For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you are to remove the leaven from your houses..." (BSB).

Forms and Transliterations
וְחוֹמֵץ׃ וחומץ חֲמ֤וּץ חָמֵ֑ץ חֻמְצָתֽוֹ׃ חמוץ חמץ חמצתו׃ יִתְחַמֵּ֣ץ יֶחְמָ֑ץ יחמץ יתחמץ chaMetz chaMutz chumtzaTo ḥā·mêṣ ḥă·mūṣ ḥāmêṣ ḥămūṣ ḥum·ṣā·ṯōw ḥumṣāṯōw vechometz wə·ḥō·w·mêṣ wəḥōwmêṣ yechMatz yeḥ·māṣ yeḥmāṣ yiṯ·ḥam·mêṣ yitchamMetz yiṯḥammêṣ
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Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 12:34
HEB: בְּצֵק֖וֹ טֶ֣רֶם יֶחְמָ֑ץ מִשְׁאֲרֹתָ֛ם צְרֻרֹ֥ת
NAS: before it was leavened, [with] their kneading bowls
KJV: their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs
INT: their dough before leavened their kneading bound

Exodus 12:39
HEB: כִּ֣י לֹ֣א חָמֵ֑ץ כִּֽי־ גֹרְשׁ֣וּ
NAS: of unleavened bread. For it had not become leavened, since
KJV: out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out
INT: since had not become since were driven

Psalm 71:4
HEB: מִכַּ֖ף מְעַוֵּ֣ל וְחוֹמֵץ׃
NAS: of the wrongdoer and ruthless man,
KJV: of the unrighteous and cruel man.
INT: of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless

Psalm 73:21
HEB: כִּ֭י יִתְחַמֵּ֣ץ לְבָבִ֑י וְ֝כִלְיוֹתַ֗י
NAS: my heart was embittered And I was pierced
KJV: Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked
INT: When was embittered my heart within

Isaiah 63:1
HEB: בָּ֣א מֵאֱד֗וֹם חֲמ֤וּץ בְּגָדִים֙ מִבָּצְרָ֔ה
NAS: With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,
KJV: from Edom, with dyed garments
INT: comes Edom of glowing garments Bozrah

Hosea 7:4
HEB: בָּצֵ֖ק עַד־ חֻמְצָתֽוֹ׃
NAS: of the dough until it is leavened.
KJV: the dough, until it be leavened.
INT: of the dough until is leavened

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2556
6 Occurrences


ḥā·mêṣ — 1 Occ.
ḥă·mūṣ — 1 Occ.
ḥum·ṣā·ṯōw — 1 Occ.
wə·ḥō·w·mêṣ — 1 Occ.
yeḥ·māṣ — 1 Occ.
yiṯ·ḥam·mêṣ — 1 Occ.















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