Lexical Summary cheser: want Original Word: חֶסֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance poverty, want From chacer; lack; hence, destitution -- poverty, want. see HEBREW chacer NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chaser Definition want, poverty NASB Translation want (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֶ֫סֶר noun masculineProverbs 28:22 want, poverty — always absolute; יְבֹאֶנּוּ ׳ח Proverbs 28:22 want shall come to him; "" כָּפָן hunger Job 30:3. Topical Lexicon Definition and Semantic Range חֶסֶר (cheser) conveys the idea of deficiency—material, social, or spiritual. While its lexical root speaks of “lacking,” the word’s theological weight rests on the contrast between human want and divine sufficiency, highlighting both physical poverty and the deeper absence of well-being that only God can supply. Occurrences and Literary Settings 1. Job 30:3 portrays the outcasts “gaunt from poverty and hunger”, using חֶסֶר to underline Job’s argument that calamity can strike the righteous as well as the wicked. Though few in number, these two texts anchor חֶסֶר in Israel’s Wisdom corpus, inviting reflection on the mysterious interplay among providence, personal conduct, and community responsibility. Historical Backdrop Ancient Near-Eastern societies were agrarian and vulnerable to drought, invasion, and social inequities. In such a milieu, “lack” was more than a private inconvenience; it threatened clan survival. Israel’s law therefore wove mercy into its economic fabric (Leviticus 25; Deuteronomy 15). Against this backdrop, חֶסֶר becomes a barometer of covenant faithfulness: persistent poverty signaled either extraordinary testing (Job) or systemic neglect and personal greed (Proverbs). Theological Themes Connections with Related Hebrew Terms חֶסֶר stands alongside רֵעָב (reʿav, famine) and עֹנִי (oni, affliction) but is broader than physical hunger and narrower than generic affliction. Unlike חָסֵר (chaser, the verb “to lack”), the noun stresses the state rather than the process, sharpening the focus on enduring need. Echoes in the New Testament The Septuagint often translates חֶסֶר with ἔνδεια (endeia, want). Paul adopts the word group when confessing, “I know what it is to be in need” (Philippians 4:12). Yet he proclaims the sufficiency of Christ: “My God will supply all your needs” (Philippians 4:19). James 1:4 employs the cognate λείπω (“lack”) to describe spiritual maturity—“so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Thus the apostolic witness re-frames cheser: temporal poverty may persist, but in Christ, ultimate lack is abolished. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Compassionate Action: Scripture’s seamless concern for the impoverished mandates tangible care—food distribution (Acts 6), relief offerings (2 Corinthians 8-9), and personal generosity (1 John 3:17). Christological Fulfillment Jesus’ feeding miracles (Matthew 14; John 6) unmistakably confront חֶסֶר, demonstrating Messianic authority over scarcity and prefiguring the eschatological banquet. On the cross He embraces utter deprivation—“I thirst” (John 19:28)—so that those who believe might never hunger or thirst again (John 6:35; Revelation 7:16). Summary חֶסֶר condenses the ache of human insufficiency while pointing beyond itself to Yahweh’s faithful provision. Whether arising from inexplicable trials or self-induced folly, lack becomes, in Scripture’s economy, a stage upon which divine generosity, covenant community, and ultimately the grace of Christ are displayed. Forms and Transliterations בְּחֶ֥סֶר בחסר חֶ֥סֶר חסר bə·ḥe·ser beCheser bəḥeser Cheser ḥe·ser ḥeserLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 30:3 HEB: בְּחֶ֥סֶר וּבְכָפָ֗ן גַּ֫לְמ֥וּד NAS: From want and famine they are gaunt KJV: For want and famine INT: want and famine are gaunt Proverbs 28:22 2 Occurrences |
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