Lexical Summary chashah: To be silent, to be still, to hold peace Original Word: חָשָׁה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hold peace, keep silence, be silent, be still A primitive root; to hush or keep quiet -- hold peace, keep silence, be silent, (be) still. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be silent, inactive, or still NASB Translation calmed (1), hushed (1), keep silent (4), keeping silent (1), kept (1), kept silent (1), refrained (1), silent (3), sit still (1), still (2), still doing nothing (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חָשָׁה] verb be silent, inactive, still (chiefly in poetry and late) (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic in derivatives) — Qal Imperfect2masculine singular תֶּחֱשֶׁה Psalm 28:1; Isaiah 64:11; אֶחֱשֶׁה Isaiah 62:1; Isaiah 65:6; יֶחֱשׁוּ Isaiah 62:6; וַיֶּחֱשׁוּ Psalm 107:29; — be silent Ecclesiastes 3:7 (opposed to לְדַבֵּר); Isaiah 62:1,6 (= neglect to speak); of ׳י i.e. be unresponsive Psalm 28:1 ("" חרשׁ); Isaiah 64:11 ("" הִתְאַמַּק); but Isaiah 65:6 of ׳י's keeping silence at iniquity, i.e. overlooking it (compare Isaiah 57:11 Hiph`il); of waves, be still Psalm 107:29 (subject גַּלֵּיהֶם). Hiph`il Perfect הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי Psalm 39:3; Isaiah 42:14; Imperative הֶחֱשׁוּ 2 Kings 2:3,5; Participle מַחְשֶׁה Isaiah 57:11; plural מַחְשִׁים Judges 18:9 3t.; — 1 exhibit silence, be silent 2 Kings 2:3,5; 2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 39:3 (followed by מִטּוֺב, "" נֶאֱלַמְתִּי), figurative Isaiah 42:14 ("" אחרישׁ); of ׳י's being silent at iniquity Isaiah 57:11 (i.e. overlooking it, compare Qal Isaiah 65:5), possibly also is be silent, opposed to rescue, Ges Che Di Du. 2 shew inactivity Judges 18:9, מִקַּחַת ׳הח 1 Kings 22:3 Gilead is ours, and we shew inactivity so as not to take it. 3 causat. make still, quiet, followed by לְ, of direct object Nehemiah 8:11 (v:b הַסּוּ q. v.) חֻשִׁים, חֻשָם see above. Topical Lexicon Overview ḥāšâ portrays deliberate quietness, stillness, or holding of one’s tongue. The verb appears fifteen times in Scripture and ranges from human passivity to the purposeful restraint of the Lord Himself. Its contexts expose the moral weight of silence—when it is righteous reverence, when it is selfish inaction, and when it is the calm before decisive divine intervention. Silence and Passive Inaction 1. Judges 18:9 and 1 Kings 22:3 show national complacency. “Will you do nothing?” (Judges 18:9) and “we are doing nothing to retake it” (1 Kings 22:3) expose a silence that shirks God-given responsibility. Silence as Reverence and Self-Control 1. Elisha twice commands the prophetic guild, “Be quiet” (2 Kings 2:3, 5), shielding sacred matters from unhelpful chatter. Silence within Creation “He stilled the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed” (Psalm 107:29). The verb underlines divine authority that subdues chaos and brings literal stillness—anticipating the Messiah’s command, “Peace, be still!” Divine Silence: Patience and Testing 1. “I have kept silent for a long time” (Isaiah 42:14) reveals the Lord’s deliberate restraint before acting in both judgment and salvation. Breaking the Silence: Promise and Judgment 1. “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent” (Isaiah 62:1) and the commissioning of watchmen who “will never be silent” (Isaiah 62:6) announce the coming restoration of Jerusalem. Typological Echoes The tension between silence and speech foreshadows Jesus Christ, who “did not open His mouth” before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7) yet will return “with a shout” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). ḥāšâ therefore hints at both the meekness of the Suffering Servant and the thunder of the coming King. Ministry Implications • Discern the difference between holy quietness and faithless apathy; gospel truth must not be suppressed when action or proclamation is required (cf. 2 Kings 7:9). ḥāšâ ultimately reminds believers that silence is a tool—blessed when it submits to God’s timing, but perilous when it resists His revealed will. Forms and Transliterations אֶחֱשֶׁ֔ה אֶחֱשֶׂה֙ אחשה הֶחֱשֵׁ֙יתִי֙ הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי הֶחֱשֽׁוּ׃ החשו׃ החשיתי וַ֝יֶּחֱשׁ֗וּ ויחשו יֶחֱשׁ֑וּ יחשו לַחֲשׁ֖וֹת לחשות מַחְשִׁ֔ים מַחְשִׁ֗ים מַחְשִׁ֤ים מַחְשֶׁה֙ מחשה מחשים תֶּחֱשֶׁ֥ה תחשה ’e·ḥĕ·śeh ’e·ḥĕ·šeh ’eḥĕśeh ’eḥĕšeh echeSeh echeSheh he·ḥĕ·šê·ṯî he·ḥĕ·šū hecheSheiti hecheShu heḥĕšêṯî heḥĕšū la·ḥă·šō·wṯ lachaShot laḥăšōwṯ machSheh machShim maḥ·šeh maḥ·šîm maḥšeh maḥšîm te·ḥĕ·šeh techeSheh teḥĕšeh vaiyecheShu way·ye·ḥĕ·šū wayyeḥĕšū ye·ḥĕ·šū yecheShu yeḥĕšūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 18:9 HEB: מְאֹ֑ד וְאַתֶּ֣ם מַחְשִׁ֔ים אַל־ תֵּעָ֣צְל֔וּ NAS: good. And will you sit still? Do not delay KJV: good: and [are] ye still? be not slothful INT: is very and will you sit nay slothful 1 Kings 22:3 2 Kings 2:3 2 Kings 2:5 2 Kings 7:9 Nehemiah 8:11 Psalm 39:2 Psalm 107:29 Ecclesiastes 3:7 Isaiah 42:14 Isaiah 57:11 Isaiah 62:1 Isaiah 62:6 Isaiah 64:12 Isaiah 65:6 15 Occurrences |
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