Lexical Summary kachad: To hide, conceal, cut off, destroy Original Word: כָּחַד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance conceal, cut down off, desolate, hide A primitive root; to secrete, by act or word; hence (intensively) to destroy -- conceal, cut down (off), desolate, hide. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to hide NASB Translation annihilated (3), blot (1), completely destroy (1), conceal (4), concealed (2), cut off (2), denied (1), desolate (1), destroyed (2), hid (1), hidden (4), hide (7), hides (1), perishing (1), wipe (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [כָּחַד] verb not in Qal; Pi`el Hiph`il hide, efface; Niph`al (usually) passive (Aramaic אתכחדו be effaced Job 4:7; Niph`al Perfect3masculine singular נִכְחַד Hosea 5:3 2t.; 3 plural נִכְחָ֑דוּ Job 4:7; Psalm 69:6; Imperfect3masculine singular יִכָּחֵד 2 Samuel 18:13, etc.; Participle נִכְחֶדֶת Zechariah 11:9; plural נִכְחָדוֺת Zechariah 11:16; Job 15:28; — 1 be hidden, followed by מִן person, 2 Samuel 18:13; Hosea 5:3; Psalm 69:6; Psalm 139:15. 2 be effected, destroyed Zechariah 11:9; Job 4:7; Job 15:28 (עָרִים נִכְחְדוֺת), Job 22:20, followed by מִןֿ הָאָרֶץ Exodus 9:15 (J); Participle intransitive of incomplete process = going to ruin Zechariah 11:9,16. Pi`el Perfect כִּחֵד 1 Samuel 3:18; 1singular כִּחַדְתִּי Job 6:10; Psalm 40:11; 3plural כִּחֲדוּ Job 15:18; כִּחֵ֑דוּ Isaiah 3:9; Imperfect2masculine singular תְּכַחֵד Joshua 7:19 4t.; 2 feminine singular תְּכַחֲדִי 2 Samuel 14:18; 1singular אֲכַחֵד Job 27:11; 2masculine plural תְּכַחֵ֑דוּ Jeremiah 50:2; 1plural נְכַחֵד Genesis 47:18; Psalm 78:4; — hide, followed by מִן person Genesis 47:18 (J), Joshua 7:19 (JE), 1 Samuel 3:17 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 3:18; 2 Samuel 14:18; Jeremiah 38:14,25; Psalm 78:4; followed by לְ person Psalm 40:11 conceal toward, with reference to, i.e. from; without preposition Isaiah 3:9; Jeremiah 50:2; Job 15:18; Job 27:11; = disown Job 6:10. Hiph`il Perfect1singular consecutive suffix וְהִכְחַדְתִּיו Exodus 23:23; Imperfect3masculine singular וַיַּכְחֵד2Chronicles 32:21, suffix יַכְחִידֶנָּה Job 20:12; 1singular וָאַכְחִד Zechariah 11:8; 1plural suffix וְנַכְחִידֵם Psalm 83:5; Infinitive construct לְהַכְחִיד 1 Kings 13:34; — 1 hide, in figure יַכְחִידֶנָּה תַּחַת לְשֹׁנוֺ Job 20:12 (object wickedness). 2 efface, annihilate Exodus 23:23 (E), 1 Kings 13:34 ("" הַשְׁמִיד), Zechariah 11:8; 2Chronicles 32:21; followed by מִגּוֺי Psalm 83:5, i.e. from being (so that they be not) a nation. כחח (√ assumed by Thes Buhl and others for following BaNB 79 proposes √ כוח). Topical Lexicon Overview of Usage The verb כָּחַד appears about thirty-two times in the Old Testament, always in the Hebrew Qal or Piel stems. Its core idea is deliberate concealment—of information, intentions, guilt, or persons. The action may be undertaken by human beings or (negatively) attributed to God when He withholds knowledge for His own righteous purposes. The contexts range from patriarchal narrative (Genesis), covenant history (Samuel–Kings), poetry (Psalms), and wisdom or prophetic literature (Job, Nahum). Representative Passages • Genesis 18:17 “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” Concealing Sin Versus Confessing It The most frequent moral application concerns the secrecy of wrongdoing. Achan’s attempt to keep his theft unknown (Joshua 7) brought judgment until confession lifted the curse. David’s testimony in Psalm 32 describes the spiritual agony of keeping sin hidden and the relief that followed open confession: “You forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm 32:5). Scripture presents confession as the God-ordained antidote to spiritual rot; concealment invites discipline. Integrity in Prophetic Ministry Samuel serves as the paradigmatic prophet who “hid nothing” of the divine word from Eli (1 Samuel 3:18). In contrast, false prophets are condemned elsewhere for covering up truth. This sets a standard for all who handle God’s message: nothing essential may be suppressed for fear of offense or personal cost. Paul later mirrors this principle, declaring, “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), a New-Testament echo of כָּחַד’s ethical thrust. Divine Non-Concealment and Progressive Revelation Genesis 18:17 portrays the LORD voluntarily disclosing His plans to Abraham on the basis of covenant friendship. God’s self-revelation is entirely gracious; He is not obligated but chooses not to “hide” His ways from His servants. Psalm 119:19 turns this dynamic into prayer, asking that God refrain from hiding His commandments. The prophetic vision of Isaiah 45:19 reinforces the same character trait: “I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” God’s nature is antithetical to deception, guaranteeing the reliability of His Word. Withholding Knowledge for Testing While God is fundamentally truthful, He may temporarily conceal information to refine faith. Elisha laments, “The LORD has hidden it from me” (2 Kings 4:27), and the Chronicler records that God left Hezekiah “to test him” (2 Chronicles 32:31). Such holy reticence is never malicious but educative, teaching dependence upon revelation rather than presumption. Eschatological and Judicial Hiding Nahum 3:11 pictures Nineveh forced into hiding under divine judgment. What the wicked tried to conceal becomes the very ground of their exposure; they end by fleeing from the wrath they once ignored. This motif foreshadows the final judgment when “there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed” (cf. Luke 12:2). Practical Ministry Implications 1. Preachers and teachers must resist the temptation to suppress hard truths; pastoral faithfulness imitates Samuel, not Eli’s sons. Christological Reflection Jesus Christ embodies perfect openness: “I have spoken openly to the world… I said nothing in secret” (John 18:20). On the cross He bore the judgment for every hidden sin, tearing away the veil that concealed God’s holiness from sinners. His resurrection vindicates the promise that truth ultimately triumphs over every attempt at concealment. Summary כָּחַד exposes the futility of hiding from an omniscient God and champions candid confession, fearless proclamation, and trusting submission to divine timing. Whether warning the unrepentant, guiding the prophetic office, or comforting the penitent, its thread weaves through Scripture to affirm that “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” Forms and Transliterations אֲכַחֵֽד׃ אכחד׃ הַנִּכְחָד֤וֹת הנכחדות וְהִכְחַדְתִּֽיו׃ וְהַנִּכְחֶ֙דֶת֙ וְנַכְחִידֵ֣ם וַיַּכְחֵ֞ד וַתִּכָּחֵ֖ד וָאַכְחִ֛ד וּלְהַכְחִיד֙ ואכחד והכחדתיו׃ והנכחדת ויכחד ולהכחיד ונכחידם ותכחד יִכָּחֵ֣ד יַ֝כְחִידֶ֗נָּה יכחד יכחידנה כִ֝חַ֗דְתִּי כִֽ֝חֲד֗וּ כִחֵ֑דוּ כִחֵ֖ד כִחַ֥דְתִּי כחד כחדו כחדתי נְכַחֵ֣ד נְכַחֵ֨ד ׀ נִכְחַ֣ד נִכְחַ֥ד נִכְחָֽדוּ׃ נִכְחָד֗וֹת נכחד נכחדו׃ נכחדות תְּכַחֵ֑דוּ תְּכַחֵ֖ד תְּכַחֵ֤ד תְּכַחֵ֥ד תְכַחֲדִ֤י תְכַחֵ֖ד תִּכָּחֵ֔ד תכחד תכחדו תכחדי ’ă·ḵa·ḥêḏ ’ăḵaḥêḏ achaChed chiChadti chichaDu chiChed chiChedu han·niḵ·ḥā·ḏō·wṯ hannichchaDot hanniḵḥāḏōwṯ ḵi·ḥă·ḏū ḵi·ḥaḏ·tî ḵi·ḥê·ḏū ḵi·ḥêḏ ḵiḥaḏtî ḵiḥăḏū ḵiḥêḏ ḵiḥêḏū nə·ḵa·ḥêḏ nechaChed nəḵaḥêḏ nichChad nichchaDot nichChadu niḵ·ḥā·ḏō·wṯ niḵ·ḥā·ḏū niḵ·ḥaḏ niḵḥaḏ niḵḥāḏōwṯ niḵḥāḏū ṯə·ḵa·ḥă·ḏî tə·ḵa·ḥê·ḏū tə·ḵa·ḥêḏ ṯə·ḵa·ḥêḏ techachaDi techaChed techaChedu ṯəḵaḥăḏî təḵaḥêḏ ṯəḵaḥêḏ təḵaḥêḏū tik·kā·ḥêḏ tikkaChed tikkāḥêḏ ū·lə·haḵ·ḥîḏ ulehachChid ūləhaḵḥîḏ vaachChid vaiyachChed vattikkaChed vehannichChedet vehichchadTiv venachchiDem wā’aḵḥiḏ wā·’aḵ·ḥiḏ wat·tik·kā·ḥêḏ wattikkāḥêḏ way·yaḵ·ḥêḏ wayyaḵḥêḏ wə·han·niḵ·ḥe·ḏeṯ wə·hiḵ·ḥaḏ·tîw wə·naḵ·ḥî·ḏêm wəhanniḵḥeḏeṯ wəhiḵḥaḏtîw wənaḵḥîḏêm yachchiDennah yaḵ·ḥî·ḏen·nāh yaḵḥîḏennāh yik·kā·ḥêḏ yikkaChed yikkāḥêḏLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 47:18 HEB: לוֹ֙ לֹֽא־ נְכַחֵ֣ד מֵֽאֲדֹנִ֔י כִּ֚י NAS: and said to him, We will not hide from my lord KJV: and said unto him, We will not hide [it] from my lord, INT: and said is nothing hide my lord for Exodus 9:15 Exodus 23:23 Joshua 7:19 1 Samuel 3:17 1 Samuel 3:17 1 Samuel 3:18 2 Samuel 14:18 2 Samuel 18:13 1 Kings 13:34 2 Chronicles 32:21 Job 4:7 Job 6:10 Job 15:18 Job 15:28 Job 20:12 Job 22:20 Job 27:11 Psalm 40:10 Psalm 69:5 Psalm 78:4 Psalm 83:4 Psalm 139:15 Isaiah 3:9 Jeremiah 38:14 32 Occurrences |
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is revere, Participle venerable, Pa`el put to shame, Ethpa`al be ashamed; Ethiopic 
deny, apostatize) —