חִנָּם
𐤇𐤍𐤌
chinnâm
H2600 adverb
SILEX Entry
Definition
'Without payment, without cause, or without justification.' Indicates something for which no compensation is given, or an action taken with no discernible reason or provocation. In some contexts, expresses the sense of 'in vain' (without result or purpose), or 'without guilt or fault' (innocently).
Semantic Range
without compensation, without payment, gratuitously, without cause, without provocation, innocently, undeservedly, in vain, without purpose
Root / Etymology
From the root חן (ḥ-n-n), meaning 'to be gracious, show favor.' The form חִנָּם likely derives from the notion of an act done out of favor or generosity, hence 'freely,' later extending to 'without payment' or 'without cause.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
חִנָּם appears frequently in legal, ethical, and poetic passages. Its base sense is 'gratis' or 'without payment,' as in witholding wages (Exod 21:2). In narrative and legal texts, it refers to actions done 'without cause' or 'innocently,' especially in situations involving accusations or retribution (1 Sam 19:5, Ps 35:7). In later texts, can take on nuances of 'in vain,' aligning with the futility of an action. The nuance depends greatly on context: legal contexts stress lack of compensation; ethical or interpersonal contexts stress lack of justification or provocation. Some English translations use the word 'free' (e.g., 'freely'), but this may confuse the semantic range, as חִנָּם rarely implies modern senses of freedom or liberty. In the Septuagint, often translated as δωρεάν (dorean), which also connotes 'without payment' or 'gratuitously,' and is similarly ambiguous, later shaping usage in Second Temple and Hellenistic Jewish literature. Importantly, chinnâm does not in early periods convey religious overtones of 'grace' – this is a later development tied to the root חן in other forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חֵן; gratis, i.e. devoid of cost, reason or advantage; without a cause (cost, wages), causeless, to cost nothing, free(-ly), innocent, for nothing (nought, in vain.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חנן (ḥ-n-n) — to show favor, to be gracious, to act favorably
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1135 | בֶּן־חָנָן | he showed favor |
| H2433 | חִין | and beauty-of |
| H2580 | חֵן | favor |
| H2581 | חֵן | and to Favor |
| H2583 | חָנָה | Favored One (feminine) |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2600-01 |
חִנָּ֑ם | chinam | HD |
without cause | gratuitously | 31 |
H2600-02 |
הַֽ/חִנָּ֔ם | hachinam | HTi/D |
for nothing | gratuitously | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
32 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2600-01 |
Genesis 29:15 | חִנָּ֑ם | chinam | HD |
for nothing | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
Exodus 21:2 | חִנָּֽם | chinam | HD |
without payment | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
Exodus 21:11 | חִנָּ֖ם | chinam | HD |
for nothing | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
Numbers 11:5 | חִנָּ֑ם | chinam | HD |
for free | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
1 Samuel 19:5 | חִנָּֽם | chinam | HD |
without cause | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
1 Samuel 25:31 | חִנָּ֔ם | chinam | HD |
without cause | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
2 Samuel 24:24 | חִנָּ֑ם | chinam | HD |
for nothing | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
1 Kings 2:31 | חִנָּ֗ם | chinam | HD |
without cause | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
Isaiah 52:3 | חִנָּ֖ם | chinam | HD |
for nothing | gratuitously |
H2600-01 |
Isaiah 52:5 | חִנָּ֑ם | chinam | HD |
for-nothing | gratuitously |