חֲבַיָּה
𐤇𐤁𐤉𐤄
Chavayah
H2252 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name borne by an Israelite leader whose descendants are mentioned among returnees from exile. The name likely means 'Yah has hidden' or 'Yah conceals', reflecting the theophoric element Yah (short form of Yahweh) and a root meaning 'to hide.' The semantic range is limited to its usage as a personal name.
Semantic Range
personal name of an Israelite leader, Yah has hidden, Yah conceals; limited to onomastic/formal name usage
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root חבה (to hide, conceal) combined with the theophoric suffix יה (Yah, short for Yahweh). Thus, חֲבַיָּה most likely means 'Yah has hidden' or 'Yah conceals.' The form is typical of theophoric names in ancient Israelite onomastics, combining a verbal root and a divine name or its abbreviation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲבַיָּה occurs solely as a proper name in post-exilic genealogical lists (Ezra 2:61; Nehemiah 7:63), referring to one of the priestly families unable to demonstrate their ancestral legitimacy upon returning from Babylonian exile. This fits the pattern of theophoric names among Israelites, especially in the Persian period. It is distinct from similar-sounding names (e.g., Havvah/Eve) and has no substantive usage outside of its function as a name. The anglicized 'Habaiah' found in some translations reflects transcription choices rather than a shift in meaning. Later English versions occasionally use the term 'Jew' for such figures, but in the original context the term refers to an Israelite of priestly descent. No evidence suggests wider semantic development beyond its onomastic function.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or חֲבָיָהlemma חֲבָיה missing vowel, corrected to חֲבָיָה; from חָבָה and יָהּ; Jah has hidden; Chabajah, an Israelite; Habaiah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חבה (ḥ-b-h) — to hide, to conceal
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2247 | חָבָה | Hide yourself |
| H2253 | חֶבְיוֹן | hiding-place of |
| H2327 | חוֹבָה | Chovah, Refuge-Place |
| H3160 | יְחֻבָּה | She Is Hidden |
| H5147 | נַחְבִּי | Hidden-one |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2252-01 |
חֳבַיָּ֖ה | chovayah | HNp |
Hobaiah | Yah has hidden | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2252-01 |
Ezra 2:61 | חֳבַיָּ֖ה | chovayah | HNp |
Hobaiah | Yah has hidden |
H2252-01 |
Nehemiah 7:63 | חֳבַיָּ֖ה | chovayah | HNp |
Hobaiah | Yah has hidden |