חוֹזַי
𐤇𐤅𐤆𐤉
Chozay
H2335 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name used for an Israelite individual, derived from a term meaning 'visionary' or 'seer.' The name functions as a patronymic, designating the father of Hanani, a Levite gatekeeper in the Persian period. Its lexical meaning connects to the root concept of seeing or beholding, particularly in a prophetic or visionary sense.
Semantic Range
visionary, seer, personal name (designating a 'visionary' or 'seer'), patronymic or gentilic ('of the visionary'); not a generic title for 'seer' but a proper name in Persian-period lists
Root / Etymology
From the root חזה (to see, perceive, gaze), particularly used for seeing with prophetic insight. חוֹזַי (Chôwzay) represents a personal or family name based on this root, likely meaning 'visionary' or 'seer.' The yod ending may signal a gentilic form or an archaic patronymic, yielding 'son/descendant of the seer/visionary' or 'belonging to the visionary.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
חוֹזַי (Chôwzay) appears in Nehemiah 11:13 as the father of Hanani, a Levite gatekeeper during the Persian period. The name's formation parallels other biblical names based on occupational or prophetic designations. The root חזה emerges in several contexts denoting the act of seeing—both literally and in visionary experience, often referencing prophetic roles ('seers' as distinct from 'prophets' נביאים). The English translations rarely reflect this nuance, typically rendering the name directly or transliterating it. The term 'Jew' is not appropriate for this period and context; 'Israelite' or 'Levite' is more precise. As a personal name, חוֹזַי illustrates the persistence of visionary/professional titles as family identifiers into the late biblical period. There is no evidence that חוֹזַי functioned as a general term for seers in this era; its attested use is strictly as a proper noun.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חֹזֶה; visionary; Chozai, an Israelite; the seers.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חזה (ḥ-z-h) — to see, to perceive, to have a vision
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2306 | חֲדִי | his breast |
| H2370 | חֲזָא | he beheld |
| H2371 | חֲזָאֵל | El-has-seen |
| H2372 | חָזָה | in visionary seeing |
| H2373 | חָזֶה | front breast |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2335-01 |
חוֹזָֽי | chozay | HNp |
the seers | Visionary-One | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2335-01 |
2 Chronicles 33:19 | חוֹזָֽי | chozay | HNp |
the seers | Visionary-One |