חוּץ
𐤇𐤅𐤑
chûwts
H2351 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Space or area that lies outside a defined, enclosed, or inhabited boundary; most commonly, the area outside a house, city, or walled enclosure. The term is used both for the literal outdoors versus indoors, and for locations spatially or socially distinct from a central space (such as outside the community or outside the city limits). In certain contexts, can refer to the open country, street, or any sphere beyond a given domain.
Semantic Range
outside, exterior space, outdoors, out of doors, beyond a boundary, outside the city, outside the house, outside the camp, street, open country, public place
Root / Etymology
The word חוּץ derives from an (otherwise unattested) root חוץ, thought to mean 'to sever, divide,' reflecting the idea of separation from an interior space. The form חוּץ itself functions as a substantive denoting the separated or exterior place. Shortened form חֻץ appears, especially in the plural. Actual verbal usage of the root is not attested in the Hebrew Bible.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, חוּץ functions primarily as a preposition or substantive indicating the area exterior to a boundary, such as the street outside a house (Genesis 19:4), the area outside a city (Joshua 2:19), or the open country beyond an enclosure (Leviticus 14:3). The term serves in opposition to terms for interior space (e.g., בַּיִת for house/interior, or מִבַּיִתּ for 'from inside'), emphasizing transition from inside to outside. In ritual contexts, 'outside the camp' (מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה) can carry legal or purity implications—signaling exclusion from the communal or sacred sphere. The semantic distinction from שָׂדֶה (field) or רְחוֹב (square, broad place) is notable: חוּץ highlights outside-ness without specifying terrain or communal space. English translations—'outside,' 'street,' 'abroad'—sometimes obscure the spatial or ritual nuance. The term’s use is consistent across periods, retaining its core spatial sense with only limited broadening in later (post-monarchic) texts to refer to public places more generally. Not to be confused with later rabbinic or Mishnaic distinctions (e.g., between 'inside' and 'outdoors'), which are built on this biblical foundation but may develop further legal meanings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (shortened) חֻץ; (both forms feminine in the plural) from an unused root meaning to sever; properly, separate by awall, i.e. outside, outdoors; abroad, field, forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חוץ (ḥ-w-ṣ) — to sever, to separate, to divide
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2434 | חַיִץ | separating wall |
Word Forms
28 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2351-17 |
מִ/ח֥וּץ | michuts | HR/Ncmsa |
outside | from the outside | 56 |
H2351-14 |
הַ/ח֗וּצָ/ה | hachutsah | HTd/Ncmsa/Sd |
outside | the exterior place | 16 |
H2351-09 |
חוּצ֥וֹת | chutsot | HNcmpa |
streets | outside places | 15 |
H2351-01 |
בַּ/חֽוּץ | bachuts | HRd/Ncmsa |
outside | in the outside | 14 |
H2351-13 |
הַ/ח֑וּץ | hachuts | HTd/Ncmsa |
outside | the separated exterior | 7 |
H2351-08 |
ח֑וּצָ/ה | chutsah | HNcmsa/Sd |
outside | the separated-outside | 7 |
H2351-22 |
וּ/בְ/חֻצ֖וֹת | uvechutsot | HC/R/Ncmpc |
and-in-streets-of | and in separated-out places | 7 |
H2351-02 |
בַּֽ/חוּצ֑וֹת | bachutsot | HRd/Ncmpa |
in the streets | in the outside-places | 6 |
H2351-07 |
ח֑וּץ | chuts | HNcmsa |
outside | outside space | 6 |
H2351-20 |
וּ/מִ/ח֖וּץ | umichuts | HC/R/Ncmsa |
and outside | and from the outside | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
164 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2351-20 |
Genesis 6:14 | וּ/מִ/ח֖וּץ | umichuts | HC/R/Ncmsa |
and outside | and from the outside |
H2351-01 |
Genesis 9:22 | בַּ/חֽוּץ | bachuts | HRd/Ncmsa |
outside | in the outside |
H2351-14 |
Genesis 15:5 | הַ/ח֗וּצָ/ה | hachutsah | HTd/Ncmsa/Sd |
outside | the exterior place |
H2351-17 |
Genesis 19:16 | מִ/ח֥וּץ | michuts | HR/Ncmsa |
outside | from the outside |
H2351-14 |
Genesis 19:17 | הַ/ח֗וּצָ/ה | hachutsah | HTd/Ncmsa/Sd |
outside | the exterior place |
H2351-17 |
Genesis 24:11 | מִ/ח֥וּץ | michuts | HR/Ncmsa |
outside | from the outside |
H2351-14 |
Genesis 24:29 | הַ/ח֖וּצָ/ה | hachutsah | HTd/Ncmsa/Sd |
outside | the exterior place |
H2351-01 |
Genesis 24:31 | בַּ/ח֔וּץ | bachuts | HRd/Ncmsa |
outside | in the outside |
H2351-14 |
Genesis 39:12 | הַ/חֽוּצָ/ה | hachutsah | HTd/Ncmsa/Sd |
outside | the exterior place |
H2351-14 |
Genesis 39:13 | הַ/חֽוּצָ/ה | hachutsah | HTd/Ncmsa/Sd |
outside | the exterior place |