חוּץ (H2351) — Hebrew Lexicon

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.

Translation Consistency

primary "outside" 50 occurrences

'Outside' is by far the most common and natural English rendering in the P2 data and matches the SILEX range (outdoors, beyond a boundary, outside the house/city/camp). It works flexibly as a noun/adjective/adverb for phrases like 'the outside,' 'outside the city,' or 'outside the camp,' and is more idiomatic than formal alternatives like 'exterior' or specific locative terms like 'streets' or 'open country.'

✓ All renderings match approved senses

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 recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

חוץ (chûwts) — to sever, to separate, to divide

Root חוץ 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	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H2351-17`	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside	56
`H2351-14`	הַ/ח֑וּצָ/ה	hachutsah	`HTd/Ncmsa/Sd`	outside	the exterior place	the outside	16
`H2351-09`	חוּצ֥וֹת	chutsot	`HNcmpa`	streets	outside places	outside places	15
`H2351-01`	בַּ/ח֖וּץ	bachuts	`HRd/Ncmsa`	outside	in the outside	in the outside	14
`H2351-08`	ח֔וּצָ/ה	chutsah	`HNcmsa/Sd`	outside	the separated-outside	outside	7
`H2351-13`	הַ/ח֔וּץ	hachuts	`HTd/Ncmsa`	outside	the separated exterior	the outside	7
`H2351-22`	וּ/בְ/חֻצ֖וֹת	uvechutsot	`HC/R/Ncmpc`	and-in-streets-of	and in separated-out places	and in the outside places of	7
`H2351-02`	בַּ/חוּצ֣וֹת	bachutsot	`HRd/Ncmpa`	in the streets	in the outside-places	in the outside-places	6
`H2351-07`	חֽוּץ	chuts	`HNcmsa`	outside	outside space	outside	6
`H2351-20`	וּ/מִ/ח֑וּץ	umichuts	`HC/R/Ncmsa`	and outside	and from the outside	and from the outside	5
`H2351-03`	בְּ/חוּצֹ֣ת	bechutsot	`HR/Ncmpc`	in the streets	in exterior places	in outside places	3
`H2351-23`	בַ/חוּץ֙	vachuts	`HRd/Ncmsa`	outside	in the outside	in the outside	3
`H2351-05`	בְּ/ח֣וּצוֹתֶ֔י/הָ	bechutsoteyha	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp3fs`	in her streets	in her outer places	in her streets	2
`H2351-15`	לַ/חוּץ֙	lachuts	`HRd/Ncmsa`	outside	to the outside	to the outside	2
`H2351-25`	וְ֠/חוּצוֹת	vechutsot	`HC/Ncmpa`	and streets	and outside areas	and outside areas	2
`H2351-04`	בְּ/חוּצֹתָ֖י/ו	bechutsotayv	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	in its streets	in his exterior spaces	in his streets	1
`H2351-06`	בְּ/חוּצוֹתֵֽי/נוּ	bechutsoteynu	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp1cp`	in our fields	in our outside places	in our outside places	1
`H2351-10`	חֽוּצוֹתָ֖/ם	chutsotam	`HNcmpc/Sp3mp`	their streets	their exterior spaces	their streets	1
`H2351-11`	חֽוּצוֹתָ֑יִ/ךְ	chutsotayikhe	`HNcmpc/Sp2fs`	your-streets	your exterior spaces	your streets	1
`H2351-12`	חוּצֹתֶ֖י/הָ	chutsoteyha	`HNcmpc/Sp3fs`	its streets	her outside-spaces	her streets	1
`H2351-16`	מֵ/הַ/חֽוּץ	mehachuts	`HR/Td/Ncmsa`	from-the-outside	from the outside	from the outside	1
`H2351-18`	מִ/ח֗וּצָ/ה	michutsah	`HR/Ncmsa/Sd`	from outside	from the outside	from the outside	1
`H2351-19`	וּ/מֵֽ/חֻצוֹת֙	umechutsot	`HC/R/Ncmpc`	and from streets-of	and from outside-places of	and from outside-places of	1
`H2351-21`	וּ/מִ/חוּצָ/ה֩	umichutsah	`HC/R/Ncmsa/Sd`	and outside	and from the outside	and from the outside	1
`H2351-24`	וָ/ח֔וּצָ/ה	vachutsah	`HC/Ncmsa/Sd`	and outward	and toward the outside	and outward	1
`H2351-26`	וְ/כַ/ח֖וּץ	vekhachuts	`HC/Rd/Ncmsa`	and-like-the-street	and like the outside	and like the street	1
`H2351-27`	וְ/לַ/ח֜וּץ	velachuts	`HC/Rd/Ncmsa`	and to the outside	and to the outside	and to the outside	1
`H2351-28`	וְ/לַ/ח֨וּצָ/ה֙	velachutsah	`HC/Rd/Ncmsa/Sd`	and to the outside	and to the outside	and to the outside	1

Occurrences in Scripture

164 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H2351-20`	Genesis 6:14	וּ/מִ/ח֖וּץ	umichuts	`HC/R/Ncmsa`	and outside	and from the outside	and from the outside
`H2351-01`	Genesis 9:22	בַּ/חֽוּץ	bachuts	`HRd/Ncmsa`	outside	in the outside	in the outside
`H2351-14`	Genesis 15:5	הַ/ח֗וּצָ/ה	hachutsah	`HTd/Ncmsa/Sd`	outside	the exterior place	the outside
`H2351-17`	Genesis 19:16	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-14`	Genesis 19:17	הַ/ח֗וּצָ/ה	hachutsah	`HTd/Ncmsa/Sd`	outside	the exterior place	the outside
`H2351-17`	Genesis 24:11	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-14`	Genesis 24:29	הַ/ח֖וּצָ/ה	hachutsah	`HTd/Ncmsa/Sd`	outside	the exterior place	the outside
`H2351-01`	Genesis 24:31	בַּ/ח֔וּץ	bachuts	`HRd/Ncmsa`	outside	in the outside	in the outside
`H2351-14`	Genesis 39:12	הַ/חֽוּצָ/ה	hachutsah	`HTd/Ncmsa/Sd`	outside	the exterior place	the outside
`H2351-14`	Genesis 39:13	הַ/חֽוּצָ/ה	hachutsah	`HTd/Ncmsa/Sd`	outside	the exterior place	the outside
`H2351-14`	Genesis 39:15	הַ/חֽוּצָ/ה	hachutsah	`HTd/Ncmsa/Sd`	outside	the exterior place	the outside
`H2351-14`	Genesis 39:18	הַ/חֽוּצָ/ה	hachutsah	`HTd/Ncmsa/Sd`	outside	the exterior place	the outside
`H2351-08`	Exodus 12:46	ח֑וּצָ/ה	chutsah	`HNcmsa/Sd`	outside	the separated-outside	outside
`H2351-01`	Exodus 21:19	בַּ/ח֛וּץ	bachuts	`HRd/Ncmsa`	outside	in the outside	in the outside
`H2351-20`	Exodus 25:11	וּ/מִ/ח֖וּץ	umichuts	`HC/R/Ncmsa`	and outside	and from the outside	and from the outside
`H2351-17`	Exodus 26:35	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Exodus 27:21	מִ/ח֨וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Exodus 29:14	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Exodus 33:7	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Exodus 33:7	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts-2	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-20`	Exodus 37:2	וּ/מִ/ח֑וּץ	umichuts	`HC/R/Ncmsa`	and outside	and from the outside	and from the outside
`H2351-17`	Exodus 40:22	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 4:12	מִ/ח֨וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 4:21	מִ/חוּץ֙	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 6:4	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 8:17	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 9:11	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 10:4	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 10:5	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 13:46	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 14:3	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 14:8	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 14:40	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 14:41	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 14:45	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 14:53	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 16:27	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 17:3	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-07`	Leviticus 18:9	ח֑וּץ	chuts	`HNcmsa`	outside	outside space	outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 24:3	מִ/חוּץ֩	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 24:14	מִ/חוּץ֙	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Leviticus 24:23	מִ/חוּץ֙	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Numbers 5:3	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Numbers 5:4	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Numbers 12:14	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	from outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Numbers 12:15	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Numbers 15:35	מִ/ח֖וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Numbers 15:36	מִ/חוּץ֙	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Numbers 19:3	מִ/ח֣וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside
`H2351-17`	Numbers 19:9	מִ/ח֥וּץ	michuts	`HR/Ncmsa`	outside	from the outside	from outside

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