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חָנֵף

𐤇𐤍𐤐

chânêph

H2611 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root חנף to be profane, to treat as unclean, to be impious, to pollute (morally)

Definition

Morally corrupt or profane; one who acts in direct opposition to proper conduct or piety, particularly in a demonstrative or defiant manner. The term often connotes active irreverence or impiety, rather than mere insincerity: someone who publicly violates or mocks the standards of the community, or treats the sacred with contempt. In rare uses, the word can indicate a hypocrite—one who feigns piety outwardly while acting wickedly in practice.

Semantic Range

profane (in conduct), morally corrupt, irreverent, sacrilegious person, impious person, hypocrite (rarely), one who flouts or mocks religious standards

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חנף (ḥ-n-p), which primarily conveys the idea of 'to be profane, to commit sacrilege, to pollute (especially in a moral/religious sense), to be godless.' The noun חָנֵף functions as a substantive meaning 'profane person,' 'impious one,' or 'sacrilegious individual.' The core root meaning is 'to defile' or 'to treat as unclean' in a figurative, moral sense.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָנֵף appears primarily in Wisdom and poetic literature (e.g., Job, Psalms, Proverbs) to designate individuals who are not merely non-observant, but who actively subvert sacred obligations or mock proper ethical standards. Unlike צַדִּיק (righteous) or רָשָׁע (wicked), חָנֵף underscores a blatant opposition to, or perversion of, what is considered sacred, sometimes with an outward show of respectability (hypocrisy). In the Second Temple period and especially in later translations (such as LXX or Vulgate), the sense occasionally shifts toward 'hypocrite,' reflecting the growing association with feigned piety. However, in most biblical contexts it refers more directly to moral and religious corruption rather than duplicity alone. The word is distinct from חָטָא (to sin, sinner) by emphasizing open irreverence, and from נָבָל (fool) by focusing on the profane rather than the senseless. English translations often flatten the term to 'hypocrite,' but this only partially overlaps its earlier biblical nuance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָנֵף; soiled (i.e. with sin), impious; hypocrite(-ical).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חנף (ḥ-n-p) — to be profane, to be impious, to pollute morally, to treat as unclean

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2610 חָנֵף she acted corruptly
H2612 חֹנֶף profane corruption
H2613 חֲנֻפָה godless corruption

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2611-02 חָנֵ֣ף chanef HAamsa godless impious man 10
H2611-01 בְּ֭/חַנְפֵי bechanefey HR/Aampc with hypocritical mockers in impious ones of 1
H2611-03 חֲנֵפִ֑ים chanefim HAampa the godless impious ones 1
H2611-04 וְֽ/חַנְפֵי vechanefey HC/Aampc the godless and impious ones of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

13 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2611-02 Isaiah 9:16 חָנֵ֣ף chanef HAamsa hypocrites impious man
H2611-02 Isaiah 10:6 חָנֵף֙ chanef HAamsa godless/hypocritical impious man
H2611-03 Isaiah 33:14 חֲנֵפִ֑ים chanefim HAampa the godless impious ones
H2611-01 Psalms 35:16 בְּ֭/חַנְפֵי bechanefey HR/Aampc with hypocritical mockers in impious ones of
H2611-02 Proverbs 11:9 חָ֭נֵף chanef HAamsa hypocrite impious man
H2611-02 Job 8:13 חָנֵ֣ף chanef HAamsa of the godless impious man
H2611-02 Job 13:16 חָנֵ֥ף chanef HAamsa hypocrite impious man
H2611-02 Job 15:34 חָנֵ֣ף chanef HAamsa godless impious man
H2611-02 Job 17:8 חָנֵ֥ף chanef HAamsa the godless impious man
H2611-02 Job 20:5 חָנֵ֣ף chanef HAamsa of the hypocrite impious man
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