חֵסֶן
𐤇𐤎𐤍
chêçen
H2632 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A quality or state of physical or material strength, power, or wealth, often indicating resources, possessions, or capacity. In Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible, particularly in Daniel and Ezra, the term is used to denote wealth or material resources, and by extension, strength or capacity derived from such resources.
Semantic Range
physical strength, power, wealth, material resources, possessions
Root / Etymology
From the root ח-ס-ן, which in Hebrew means 'to store up, to treasure,' but in Aramaic more often denotes 'wealth, riches, strength.' The noun חֵסֶן (chêçen) is an Aramaic cognate of Hebrew חֹסֶן (ḥōsen), sharing a similar semantic field of material abundance or power.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, חֵסֶן appears in Aramaic passages (e.g., Daniel 11:13, Ezra 7:26) and primarily denotes material resources or wealth rather than personal might. In Hebrew, the cognate חֹסֶן is used with a focus on material possession or resources ('wealth,' 'possessions'). The distinction between Hebrew חֹסֶן and Aramaic חֵסֶן reflects minor differences in semantic nuance: the Aramaic often gestures towards the strength that comes with material resources, while the Hebrew is more strictly about the possessions themselves. English translations often render the term as 'strength' or 'power,' but this may obscure its reference to wealth and resources underlying political or military might. In later periods, especially in Aramaic, the focus on material wealth becomes more pronounced, mirroring the socio-economic concerns of the Second Temple era.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from חֲסַן; strength; power.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חסן (ḥ-s-n) — to store up, to be strong, to possess resources
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2626 | חֲסִין | strong one |
| H2630 | חָסַן | he will be stored up |
| H2631 | חֲסַן | they secured possession |
| H2633 | חֹסֶן | wealth of |
| H2634 | חָסֹן | the strong one |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2632-02 |
חִסְנִ֖/י | chiseni | ANcmsc/Sp1cs |
my strength | my strength | 1 |
H2632-01 |
חִסְנָ֛/א | chisena | ANcmsd/Td |
power | the stored wealth | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2632-01 |
Daniel 2:37 | חִסְנָ֛/א | chisena | ANcmsd/Td |
power | the stored wealth |
H2632-02 |
Daniel 4:27 | חִסְנִ֖/י | chiseni | ANcmsc/Sp1cs |
my strength | my strength |