חָפָא
𐤇𐤐𐤀
châphâʼ
H2644 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cover, to act covertly; denotes the act of hiding or concealing, particularly by physical covering or through secretive action. In its lexical usage, חָפָא expresses an action performed out of sight, whether by literal covering or by engaging in a concealed deed. In the singular attestation (Job 23:17), it carries the specific nuance of being enveloped in darkness or hidden from view, emphasizing both the state of being covered and the emotional context of concealment or avoidance.
Semantic Range
to cover, to act covertly, to do secretly, to become enveloped, to avoid notice
Root / Etymology
From the root חָפָה (ḥ-p-h), which conveys the idea of covering, hiding. חָפָא is likely a byform or orthographical variant of חָפָה, sharing the same core sense of covering or concealing. The form חָפָא is rare and appears to be an alternative spelling, possibly influenced by dialect or poetic variation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָפָא is a hapax legomenon, found only in Job 23:17. Its meaning is established contextually through parallelism and comparison with the more common חָפָה, both of which signify 'to cover' in varying senses. In Job, the term occurs in poetic discourse, associated with darkness and the desire to avoid being seen, reflecting existential or psychological concealment as much as physical. Later translations (including LXX and Vulgate) render the term according to context, often with words for darkness, obscuration, or concealment. Standard English translations often paraphrase the underlying concept rather than rendering חָפָא directly, due to its rarity and the interpretive nature of its context. Its very rare occurrence means it did not develop additional senses in later Biblical Hebrew or post-biblical usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
an orthographical variation of חָפָה; properly, to cover, i.e. (in a sinister sense) to act covertly; do secretly.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חפה (ḥ-p-h) — covering, concealing, hiding
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2645 | חָפָה | they overlaid |
| H2646 | חֻפָּה | protective canopy |
| H2647 | חֻפָּה | to Covering |
| H2650 | חֻפִּים | to Chuppim |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2644-01 |
וַ/יְחַפְּא֣וּ | vayechapeu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and they concealed | and they covered over | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2644-01 |
2 Kings 17:9 | וַ/יְחַפְּא֣וּ | vayechapeu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and they concealed | and they covered over |