חֻפָּה
𐤇𐤐𐤄
chuppâh
H2646 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A covering, canopy, or chamber — most often referring to a decorative or protective covering, such as a bridal canopy or shelter. The term can refer to a literal canopy used for protection, a festive or ritual enclosure (often associated with marriage), or an interior space such as a chamber.
Semantic Range
canopy, covering, shelter, chamber (enclosure), festive or ritual tent, symbolic protection
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root חפה (ch-f-p), meaning 'to cover, to protect.' The noun חֻפָּה is formed as a feminine noun pattern denoting something that covers or shelters. Thus, while the root connotes 'covering,' the lexical meaning is more specific: an actual canopy, covering, or enclosed space.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, חֻפָּה appears in contexts associated with marriage (Isaiah 4:5) and implies a celebratory or sanctified space for bride and groom, often translated as 'chamber' or 'canopy.' The term is used figuratively in prophetic literature to describe divine protection or honor, not limited to marital ritual but expanding to signify security or shelter. In later Jewish tradition, חֻפָּה evolved to refer almost exclusively to the marriage canopy in the wedding ceremony; this connotation, however, is not explicit in biblical usage, which favors a broader sense of protected or enclosed space. The KJV 'chamber, closet, defense' reflects interpretive choices rather than strict lexical sense; contemporary scholarship prefers 'canopy' or 'covering.' The word does not imply a specific architectural structure but denotes any covering providing distinguished or symbolic shelter.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָפָה; a canopy; chamber, closet, defence.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חפה (ḥ-p-h) — to cover, to protect, to shield
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2644 | חָפָא | and they covered over |
| H2645 | חָפָה | they overlaid |
| H2647 | חֻפָּה | to Covering |
| H2650 | חֻפִּים | to Chuppim |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2646-02 |
מֵ/חֻפָּתָֽ/הּ | mechupatah | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs |
from her canopy | from her canopy | 1 |
H2646-01 |
חֻפָּֽה | chupah | HNcfsa |
canopy | protective canopy | 1 |
H2646-03 |
מֵ/חֻפָּת֑/וֹ | mechupato | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
from his chamber | from his canopy | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2646-01 |
Isaiah 4:5 | חֻפָּֽה | chupah | HNcfsa |
canopy | protective canopy |
H2646-02 |
Joel 2:16 | מֵ/חֻפָּתָֽ/הּ | mechupatah | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs |
from her canopy | from her canopy |
H2646-03 |
Psalms 19:6 | מֵ/חֻפָּת֑/וֹ | mechupato | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
from his chamber | from his canopy |