חָשַׁל
𐤇𐤔𐤋
châshal
H2826 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be or become weak, to grow feeble or lose strength, either physically or metaphorically. The verb indicates the state or process of losing stability, vigor, or power, often in contrast with strength or steadfastness. In context, it can refer to a person's physical frailty, emotional or political weakness, or an unstable condition.
Semantic Range
to be weak, to become feeble, to grow unstable, to lack vigor or firmness, to falter
Root / Etymology
Root חשל, likely meaning to loosen or become limp, giving rise to the sense of becoming weak or unstable. The basic verbal form is qal, and the root is not widely attested outside of its few biblical occurrences, making the development of its meaning primarily inferable from context. Some scholars consider the root's etymology uncertain due to sparse evidence and limited cognates in related languages.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָשַׁל (châshal) is a rare verb in biblical Hebrew, appearing only once in biblical narrative (Zechariah 12:8) where it is used in the qal imperfect to describe the physical and emotional weakness of 'the feeblest among them' in comparison to the strong. While Strong's gloss connects it to the idea of being 'feeble,' its sense in Zechariah could include a broader range of weakness—physical infirmity, lack of courage, or general instability. There is a related noun תַּחְשִׁילָה (tachshilah) in later Hebrew, but in the Bible the root is notably rare. In English translations, the word is often rendered as 'feeble' or 'weakest,' but the Hebrew carries a sense of loss of firmness or stability that is wider than simple frailty. Its nearly exclusive usage in a prophetic context (Zechariah post-exilic period) suggests that its semantic nuance may have been especially poignant for a community rebuilding and concerned about weakness or vulnerability. Related Hebrew terms for weakness—such as רָפָה (to be slack, weak) or חָלָה (to be sick, weak)—are more widely used; חָשַׁל may carry a connotation of vulnerability in the face of external pressures, not only physical debility.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to make (intrans. be) unsteady, i.e. weak; feeble.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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חשל (ḥ-š-l) — to become weak, to be feeble, to lose strength
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2827 | חֲשַׁל | and subduing one |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2826-01 |
הַ/נֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים | hanecheshalim | HTd/VNrmpa |
the stragglers | the weakened ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2826-01 |
Deuteronomy 25:18 | הַ/נֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים | hanecheshalim | HTd/VNrmpa |
the stragglers | the weakened ones |