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חַת

𐤇𐤕

chath

H2844 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חתת to be shattered, to be dismayed, to be terrified

Definition

State of fear, terror, or dread, often in the context of being overwhelmed or broken in spirit through intimidation, threat, or calamity. In some uses, refers specifically to a crushing terror that immobilizes or demoralizes individuals or groups.

Semantic Range

terror, dread, fear, dismay, crushed spirit, demoralization, psychological defeat

Root / Etymology

Rooted in חָתַת (ḥatat), meaning to be shattered, dismayed, or terrified. חַת (ḥath) is a nominal formation expressing the result or condition stemming from the root action: a state of being crushed or afraid, rather than the act itself.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חַת appears primarily in poetical and prophetic texts, notably in Isaiah, Job, and elsewhere, often denoting overwhelming terror or dread brought about by war, divine judgment, or overwhelming circumstance. The term emphasizes an inward, psychological state—being crushed in spirit—rather than an external, physical defeat, though the two may coincide. Its usage is distinct from other Hebrew terms for fear, such as יִרְאָה (yir'ah) which also denotes reverence, or פַּחַד (pachad), which refers more to sudden panic or fear. In later translation traditions, חַת is sometimes rendered as 'fear' or 'dread,' and occasionally by the later term 'terror,' but the English 'broken' or 'dismayed' can capture its nuance of being psychologically overwhelmed. In biblical contexts, it signifies profound demoralization, often collectively affecting entire populations, especially in the face of adversaries or divine phenomena. There is no evidence that the word refers to theological concepts of 'sin' or 'repentance,' nor should it be conflated with physical destruction, though the imagery often overlaps.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָתַת; concretely, crushed; also afraid; abstractly, terror; broken, dismayed, dread, fear.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חתת (ḥ-t-t) — to be shattered, to be dismayed, to be terrified

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2845 חֵת Heth
H2847 חִתָּה shattering-terror of
H2849 חַתְחַת shattering terrors
H2850 חִתִּי and the Hittite
H2851 חִתִּית in their shattering-terror

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2844-02 חַתִּ֑ים chatim HAampa are broken terror-stricken ones 2
H2844-03 וְ/חִתְּ/כֶם֙ vechitekhem HC/Ncmsc/Sp2mp and the dread of you and your crushing terror 1
H2844-04 יֵחַ֥ת yechat HVNi3ms will-be-shattered he will be shattered 1
H2844-01 חָֽת chat HNcmsa terror he was shattered 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2844-03 Genesis 9:2 וְ/חִתְּ/כֶם֙ vechitekhem HC/Ncmsc/Sp2mp and the dread of you and your crushing terror
H2844-02 1 Samuel 2:4 חַתִּ֑ים chatim HAampa are broken terror-stricken ones
H2844-04 Isaiah 7:8 יֵחַ֥ת yechat HVNi3ms will-be-shattered he will be shattered
H2844-02 Jeremiah 46:5 חַתִּים֮ chatim HAampa dismayed terror-stricken ones
H2844-01 Job 41:25 חָֽת chat HNcmsa terror he was shattered
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