חָתָה
𐤇𐤕𐤄
châthâh
H2846 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To gather, collect, or scoop up, particularly with reference to fire or embers; in broader use, to take up or remove (substance) by scooping or heaping together. In biblical contexts, most often denotes the act of drawing together coals, embers, or burning material, as with a firepan or shovel in ritual or household activities. In rarer cases, can indicate removal by scooping or heaping up.
Semantic Range
to draw or scoop up embers or coals, to gather burning material into a container (such as a firepan), to heap together, to collect (esp. in regards to fire-related substances), to take up by collection
Root / Etymology
From the root חתה, which expresses the act of collecting, drawing together, or scooping. The core root meaning relates to gathering with the hands or with a tool, especially from a surface. The verb חָתָה is derived directly from this root and retains the concrete, physical sense of gathering or scooping, most often with respect to fire or coals.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָתָה appears primarily in ritual and domestic contexts in the Hebrew Bible, where priests or household members collect burning coals, typically with a firepan. Notably, the usage focuses more on the act of gathering or drawing together, rather than simply taking away or removing. In priestly texts (such as Leviticus), the term is instrumental for describing technical aspects of tabernacle or temple service, particularly fire management on the altar. The act is distinct from verbs meaning to 'take up generally' (as נָשָׂא), highlighting the specificity of 'drawing together' (especially fire or embers). In some English versions, חָתָה is rendered variously as 'take,' 'gather,' or 'heap,' but such renderings can obscure the concrete action of drawing burning coals, which is central in ancient practice. The term does not develop significant metaphorical or abstract sense in later Hebrew documentation, and its usage remains tied to material handling. There is no evidence that the term broadens to refer to Israelites or specific social groups.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to lay hold of; especially to pick up fire; heap, take (away).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חתה (ḥ-t-h) — to gather, to collect, to scoop, to draw together
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4288 | מְחִתָּה | shattering ruin |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2846-01 |
חֹתֶ֣ה | choteh | HVqrmsa |
will heap | the scooping one | 1 |
H2846-02 |
הֲ/יַחְתֶּ֤ה | hayacheteh | HTi/Vqi3ms |
Can he take | he will scoop up | 1 |
H2846-03 |
לַ/חְתּ֥וֹת | lachetot | HR/Vqc |
to take | to scoop up | 1 |
H2846-04 |
יַחְתְּ/ךָ֣ | yachetekha | HVqi3ms/Sp2ms |
will pluck you up | he will scoop you up | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2846-03 |
Isaiah 30:14 | לַ/חְתּ֥וֹת | lachetot | HR/Vqc |
to take | to scoop up |
H2846-04 |
Psalms 52:7 | יַחְתְּ/ךָ֣ | yachetekha | HVqi3ms/Sp2ms |
will pluck you up | he will scoop you up |
H2846-02 |
Proverbs 6:27 | הֲ/יַחְתֶּ֤ה | hayacheteh | HTi/Vqi3ms |
Can he take | he will scoop up |
H2846-01 |
Proverbs 25:22 | חֹתֶ֣ה | choteh | HVqrmsa |
will heap | the scooping one |