חָבָה
to secrete
Definition
The Hebrew verb חָבָה means to hide, conceal, or secrete oneself. It describes the physical act of hiding for protection or safety, often in a specific location. In Joshua 2:16, Rahab instructs the Israelite spies to hide themselves in the mountains. In 2 Kings 7:12, the king's servants suggest that the Arameans have hidden in the countryside. The word can also carry a sense of withdrawing for divine protection, as in Isaiah 26:20, where God commands His people to hide themselves for a little moment until His indignation passes.
Biblical Usage
חָבָה is used four times in the Old Testament, always describing people hiding for strategic or protective reasons. It appears in narrative contexts (Joshua 2:16, 2 Kings 7:12) and prophetic literature (Isaiah 26:20, Jeremiah 49:10). The usage consistently involves a person or group concealing themselves from a perceived threat, whether human enemies (the king of Jericho, the Aramean army) or divine judgment.
Etymology
A primitive root verb, likely related to חָבַב (H2245, 'to hide' or 'cherish'), sharing a core concept of covering or concealing. It is part of a word family involving hiding and protection.
Semantic Range
This word enriches the biblical theme of God as a refuge. In Isaiah 26:20, the command to 'hide yourselves' is an act of faith and obedience, trusting God's timing for protection during judgment. It illustrates that safety is found not in human strategy alone but in heeding God's instruction to withdraw and wait upon Him. Understanding this Hebrew term highlights the active role believers may take in seeking the shelter God provides.
In the ancient Near East, hiding was a common survival tactic during military conflict or social upheaval. The specific locations mentioned—mountains (Joshua 2:16), the field (2 Kings 7:12), or one's chambers (Isaiah 26:20)—reflect realistic hiding places in that agrarian, non-urbanized society. Hiding was not seen as merely cowardly but often as a prudent, temporary measure for preservation.
חָבַא (châba', H2244) — a nearly identical verb also meaning to hide or conceal, used in similar contexts. סָתַר (câthar, H5641) — a more common verb for hiding, often with a broader sense of concealing objects or information, not just oneself. עָלַם (ʻâlam, H5956) — to conceal or hide, sometimes with a nuance of being secret or unknown.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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