חָסַם
to muzzle; by analogy, to stop the nose
Definition
The Hebrew verb חָסַם (châçam) primarily means 'to muzzle' or 'to restrain by covering the mouth.' In its most literal sense, it refers to the physical act of preventing an animal from eating, as seen in Deuteronomy 25:4, which commands not to muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain. By analogy, the word can also mean 'to stop' or 'to block,' specifically applied to stopping the nose or nostrils, as in the prophetic description of burying the dead to stop the stench in Ezekiel 39:11. Thus, the core idea is one of forceful restraint or obstruction, whether applied to an animal's mouth or another opening.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only twice in the Old Testament, each in a distinct context that illustrates its range. In Deuteronomy 25:4, it appears in a legal context concerning humane treatment of a working animal. In Ezekiel 39:11, it is used in a prophetic vision of burial to stop the smell of corpses after a great battle. Both uses involve the concept of blocking or restraining, but one is literal and ethical, while the other is graphic and eschatological.
Etymology
חָסַם is a primitive root. Its fundamental meaning relates to restraining or binding the mouth. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Arabic, carry similar meanings of restraining or silencing. The development from the concrete act of muzzling to the more general sense of stopping an opening (like the nose) is a natural semantic extension.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant because its primary use in Deuteronomy 25:4 is directly cited by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 9:9, 1 Timothy 5:18) to argue for the fair support of those who labor in ministry. It establishes a biblical principle of compassion and justice, showing that God's care extends even to working animals, and by extension, to human workers. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of these New Testament passages by highlighting the continuity of God's concern for equitable treatment.
In the ancient Near Eastern agricultural context, muzzling an ox during threshing was likely a known practice to prevent it from eating the grain it was meant to separate from the chaff. God's law in Deuteronomy 25:4 intentionally counters this common, economically driven practice, mandating kindness and allowing the laborer to partake of the fruit of its labor. This contrasts with a purely utilitarian view of animals and reflects a distinctive biblical ethic.
עָצַר (ʿāṣar, H6113) — to restrain or hold back, more general; סָגַר (sāgar, H5462) — to shut or close, often a door or gate.
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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