חֲתֻלָּה
a swathing cloth (figuratively)
Definition
The Hebrew noun חֲתֻלָּה (chăthullâh) refers to a swaddling cloth or band, specifically a strip of cloth used to wrap an infant tightly. In its single biblical occurrence, it is used figuratively to describe the dark clouds that envelop the sea at creation, as if God were wrapping it like a newborn. This imagery powerfully conveys the idea of God's sovereign care and control over the chaotic waters, establishing order at the dawn of the world. The word captures both the physical act of binding and the metaphorical sense of being enveloped or confined.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Job 38:9, within God's poetic speech from the whirlwind. Here, it is used in a striking metaphorical context, not for an actual infant, but to describe how God made the clouds a 'swaddling band' for the sea at creation. This singular usage places the word in a grand, cosmic setting, emphasizing divine power and creative artistry rather than everyday human activity.
Etymology
חֲתֻלָּה (chăthullâh) is a feminine noun derived from the root verb חָתַל (chāthal, H2853), which means 'to wrap tightly' or 'to swaddle.' The verb itself conveys the action of binding or enveloping. The noun form specifically denotes the cloth or band used for that purpose. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Arabic and Aramaic, share similar meanings related to binding or girding, confirming the core idea of constriction or envelopment.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word carries significant theological weight. In Job 38:9, it contributes to the theme of God's absolute sovereignty over creation, portraying Him as a careful, powerful agent who brings order from chaos. The metaphor of swaddling the sea with clouds illustrates God's intimate, yet commanding, care for His creation, akin to a parent tenderly wrapping an infant. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of this passage by highlighting the contrast between the sea's perceived chaos and God's purposeful, restraining order, a concept foundational to biblical cosmology.
In the ancient Near East, swaddling infants with cloth bands was a common practice believed to help the child's limbs grow straight and provide a sense of security, mimicking the womb's confinement. This cultural practice makes the metaphor in Job 38:9 immediately understandable to the original audience: just as a human parent carefully binds a newborn, so the divine Creator bound the primordial waters, demonstrating purposeful care and control from the very beginning.
אֵזוֹר (ʾēzôr, H232) — a belt or girdle for the waist, more general for binding. עֲטִיפָה (ʿăṭîp̄â, H5844) — a covering or cloak, focuses on enveloping rather than tight binding.
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.
Full methodology & sources →