חֹסֶר

poverty

Definition

חֹסֶר (chôçer) refers to a state of lack, deficiency, or want, most often describing material poverty or deprivation. In Deuteronomy 28:48, it describes the 'want of all things' that would come upon Israel as a covenant curse for disobedience, emphasizing a comprehensive lack of necessities. In Deuteronomy 28:57, it denotes the extreme deprivation and desperate need experienced during a siege. The word can also imply a lack or scarcity of something specific, as seen in Amos 4:6, where God gave Israel 'cleanness of teeth' (a metaphor for famine) and 'want of bread' in all their places, highlighting a targeted, divine judgment.

Biblical Usage

This noun is used exclusively in contexts of severe lack, often as a consequence of divine judgment. All three occurrences are in prophetic or covenantal warnings. In Deuteronomy 28:48 and 28:57, it appears within the list of curses for breaking the covenant, describing the totality of deprivation in exile and siege warfare. In Amos 4:6, the prophet uses it to describe a specific, divinely-sent famine intended to call Israel to repentance. The usage is consistently negative, portraying חֹסֶר as a condition of suffering and need.

Etymology

Derived from the root חָסֵר (chaser, H2637), meaning 'to lack, be in want, decrease, or fail.' This root conveys the core idea of something being missing or insufficient. חֹסֶר is the noun form, concretizing the state of lack. Related words include the adjective חָסֵר ('lacking') and the noun מַחְסוֹר (mach'sor, H4270), which also means 'need' or 'poverty,' showing a family of terms centered on deficiency.

Semantic Range

חֹסֶר is theologically significant as it is directly tied to the blessings and curses of God's covenant. It represents not merely random misfortune, but a specific condition of deprivation resulting from disobedience (Deuteronomy 28). In Amos 4:6, this 'want' is an instrument of God's disciplinary love, a severe mercy intended to turn His people back to Himself. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by showing that biblical 'poverty' or 'want' is often framed within the context of relationship—either as a consequence of broken covenant or as a corrective measure from a loving God.

In ancient Israelite culture, 'want' or 'lack' (חֹסֶר) was not merely an economic condition but a profound threat to life, dignity, and social standing. It implied vulnerability, dependence, and often shame. The severe descriptions in Deuteronomy 28 (yoke of iron, siege) connect this lack directly to military defeat and national humiliation, far beyond modern concepts of financial poverty. It signified a complete breakdown of the security and abundance promised for covenant faithfulness.

מַחְסוֹר (mach'sor, H4270) — A very close synonym also meaning 'need' or 'want,' often used in wisdom literature (e.g., Proverbs 21:5). עֹנִי ('oni, H6040) — Often translated 'affliction' or 'poverty,' but with a stronger connotation of misery or oppression. רֵישׁ (resh, H7389) — A term for poverty or destitution, emphasizing the state of being poor.

Word Details

Scripture References