הָזָה
to dream
Definition
The Hebrew verb הָזָה (hâzâh) means 'to dream' or 'to have a dream.' It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Isaiah 56:10, where it is used metaphorically to describe Israel's watchmen—the spiritual leaders—as being asleep, negligent, and lost in their own dreams, failing in their duty to warn the people. While the basic sense is the act of dreaming during sleep, its singular biblical usage gives it a strong figurative meaning of being inattentive, spiritually drowsy, or deluded. This contrasts with other Hebrew words for vision or prophecy, as הָזָה implies a passive, unproductive state rather than divine communication.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Isaiah 56:10. In this prophetic context, it is employed in a simile: Israel's watchmen are 'all blind, they have no knowledge; they are all silent dogs, they cannot bark, dreaming (הָזִים), lying down, loving to slumber.' The usage is entirely metaphorical, criticizing the nation's leaders for their spiritual lethargy and failure of vigilance. It does not describe a literal, nocturnal dream but a state of negligent inaction.
Etymology
הָזָה (hâzâh) is a primitive root verb. It is compared lexically to חָזָה (H2372), which means 'to see, behold, or prophesy.' This connection suggests a conceptual link between seeing and dreaming, though הָזָה specifically denotes the involuntary visions of sleep. Its meaning development appears to have specialized for the passive experience of dreaming, distinct from the more active or prophetic seeing of its cognate.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, הָזָה carries significant theological weight in its context. It vividly portrays the danger of spiritual complacency among God's appointed leaders. The metaphor enriches the biblical theme of watchfulness (cf. Ezekiel 3:17-21, Matthew 25:1-13), warning that negligence is akin to being lost in a delusional dream, unaware of impending judgment. Understanding this Hebrew term highlights the prophetic critique against empty ritual and passive religion, emphasizing that God requires alert, active faithfulness from those in positions of responsibility.
In the ancient Near East, dreams were often considered potential mediums for divine messages (cf. Genesis, Daniel). However, the use of הָזָה in Isaiah 56:10 subverts this. Here, dreaming is not a vehicle for revelation but a symbol of uselessness and dereliction of duty. This reflects a cultural understanding that not all dreams are significant; some are mere symptoms of sloth. The metaphor would have resonated strongly in an agrarian and military society where watchmen who slept on duty endangered the entire community.
חָלַם (chalam, H2492) — The common verb for dreaming, often used for both ordinary and divine dreams (Genesis 28:12, Daniel 2:1). חָזָה (chazah, H2372) — To see, behold, or have a vision; often used for prophetic sight (Isaiah 1:1, Amos 1:1).
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 →