כָּחַשׁ

כָּחַשׁ

to be untrue, in word (to lie, feign, disown) or deed (to disappoint, fail, cringe)

Definition

The verb כָּחַשׁ (kâchash) fundamentally means to be untrue or to falsify, encompassing both verbal and behavioral falsehood. In speech, it denotes lying, denying, or feigning, as when Sarah denied laughing in Genesis 18:15. In action, it signifies disappointing, failing, or cringing in submission, such as when enemies 'cringe' before a conqueror in Deuteronomy 33:29. The word can also describe dealing falsely in matters of property or trust, as seen in laws about theft and deception in Leviticus 6:2-3 and 19:11.

Biblical Usage

כָּחַשׁ appears 22 times across various Old Testament contexts, primarily in narrative and legal texts. It is used for personal denial (Genesis 18:15), legal falsehood and fraud (Leviticus 6:2-3; 19:11), national covenant failure (Joshua 7:11; 24:27), and the submissive defeat of enemies (Deuteronomy 33:29; 2 Samuel 22:45). The usage in Joshua highlights its role in describing breaches of covenant loyalty.

Etymology

As a primitive root, כָּחַשׁ is not derived from another Hebrew verb. Cognates exist in other Semitic languages, like Akkadian 'kašāšu' (to cringe or submit) and Arabic 'kaḏaba' (to lie), indicating an original semantic range covering both false speech and physical cowering or failure. This dual sense of verbal untruth and behavioral inadequacy is preserved in its biblical usage.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it touches on the integrity of human speech and action before God. It is central to biblical concepts of truth, covenant faithfulness, and sin. In legal texts (Leviticus), it defines offenses against God and neighbor through deception. In narratives (Joshua), it describes Israel's failure to uphold the covenant, linking falsehood to idolatry and communal corruption. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by revealing how lying and failing are intertwined as forms of being 'untrue' to God's standards. In ancient Israelite culture, truth was not merely a matter of factual accuracy but of reliability and covenant loyalty. To 'be untrue' (כָּחַשׁ) in word or deed was a serious breach of social and religious trust, damaging the community's fabric. The concept of enemies 'cringing' (כָּחַשׁ) reflects a warrior culture where submission was a visible, physical act of defeat, different from modern abstract notions of surrender. שָׁקַר (shāqar, H8266) — focuses more on deliberate, active deception or betrayal. כָּזַב (kāzav, H3576) — often denotes telling a lie or speaking falsely. עָוָה (ʿāvâ, H5753) — emphasizes moral distortion or perversion, a broader concept of iniquity.

Word Details