What does חָבָא (ḥābāʾ) mean in the Bible?
חָבָא (ḥābāʾ): To hide or conceal oneself, often with connotation of withdrawing from danger or divine presence
Hebrew · H2244
חָבָא
To secrete
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חָבָאH2244
Pronunciationḥābāʾ
What does חָבָא (ḥābāʾ) mean in the Bible?
חָבָא (ḥābāʾ): To hide or conceal oneself, often with connotation of withdrawing from danger or divine presence
Full entry for חָבָא (H2244) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2244?
The BSB source-word alignment has 33 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include hidden (2), she hid (2), [and] hide (1), and hid themselves (1), and hidden (1).
Where does חָבָא (ḥābāʾ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 3:8. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Samuel (6), Job (5), Joshua (5), 2 Chronicles (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Ithidden2×2 Kings 11:3, 2 Chronicles 22:12
she hid2×Joshua 6:17, Joshua 6:25
[and] hide1×2 Chronicles 18:24
and hid themselves1×Daniel 10:7
and hidden1×Joshua 10:16
and hidden them1×1 Kings 18:4
and hide there1×1 Samuel 19:2
and they hid themselves1×Genesis 3:8
and withdrew1×Job 29:8
become hard1×Job 38:30
But she had hidden1×2 Kings 6:29
he has hidden1×1 Samuel 10:22
he hid himself1×Judges 9:5
He hid Me1×Isaiah 49:2
he hides1×1 Samuel 23:23
hid1×1 Samuel 13:6
hid themselves1×1 Chronicles 21:20
I hid1×1 Kings 18:13
into hiding1×Job 24:4
is hiding1×2 Samuel 17:9
or imprisoned1×Isaiah 42:22
secretly1×Genesis 31:27
so I hid myself1×Genesis 3:10
they are hiding1×Joshua 10:17
they had hidden1×Joshua 10:27
they hide themselves1×Amos 9:3
they were hiding1×1 Samuel 14:11
was hiding1×2 Chronicles 22:9
were hushed1×Job 29:10
who had been hiding1×1 Samuel 14:22
You will be hidden1×Job 5:21
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 3:8וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨אtoand they hid themselvesConjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 3:10וָאֵחָבֵֽא׃toso I hid myselfConjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularGenesis 31:27נַחְבֵּ֙אתָ֙tosecretlyVerb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singularJoshua 6:17הֶחְבְּאַ֔תָהtoshe hidVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singularJoshua 6:25הֶחְבִּ֙יאָה֙toshe hidVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singularJoshua 10:16וַיֵּחָבְא֥וּtoand hiddenConjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralJoshua 10:17נֶחְבְּאִ֥יםtothey are hidingVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralJoshua 10:27נֶחְבְּאוּ־tothey had hiddenVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralJudges 9:5נֶחְבָּֽא׃סtohe hid himselfVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular1 Samuel 10:22נֶחְבָּ֖אtohe has hiddenVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 3:8
Aligned rows33
Books represented13
Genesis3Joshua5Judges11 Samuel62 Samuel11 Kings22 Kings21 Chronicles12 Chronicles3Job5Isaiah2Daniel1Amos1
Source forms
מִתְחַבֵּ֖א2xmiṯ·ḥab·bê2 Kings 11:3, 2 Chronicles 22:12
בְּהֵחָבֵֽא׃1xbə·hê·ḥā·ḇêDaniel 10:7
הָחְבָּ֑אוּ1xhā·ḥə·bā·’ūIsaiah 42:22
הֶחְבְּאַ֔תָה1xheḥ·bə·’a·ṯāhJoshua 6:17
הֶחְבִּ֙יאָה֙1xheḥ·bî·’āhJoshua 6:25
הֶחְבִּיאָ֑נִי1xheḥ·bî·’ā·nîIsaiah 49:2
הַמִּֽתְחַבְּאִ֤ים1xham·miṯ·ḥab·bə·’îm1 Samuel 14:22
הִתְחַבְּאוּ־1xhiṯ·ḥab·bə·’ū-1 Samuel 14:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular3x2 Kings 11:3, 2 Chronicles 22:9, 2 Chronicles 22:12
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular2xJoshua 6:17, Joshua 6:25
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular2x1 Samuel 10:22, 2 Samuel 17:9
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural2xJoshua 10:27, Job 29:10
Article | Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine plural1x1 Samuel 14:22
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular1x1 Kings 18:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular1x2 Kings 6:29
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural1x1 Kings 18:4
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To hide or conceal oneself, often with connotation of withdrawing from danger or divine presence
Strong'sH2244
Lexical occurrences33 versesWord forms5 forms20 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkGenesis 3:8-13Source Gloss
to secrete
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To hide or conceal oneself, often with connotation of withdrawing from danger or divine presence
to secrete BDB: withdraw Usage: × held, hide (self), do secretly.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups5Aligned forms20
Hithpaelreflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others7×
Participle active1Chr 21:20 · 2Chr 22:9 · 2Chr 22:12 · 2Kgs 11:34×
Imperfect1Sam 23:23 · Job 38:302×
Perfect1Sam 14:111×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action9×
PerfectJob 29:10 · Josh 10:27 · Gen 31:27 · Judg 9:54×
Participle passive1Sam 10:22 · 2Sam 17:92×
ImperfectAmos 9:3 · Job 5:212×
Participle activeJosh 10:171×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action2×
PerfectJosh 6:17 · Josh 6:252×
Hophalcausative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action1×
PerfectIsa 42:221×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject1×
PerfectJob 24:41×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Adam and Eve conceal themselves from God's presence out of shame and fear
People withdraw into hiding places to escape divine judgment and wrath
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 33 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָבָא is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.