חָמַד
To delight in
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What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does חָמַד (chamad) mean in the Bible?
חָמַד (chamad) is a Hebrew word meaning "to delight in". to delight in BDB: desire Usage: beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, (× great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing). It echoes the Tenth Commandment, showing continuity between Micah’s indictment and the foundational covenant law. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Justice.
Meaning
Desire that moves from aesthetic appreciation toward possession; can signal both innocent delight and covetous appetite.
to delight in BDB: desire Usage: beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, (× great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).
Why This Word Matters
It echoes the Tenth Commandment, showing continuity between Micah’s indictment and the foundational covenant law. Micah 2:1-5
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 10×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 2×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Showing 8 of 28 occurrences in the biblical text.