What does חָמַל (ḥāmal) mean in the Bible?
חָמַל (ḥāmal): Compassion that moves one to spare or withhold deserved judgment; mercy in action rather than sentiment
Hebrew · H2550
חָמַל
To commiserate ; by implication, to spare
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חָמַל H2550
Pronunciation ḥāmal
What does חָמַל (ḥāmal) mean in the Bible?
חָמַל (ḥāmal): Compassion that moves one to spare or withhold deserved judgment; mercy in action rather than sentiment
Full entry for חָמַל (H2550) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2550?
The BSB source-word alignment has 41 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include mercy (5), pity (4), spare (4), . . . (3), compassion (2).
Where does חָמַל (ḥāmal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 2:6. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (8), Jeremiah (5), 1 Samuel (4), Job (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It mercy 5× Job 16:13, Job 27:22, Proverbs 6:34, Jeremiah 13:14
pity 4× 2 Samuel 12:6, Lamentations 2:2, Lamentations 2:17, Lamentations 3:43
spare 4× Deuteronomy 13:8, 1 Samuel 15:3, Jeremiah 50:14, Jeremiah 51:3
. . . 3× 2 Samuel 12:4, Job 6:10, Isaiah 30:14
compassion 2× Lamentations 2:21, Zechariah 11:5
spared 2× 1 Samuel 15:9, 2 Samuel 21:7
will I spare them 2× Ezekiel 8:18, Ezekiel 9:10
will I spare you 2× Ezekiel 7:4, Ezekiel 7:9
and He spared 1× Joel 2:18
And I will spare 1× Malachi 3:17
But I had concern 1× Ezekiel 36:21
even spares 1× Isaiah 9:19
have compassion 1× Zechariah 11:6
He had compassion 1× 2 Chronicles 36:15
or spare anyone 1× Ezekiel 9:5
out of compassion 1× Ezekiel 16:5
show pity 1× Jeremiah 21:7
So she had compassion 1× Exodus 2:6
spare you 1× Ezekiel 5:11
spares 1× Malachi 3:17
sparing 1× 2 Chronicles 36:17
they spared 1× 1 Samuel 15:15
though he cannot bear 1× Job 20:13
will have pity 1× Jeremiah 15:5
you have had compassion 1× 1 Samuel 23:21
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 2:6 וַתַּחְמֹ֣ל to So she had compassion Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Deuteronomy 13:8 תַחְמֹ֥ל to spare Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 1 Samuel 15:3 תַחְמֹ֖ל to spare Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 1 Samuel 15:9 וַיַּחְמֹל֩ to spared Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 15:15 חָמַ֤ל to they spared Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 23:21 חֲמַלְתֶּ֖ם to you have had compassion Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural 2 Samuel 12:4 וַיַּחְמֹ֗ל to . . . Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 12:6 חָמָֽל׃ to pity Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 21:7 וַיַּחְמֹ֣ל to spared Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 36:15 חָמַ֥ל to He had compassion Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 2:6
Aligned rows 41
Books represented 15
Exodus 1 Deuteronomy 1 1 Samuel 4 2 Samuel 3 2 Chronicles 2 Job 4 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 5 Lamentations 4 Ezekiel 8 Joel 1 Habakkuk 1 Zechariah 2 Malachi 2
Source forms
אֶחְמ֑וֹל 2x ’eḥ·mō·wl Ezekiel 7:4, Ezekiel 7:9
אֶחְמֹ֑ל 2x ’eḥ·mōl Ezekiel 8:18, Ezekiel 9:10
יַחְמ֑וֹל 2x yaḥ·mō·wl Job 6:10, Job 16:13
יַחְמֹ֣ל 2x yaḥ·mōl Job 20:13, Malachi 3:17
יַחְמֹ֑ל 2x yaḥ·mōl Job 27:22, Isaiah 30:14
אֶחְמ֧וֹל 1x ’eḥ·mō·wl Jeremiah 13:14
אֶחְמ֥וֹל 1x ’eḥ·mō·wl Zechariah 11:6
אֶחְמֽוֹל׃ 1x ’eḥ·mō·wl Ezekiel 5:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 11x Job 6:10, Job 16:13, Job 20:13, Job 27:22
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular 7x Jeremiah 13:14, Ezekiel 5:11, Ezekiel 7:4, Ezekiel 7:9
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 6x 1 Samuel 15:15, 2 Samuel 12:6, 2 Chronicles 36:15, 2 Chronicles 36:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 4x 1 Samuel 15:9, 2 Samuel 12:4, 2 Samuel 21:7, Joel 2:18
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural 3x Jeremiah 50:14, Jeremiah 51:3, Ezekiel 9:5
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2x Deuteronomy 13:8, 1 Samuel 15:3
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular 2x Lamentations 2:21, Lamentations 3:43
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 1x Malachi 3:17
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Compassion that moves one to spare or withhold deserved judgment; mercy in action rather than sentiment
Strong's H2550
Lexical occurrences 41 verses Word forms 1 form 33 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Exodus 2:1-10 Source Gloss
to commiserate ; by implication, to spare
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Compassion that moves one to spare or withhold deserved judgment; mercy in action rather than sentiment
to commiserate; by implication, to spare BDB: spare Usage: have compassion, (have) pity, spare.
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 groups 1 Aligned forms 33
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 33×
Imperfect Hab 1:17 · Isa 30:14 · Jer 15:5 · Jer 21:7 · Job 6:10 · Job 16:13 · Job 20:13 · Job 27:22 · Mal 3:17 · Prov 6:34 · Zech 11:5 · Ezek 5:11 · Ezek 7:4 · Ezek 7:9 · Ezek 8:18 · Ezek 9:10 22×
Perfect 1Sam 15:15 · 2Chr 36:15 · 2Chr 36:17 · 2Sam 12:6 · Lam 2:2 · Lam 2:17 · Lam 2:21 · Lam 3:43 · 1Sam 23:21 9×
Jussive Ezek 9:5 · Jer 50:14 2×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Pharaoh's daughter has compassion on Hebrew baby Moses, sparing his life from decree
Showing 1 selected witness from 41 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָמַל is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain