What does חָמֵץ (ḥāmēṣ) mean in the Bible?
חָמֵץ (ḥāmēṣ): Fermentation process that corrupts and spreads; metaphorically extends to moral corruption and exploitative practices
Hebrew · H2557
חָמֵץ
Ferment , (figuratively) extortion
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חָמֵץ H2557
Pronunciation ḥāmēṣ
What does חָמֵץ (ḥāmēṣ) mean in the Bible?
חָמֵץ (ḥāmēṣ): Fermentation process that corrupts and spreads; metaphorically extends to moral corruption and exploitative practices
Full entry for חָמֵץ (H2557) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2557?
The BSB source-word alignment has 13 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include anything leavened (3), leavened (3), with leaven (3), leavened bread (2), of leavened (1).
Where does חָמֵץ (ḥāmēṣ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 12:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (7), Leviticus (4), Amos (1), Deuteronomy (1).
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 anything leavened 3× Exodus 12:15, Exodus 23:18, Exodus 34:25
leavened 3× Exodus 12:20, Exodus 13:3, Exodus 13:7
with leaven 3× Leviticus 2:11, Leviticus 6:17, Leviticus 23:17
leavened bread 2× Deuteronomy 16:3, Amos 4:5
of leavened 1× Leviticus 7:13
something leavened 1× Exodus 12:19
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 12:15 חָמֵ֗ץ to anything leavened Noun - masculine singular Exodus 12:19 מַחְמֶ֗צֶת to something leavened Noun - feminine singular Exodus 12:20 מַחְמֶ֖צֶת to leavened Noun - feminine singular Exodus 13:3 חָמֵֽץ׃ to leavened Noun - masculine singular Exodus 13:7 חָמֵ֗ץ to leavened Noun - masculine singular Exodus 23:18 חָמֵ֖ץ to anything leavened Noun - masculine singular Exodus 34:25 חָמֵ֖ץ to anything leavened Noun - masculine singular Leviticus 2:11 חָמֵ֑ץ to with leaven Noun - masculine singular Leviticus 6:17 חָמֵ֔ץ to with leaven Noun - masculine singular Leviticus 7:13 חָמֵ֔ץ to of leavened Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 12:15
Aligned rows 13
Books represented 4
Exodus 7 Leviticus 4 Deuteronomy 1 Amos 1
Source forms
חָמֵ֖ץ 3x ḥā·mêṣ Exodus 23:18, Exodus 34:25, Leviticus 23:17
חָמֵ֔ץ 3x ḥā·mêṣ Leviticus 6:17, Leviticus 7:13, Deuteronomy 16:3
חָמֵ֗ץ 2x ḥā·mêṣ Exodus 12:15, Exodus 13:7
חָמֵ֑ץ 1x ḥā·mêṣ Leviticus 2:11
חָמֵֽץ׃ 1x ḥā·mêṣ Exodus 13:3
מֵֽחָמֵץ֙ 1x mê·ḥā·mêṣ Amos 4:5
מַחְמֶ֗צֶת 1x maḥ·me·ṣeṯ Exodus 12:19
מַחְמֶ֖צֶת 1x maḥ·me·ṣeṯ Exodus 12:20
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 10x Exodus 12:15, Exodus 13:3, Exodus 13:7, Exodus 23:18
Noun - feminine singular 2x Exodus 12:19, Exodus 12:20
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular 1x Amos 4:5
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Fermentation process that corrupts and spreads; metaphorically extends to moral corruption and exploitative practices
Source Gloss
ferment , (figuratively) extortion
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Fermentation process that corrupts and spreads; metaphorically extends to moral corruption and exploitative practices
ferment, (figuratively) extortion BDB: that which is leavened Usage: leaven, leavened (bread).
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 12
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 2×
Participle active Exod 12:19 · Exod 12:20 2×
Word Origins
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.
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