What does חָפַר mean in the Bible?
חָפַר is a Hebrew word meaning "properly, to pry into ; by implication, to delve , to explore".
Hebrew · H2658
חָפַר
Properly, to pry into ; by implication, to delve , to explore
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חָפַר H2658
What does חָפַר mean in the Bible?
חָפַר is a Hebrew word meaning "properly, to pry into ; by implication, to delve , to explore".
Full entry for חָפַר (H2658) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2658?
The BSB source-word alignment has 22 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include dug (3), to spy out (2), . . . (1), and dug (1), and dug up (1).
Where does חָפַר appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 21:30. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (8), Job (4), Deuteronomy (2), Joshua (2).
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 dug 3× Genesis 26:19, Exodus 7:24, Numbers 21:18
to spy out 2× Joshua 2:2, Joshua 2:3
. . . 1× Genesis 26:18
and dug 1× Genesis 26:22
and dug up 1× Jeremiah 13:7
and hollowed it out 1× Psalms 7:15
and search for it 1× Job 3:21
and you will look around 1× Job 11:18
had been dug 1× Genesis 26:18
had dug 1× Genesis 26:15
He paws 1× Job 39:21
he spies 1× Job 39:29
He who digs 1× Ecclesiastes 10:8
I dug 1× Genesis 21:30
Then they dug 1× Genesis 26:21
they dug 1× Psalms 35:7
they had dug 1× Genesis 26:32
to search out 1× Deuteronomy 1:22
you can dig a hole 1× Deuteronomy 23:13
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 21:30 חָפַ֖רְתִּי to I dug Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Genesis 26:15 חָֽפְרוּ֙ to had dug Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Genesis 26:18 וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר׀ to . . . Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 26:18 חָֽפְרוּ֙ to had been dug Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Genesis 26:19 וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ to dug Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Genesis 26:21 וַֽיַּחְפְּרוּ֙ to Then they dug Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Genesis 26:22 וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ to and dug Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 26:32 חָפָ֑רוּ to they had dug Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Exodus 7:24 וַיַּחְפְּר֧וּ to dug Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Numbers 21:18 חֲפָר֣וּהָ to dug Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 21:30
Aligned rows 22
Books represented 9
Genesis 8 Exodus 1 Numbers 1 Deuteronomy 2 Joshua 2 Job 4 Psalms 2 Ecclesiastes 1 Jeremiah 1
Source forms
חָֽפְרוּ֙ 2x ḥā·p̄ə·rū Genesis 26:15, Genesis 26:18
לַחְפֹּ֥ר 2x laḥ·pōr Joshua 2:2, Joshua 2:3
וָאֶחְפֹּ֗ר 1x wā·’eḥ·pōr Jeremiah 13:7
וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ 1x wə·ḥā·p̄ar·tā Job 11:18
וְחָפַרְתָּ֣ה 1x wə·ḥā·p̄ar·tāh Deuteronomy 23:13
וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ 1x way·yaḥ·pōr Genesis 26:22
וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר׀ 1x way·yaḥ·pōr Genesis 26:18
וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ 1x way·yaḥ·pə·rê·hū Psalms 7:15
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 4x Genesis 26:15, Genesis 26:18, Genesis 26:32, Psalms 35:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 3x Genesis 26:19, Genesis 26:21, Exodus 7:24
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular 2x Deuteronomy 23:13, Job 11:18
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Genesis 26:18, Genesis 26:22
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct 2x Joshua 2:2, Joshua 2:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x Deuteronomy 1:22
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular 1x Jeremiah 13:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular 1x Job 3:21
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. properly, to pry into ; by implication, to delve , to explore
Source Gloss
properly, to pry into ; by implication, to delve , to explore
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
properly, to pry into; by implication, to delve, to explore BDB: dig Usage: dig, paw, search out, seek.
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 8
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 8×
Perfect Gen 26:15 · Gen 26:18 · Gen 26:32 · Ps 35:7 · Gen 21:30 · Job 39:29 6×
Participle active Eccl 10:8 1×
Imperfect Job 39:21 1×
Word Origins
חָפַר is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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