What does חָפַשׂ (ḥāpaś) mean in the Bible?
חָפַשׂ (ḥāpaś): Seeking intensifies into concealment: the active search paradoxically enables hiding or masking one's true identity.
Hebrew · H2664
חָפַשׂ
To seek ; causatively, to conceal oneself (i.e. let be sought), or mask
Reading a lexicon entry
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.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
חָפַשׂ H2664
Pronunciation ḥāpaś
What does חָפַשׂ (ḥāpaś) mean in the Bible?
חָפַשׂ (ḥāpaś): Seeking intensifies into concealment: the active search paradoxically enables hiding or masking one's true identity.
Full entry for חָפַשׂ (H2664) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2664?
The BSB source-word alignment has 23 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include disguised himself (3), I will disguise myself (2), and search it out (1), disguising himself (1), he disguised himself (1).
Where does חָפַשׂ (ḥāpaś) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:35. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Kings (4), 2 Chronicles (3), Proverbs (3), Psalms (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 It disguised himself 3× 1 Samuel 28:8, 1 Kings 22:30, 2 Chronicles 18:29
I will disguise myself 2× 1 Kings 22:30, 2 Chronicles 18:29
and search it out 1× Proverbs 2:4
disguising himself 1× 1 Kings 20:38
he disguised himself 1× 2 Chronicles 35:22
He grasps 1× Job 30:18
hide themselves 1× Proverbs 28:12
I will search 1× Zephaniah 1:12
I will search him out 1× 1 Samuel 23:23
I will track them 1× Amos 9:3
Let us examine 1× Lamentations 3:40
Look around 1× 2 Kings 10:23
plan 1× Psalms 64:6
pondered 1× Psalms 77:6
searching out 1× Proverbs 20:27
So Laban searched 1× Genesis 31:35
The steward searched 1× Genesis 44:12
They devise 1× Psalms 64:6
to search 1× 1 Kings 20:6
will be pillaged 1× Obadiah 1:6
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:35 וַיְחַפֵּ֕שׂ to So Laban searched Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 44:12 וַיְחַפֵּ֕שׂ to The steward searched Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1 Samuel 23:23 וְחִפַּשְׂתִּ֣י to I will search him out Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 1 Samuel 28:8 וַיִּתְחַפֵּ֣שׂ to disguised himself Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1 Kings 20:6 וְחִפְּשׂוּ֙ to to search Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 1 Kings 20:38 וַיִּתְחַפֵּ֥שׂ to disguising himself Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1 Kings 22:30 הִתְחַפֵּשׂ֙ to I will disguise myself Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive absolute 1 Kings 22:30 וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ֙ to disguised himself Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2 Kings 10:23 חַפְּשׂ֤וּ to Look around Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural 2 Chronicles 18:29 הִתְחַפֵּשׂ֙ to I will disguise myself Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive absolute
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 31:35
Aligned rows 23
Books represented 12
Genesis 2 1 Samuel 2 1 Kings 4 2 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 3 Job 1 Psalms 3 Proverbs 3 Lamentations 1 Amos 1 Obadiah 1 Zephaniah 1
Source forms
הִתְחַפֵּשׂ֙ 2x hiṯ·ḥap·pêś 1 Kings 22:30, 2 Chronicles 18:29
וַיְחַפֵּ֕שׂ 2x way·ḥap·pêś Genesis 31:35, Genesis 44:12
וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ֙ 2x way·yiṯ·ḥap·pêś 1 Kings 22:30, 2 Chronicles 18:29
אֲחַפֵּ֖שׂ 1x ’ă·ḥap·pêś Amos 9:3
אֲחַפֵּ֥שׂ 1x ’ă·ḥap·pêś Zephaniah 1:12
הִתְחַפֵּ֔שׂ 1x hiṯ·ḥap·pêś 2 Chronicles 35:22
וְחִפְּשׂוּ֙ 1x wə·ḥip·pə·śū 1 Kings 20:6
וְחִפַּשְׂתִּ֣י 1x wə·ḥip·paś·tî 1 Samuel 23:23
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 4x 1 Samuel 28:8, 1 Kings 20:38, 1 Kings 22:30, 2 Chronicles 18:29
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 3x Genesis 31:35, Genesis 44:12, Psalms 77:6
Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive absolute 2x 1 Kings 22:30, 2 Chronicles 18:29
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular 2x Amos 9:3, Zephaniah 1:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 1x 1 Samuel 23:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 1x 1 Kings 20:6
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Job 30:18
Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - third person masculine singular 1x 2 Chronicles 35:22
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Seeking intensifies into concealment: the active search paradoxically enables hiding or masking one's true identity.
Strong's H2664
Lexical occurrences 23 verses Word forms 5 forms 13 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 20:27 Source Gloss
to seek ; causatively, to conceal oneself (i.e. let be sought), or mask
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Seeking intensifies into concealment: the active search paradoxically enables hiding or masking one's true identity.
to seek; causatively, to conceal oneself (i.e. let be sought), or mask BDB: search Usage: change, (make) diligent (search), disquise self, hide, search (for, out).
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 5 Aligned forms 13
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 4×
Infinitive absolute 1Kgs 22:30 · 2Chr 18:29 2×
Perfect 2Chr 35:22 1×
Imperfect Job 30:18 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 3×
Imperfect Amos 9:3 · Zeph 1:12 2×
Sequential imperfect 2Kgs 10:23 1×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 3×
Cohortative Lam 3:40 1×
Participle active Prov 20:27 1×
Imperfect Ps 64:7 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 1×
Perfect Obad 1:6 1×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 2×
Imperfect Prov 28:12 1×
Participle passive Ps 64:7 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
The spirit of man actively seeks or searches the innermost parts of being
The wicked conceal or hide themselves when righteous people rise to prominence
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 23 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָפַשׂ 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