What does חָקַק (ḥāqaq) mean in the Bible?
חָקַק (ḥāqaq): To engrave or inscribe laws permanently; metaphorically, to establish or decree with binding authority
Hebrew · H2710
חָקַק
Properly, to hack , i.e. engrave (Judges 5:14, to be a scribe simply); by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (gen.) prescribe
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חָקַק H2710
Pronunciation ḥāqaq
What does חָקַק (ḥāqaq) mean in the Bible?
חָקַק (ḥāqaq): To engrave or inscribe laws permanently; metaphorically, to establish or decree with binding authority
Full entry for חָקַק (H2710) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2710?
The BSB source-word alignment has 19 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [is] My scepter (1), a ruler’s (1), and cut (1), and draw (1), and inscribe (1).
Where does חָקַק (ḥāqaq) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 49:10. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (5), Proverbs (4), Ezekiel (2), Judges (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 [is] My scepter 1× Psalms 108:8
a ruler’s 1× Deuteronomy 33:21
and cut 1× Isaiah 22:16
and draw 1× Ezekiel 4:1
and inscribe 1× Isaiah 30:8
and inscribed 1× Job 19:23
engraved 1× Ezekiel 23:14
I have inscribed you 1× Isaiah 49:16
is our lawgiver 1× Isaiah 33:22
is with the princes 1× Judges 5:9
laws 1× Proverbs 8:15
My scepter 1× Psalms 60:7
nor the staff 1× Genesis 49:10
The commanders 1× Judges 5:14
to those who enact 1× Isaiah 10:1
what is decreed 1× Proverbs 31:5
when He inscribed 1× Proverbs 8:27
when He marked out 1× Proverbs 8:29
with their scepters 1× Numbers 21:18
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 49:10 וּמְחֹקֵ֖ק to nor the staff Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Numbers 21:18 בִּמְחֹקֵ֖ק to with their scepters Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Deuteronomy 33:21 מְחֹקֵ֖ק to a ruler’s Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Judges 5:9 לְחוֹקְקֵ֣י to is with the princes Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Judges 5:14 מְחֹ֣קְקִ֔ים to The commanders Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural Job 19:23 וְיֻחָֽקוּ׃ to and inscribed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural Psalms 60:7 מְחֹֽקְקִי׃ to My scepter Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Psalms 108:8 מְחֹקְקִֽי׃ to [is] My scepter Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Proverbs 8:15 יְחֹ֣קְקוּ to laws Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Proverbs 8:27 בְּח֥וּקוֹ to when He inscribed Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 49:10
Aligned rows 19
Books represented 9
Genesis 1 Numbers 1 Deuteronomy 1 Judges 2 Job 1 Psalms 2 Proverbs 4 Isaiah 5 Ezekiel 2
Source forms
בְּח֥וּקוֹ 1x bə·ḥū·qōw Proverbs 8:27
בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ 1x bə·ḥū·qōw Proverbs 8:29
בִּמְחֹקֵ֖ק 1x bim·ḥō·qêq Numbers 21:18
הַחֹֽקְקִ֖ים 1x ha·ḥō·qə·qîm Isaiah 10:1
וְחַקּוֹתָ֥ 1x wə·ḥaq·qō·w·ṯā Ezekiel 4:1
וְיֻחָֽקוּ׃ 1x wə·yu·ḥā·qū Job 19:23
וּמְחֹקֵ֖ק 1x ū·mə·ḥō·qêq Genesis 49:10
חֻקָּ֑הּ 1x ḥuq·qāh Isaiah 30:8
Parsing patterns
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular 2x Proverbs 8:27, Proverbs 8:29
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 2x Psalms 60:7, Psalms 108:8
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 1x Isaiah 10:1
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x Job 19:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 1x Genesis 49:10
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular 1x Ezekiel 4:1
Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 1x Numbers 21:18
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct 1x Judges 5:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To engrave or inscribe laws permanently; metaphorically, to establish or decree with binding authority
Strong's H2710
Lexical occurrences 19 verses Word forms 3 forms 6 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 49:14-21 Source Gloss
properly, to hack , i.e. engrave (Judges 5:14, to be a scribe simply); by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (gen.) prescribe
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To engrave or inscribe laws permanently; metaphorically, to establish or decree with binding authority
properly, to hack, i.e. engrave (Judges 5:14, to be a scribe simply); by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (gen.) prescribe BDB: cut in Usage: appoint, decree, governor, grave, lawgiver, note, pourtray, print, set.
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 3 Aligned forms 6
Poel 3×
Participle active Deut 33:21 · Judg 5:14 2×
Imperfect Prov 8:15 1×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 2×
Participle passive Ezek 23:14 1×
Participle active Isa 22:16 1×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 1×
Participle passive Prov 31:5 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To inscribe or engrave.
Showing 1 selected witness from 19 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָקַק is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Signifies permanent and visible covenant remembrance. Isaiah 49:14-21
Canonical Themes
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