What does חָשַׁב · אָוֶן mean in the Bible?
חָשַׁב · אָוֶן: Mental activity (thinking, plotting, devising) rooted in physical weaving; often implies malicious intent or cunning calculation.
Hebrew · H2803, H205
חָשַׁב
Properly, to plait or interpenetrate , i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate ; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think , regard , value , compute · strictly nothingness ; also trouble , vanity , wickedness ; specifically an idol
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
חָשַׁב H2803 properly, to plait or interpenetrate , i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate ; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think , regard , value , compute
Pronunciation yaḥăšāḇ-lî
Thinking as mental weaving or plotting; ranges from neutral computation to malicious scheming or divine imputation of righteousness.
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אָוֶן H205 strictly nothingness ; also trouble , vanity , wickedness ; specifically an idol
Pronunciation aven
Radical emptiness underlying all forms of evil, trouble, and idolatry—nothingness as moral and spiritual corruption.
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What does חָשַׁב (chashav aven) mean in the Bible?
חָשַׁב · אָוֶן: Mental activity (thinking, plotting, devising) rooted in physical weaving; often implies malicious intent or cunning calculation.
Full entry for חָשַׁב (H2803, H205) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H2803, H205?
H2803, H205 is connected to 203 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. Mental activity (thinking, plotting, devising) rooted in physical weaving; often implies malicious intent or cunning calculation.
Strong's H2803, H205
Lexical occurrences 203 verses Word forms 4 forms 87 references Study link Micah 2:1-5 Source Gloss
properly, to plait or interpenetrate , i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate ; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think , regard , value , compute
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 4 Aligned forms 87
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 51×
Perfect 1Sam 18:25 · Esth 8:3 · Esth 9:24 · Esth 9:25 · Isa 33:8 · Jer 49:20 · Jer 50:45 · Lam 2:8 · Amos 6:5 · Jer 11:19 · Jer 48:2 · Ps 10:2 · Ps 21:12 · Ps 140:3 · Ps 140:5 · 2Sam 14:13 19×
Participle active 2Chr 26:15 · Exod 26:1 · Exod 26:31 · Exod 28:6 · Exod 28:15 · Exod 36:8 · Exod 36:35 · Exod 39:3 · Exod 39:8 · Jer 26:3 · Jer 29:11 · Jer 36:3 · Mic 2:1 · Mic 2:3 · Nah 1:11 · Neh 6:2 18×
Imperfect Isa 10:7 · Job 41:19 · Job 41:24 · Ps 32:2 · Ps 36:5 · Ps 40:18 · Dan 11:25 · Isa 13:17 · Ps 41:8 · Job 6:26 · Ps 52:4 11×
Jussive Zech 7:10 · Zech 8:17 · 2Sam 19:20 3×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 27×
Imperfect 2Kgs 22:7 · Isa 29:16 · Isa 29:17 · Isa 32:15 · Lev 7:18 · Lev 17:4 · Lev 25:31 · Prov 17:28 · 2Sam 4:2 · Deut 2:20 · Josh 13:3 · Prov 27:14 · Deut 2:11 13×
Perfect Hos 8:12 · Isa 5:28 · Isa 40:15 · Isa 40:17 · Job 41:21 · Lam 4:2 · Neh 13:13 · Gen 31:15 · Job 18:3 · Ps 44:23 · Ps 88:5 11×
Participle active 1Kgs 10:21 · 2Chr 9:20 · Isa 2:22 3×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 8×
Imperfect 2Kgs 12:16 · Hos 7:15 · Dan 11:24 · Prov 16:9 4×
Perfect Ps 77:6 · Ps 119:59 · Jonah 1:4 3×
Participle active Prov 24:8 1×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 1×
Imperfect Num 23:9 1×
Sampled Scripture Occurrences
Representative Scripture witnesses for this entry: passage, original form, and sense in context.
Old Testament Witnesses
To plan or calculate trouble or wickedness.
Word Origins
חָשַׁב is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
It reveals that injustice is intentional and premeditated, intensifying moral culpability. Micah 2:1-5
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