What does חָשָׁה (ḥāšāh) mean in the Bible?
חָשָׁה (ḥāšāh): Silence as deliberate restraint or submission, often before God's overwhelming presence or judgment
Hebrew · H2814
חָשָׁה
To hush or keep quiet
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חָשָׁהH2814
Pronunciationḥāšāh
What does חָשָׁה (ḥāšāh) mean in the Bible?
חָשָׁה (ḥāšāh): Silence as deliberate restraint or submission, often before God's overwhelming presence or judgment
Full entry for חָשָׁה (H2814) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2814?
The BSB source-word alignment has 16 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Do not speak [of it] (2), keep silent (2), . . . (1), are silent (1), be silent (1).
Where does חָשָׁה (ḥāšāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Judges 18:9. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (6), 2 Kings (3), Psalms (3), 1 Kings (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 ItDo not speak [of it]2×2 Kings 2:3, 2 Kings 2:5
keep silent2×Isaiah 62:1, Isaiah 65:6
. . .1×Judges 18:9
are silent1×2 Kings 7:9
be silent1×Isaiah 62:6
been silent1×Isaiah 57:11
calmed1×Nehemiah 8:11
have failed1×1 Kings 22:3
I have kept silent1×Isaiah 42:14
I remained silent1×Psalms 39:2
to be silent1×Ecclesiastes 3:7
were hushed1×Psalms 107:29
Will You keep silent1×Isaiah 64:12
You remain silent1×Psalms 28:1
Show sample aligned rows
Judges 18:9מַחְשִׁ֔יםto. . .Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural1 Kings 22:3מַחְשִׁ֔יםtohave failedVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural2 Kings 2:3הֶחֱשֽׁוּ׃toDo not speak [of it]Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural2 Kings 2:5הֶחֱשֽׁוּ׃toDo not speak [of it]Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural2 Kings 7:9מַחְשִׁ֗יםtoare silentVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralNehemiah 8:11מַחְשִׁ֤יםtocalmedVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralPsalms 28:1תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥הtoYou remain silentVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularPsalms 39:2הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִיtoI remained silentVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularPsalms 107:29וַ֝יֶּחֱשׁ֗וּtowere hushedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralEcclesiastes 3:7לַחֲשׁ֖וֹתtoto be silentPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowJudges 18:9
Aligned rows16
Books represented7
Judges11 Kings12 Kings3Nehemiah1Psalms3Ecclesiastes1Isaiah6
Source forms
הֶחֱשֽׁוּ׃2xhe·ḥĕ·šū2 Kings 2:3, 2 Kings 2:5
מַחְשִׁ֔ים2xmaḥ·šîmJudges 18:9, 1 Kings 22:3
אֶחֱשֶׂה֙1x’e·ḥĕ·śehIsaiah 65:6
אֶחֱשֶׁ֔ה1x’e·ḥĕ·šehIsaiah 62:1
הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי1xhe·ḥĕ·šê·ṯîPsalms 39:2
הֶחֱשֵׁ֙יתִי֙1xhe·ḥĕ·šê·ṯîIsaiah 42:14
וַ֝יֶּחֱשׁ֗וּ1xway·ye·ḥĕ·šūPsalms 107:29
יֶחֱשׁ֑וּ1xye·ḥĕ·šūIsaiah 62:6
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural4xJudges 18:9, 1 Kings 22:3, 2 Kings 7:9, Nehemiah 8:11
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural2x2 Kings 2:3, 2 Kings 2:5
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular2xPsalms 39:2, Isaiah 42:14
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular2xIsaiah 62:1, Isaiah 65:6
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular2xPsalms 28:1, Isaiah 64:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xPsalms 107:29
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct1xEcclesiastes 3:7
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular1xIsaiah 57:11
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Silence as deliberate restraint or submission, often before God's overwhelming presence or judgment
Source Gloss
to hush or keep quiet
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Silence as deliberate restraint or submission, often before God's overwhelming presence or judgment
to hush or keep quiet BDB: be silent Usage: hold peace, keep silence, be silent, (be) still.
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 groups2Aligned forms14
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action9×
Participle active1Kgs 22:3 · 2Kgs 7:9 · Isa 57:11 · Judg 18:9 · Neh 8:115×
Sequential imperfect2Kgs 2:3 · 2Kgs 2:52×
PerfectIsa 42:14 · Ps 39:32×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense5×
ImperfectIsa 62:1 · Isa 65:6 · Isa 64:11 · Ps 28:1 · Isa 62:65×
Word Origins
חָשָׁה is a primitive root - no further derivation.