H2244 H2244
Hide oneself, take refuge (Nifal/Hitpael reflexive); be hidden or concealed (passive Nifal/Hofal/Pual); hide someone or something (Hifil causative).
The Hebrew verb chava covers the full grammar of concealment — hiding yourself, being hidden by circumstance, and hiding others. Its most frequent deployment is reflexive: people hide themselves from danger in the Nifal and Hitpael stems, from Adam and Eve crouching among the garden's trees (Gen 3:8, 10) to the five Amorite kings sealed in the cave at Makkedah (Josh 10:16-27) to young Saul concealing himself among the baggage before his coronation (1 Sam 10:22). The passive forms (7 occurrences) shift the focus to the state of being hidden — discovered or detected by another. The Hifil causative (6 occurrences) introduces a protector who hides someone else, most memorably Rahab concealing the Israelite spies (Josh 6:17, 25) and Obadiah hiding a hundred prophets from Jezebel's persecution (1 Kgs 18:4, 13). Spanish esconderse/esconder, French se cacher/cacher, and German sich verbergen/verbergen mirror this reflexive-versus-causative architecture precisely.
Senses
1. hide oneself, take refuge — To hide oneself or take refuge — the reflexive Nifal and Hitpael forms where a person actively conceals themselves from danger, detection, or social exposure. This dominant sense (20 occurrences) begins in Eden with Adam and Eve hiding from God's presence (Gen 3:8, 10), continues through military narratives (the five kings hiding in the cave at Makkedah, Josh 10:16-27; David hiding from Saul, 1 Sam 19:2; Ahithophel's spy hiding, 2 Sam 17:9), and includes the memorable scene of Saul hiding among the baggage on his coronation day (1 Sam 10:22). Spanish esconderse, French se cacher, German sich verbergen, Arabic اخْتَبَأَ, and Korean 숨다 all deploy reflexive hiding vocabulary. The Hitpael participle mitchabe conveys ongoing, deliberate concealment. 20×
AR["اختَبَأوا", "اخْتَبَأَ", "اخْتَبَأُوا", "اخْتَبَأُوا-", "اخْتَبَأْتَ", "الـ-مُخْتَبِئِينَ", "تَخْتَبِئُ", "لِ-تَخْتَبِئَ", "لِـ-يَخْتَبِئُوا", "مُخْتَبِئًا", "مُخْتَبِئٌ", "مُخْتَبِئُونَ", "وَ-اختَبَأوا", "وَ-اخْتَبَأَ", "وَ-اخْتَبَأْتُ", "وَ-اخْتَبِئْ", "يَخْتَبِئُ"]·ben["-লুকাতে", "-সেই-লুকানোরা", "আর-লুকাল", "আর-লুকালাম", "আর-লুকিয়ে-পড়ত", "আর-লুকিয়ে-রইল", "এবং-লুকিয়ে-থাকবে", "এবং-লুকিয়ে-রইল", "তারা-লুকায়", "তিনি-লুকিয়ে-ছিলেন", "লুকাচ্ছিল", "লুকাতে", "লুকিয়ে", "লুকিয়ে-ছিল-", "লুকিয়ে-ছিলেন", "লুকিয়ে-থাকে", "লুকিয়ে-থেকে", "লুকিয়ে-পালালে", "লুকিয়েছিল-তারা-", "সে-লুকাবে"]·DE["[בהחבא]", "[ונחבאו]", "[יחבאו]", "[יתחבאו]", "[להחבא]", "[מתחבא]", "[מתחבאים]", "der-die-verbergend", "er-hides", "er-verbarg", "hast-du-dich-versteckt", "sie-hatte-verborgen-", "sie-verbarg-sich-selbst-", "und-sie-verbarg-sich-selbst", "und-verbarg-mich", "und-verbarg-sich", "und-verbarg-sich-selbst", "und-verberge-dich-selbst", "verbergend"]·EN["and-I-hid", "and-hid-himself", "and-hid-themselves", "and-hide-yourself", "and-they-hid-themselves", "did-you-hide", "harden", "he-hid", "he-hides", "hiding", "the-ones-hiding", "they-had-hidden-", "they-hid-themselves-", "they-hide", "to-hide"]·FR["[להחבא]", "[מתחבא]", "[מתחבאים]", "cachant", "et-Je-cacha", "et-cacha-eux-mêmes", "et-cacha-lui-même", "et-cache-toi-même", "et-ils-cacha-eux-mêmes", "et-se-cacher", "fit-tu-cacher", "il-cacha", "il-cache", "ils-avait-caché-", "ils-cacha-eux-mêmes-", "le-ceux-cachant", "se-cacher"]·heb["ב-היחבא", "ה-מתחבאים", "התחבאו", "ו-אחבא", "ו-התחבאו", "ו-יתחבא", "ו-נחבאו", "ו-נחבאת", "יחבאוּ", "יתחבא", "יתחבאו", "ל-החבא", "מתחבא", "מתחבאים", "נחבא", "נחבאו-", "נחבאת"]·HI["और-चुप-ज", "और-छिप-गए", "और-छिप-जाते-थे", "और-छिपा", "और-छिपे", "छिप-गया-तू", "छिपने-के-लिए", "छिपा", "छिपा-रहता-है", "छिपा-हुआ", "छिपाथा", "छिपे-थे", "छिपे-हुए", "छिपें", "छुपने-के-लिए", "वह-छिपता-है"]·ID["bersembunyi", "dan-aku-bersembunyi", "dan-bersembunyi", "dan-bersembunyilah", "dia-bersembunyi", "engkau-bersembunyi", "mereka-bersembunyi-", "untuk-bersembunyi", "yang-bersembunyi"]·IT["[בהחבא]", "[יחבאו]", "[להחבא]", "[מתחבא]", "[מתחבאים]", "e-e-hid-themselves", "e-essi-nascose-sé-stessi", "e-io-nascose", "e-nascondi-te-stesso", "e-nascose-se-stessi", "e-nascose-se-stesso", "egli-hides", "egli-nascose", "essi-ebbe-nascosto-", "essi-nascose-sé-stessi-", "fece-tu-nascondere", "harden", "il-quelli-nascondendo", "nascondendo"]·jav["dados-atos", "ingkang-ndhelik", "kangge-ndhelik", "kanggé-ndhelik", "lan-kula-ndhelik", "lan-ndhelik", "lan-umpetan", "ndhelik", "ndhelik-", "panjenengan-ndhelik", "piyambakipun-ndhelik-", "piyambakipun-umpetan", "sami-ndhelik", "umpetan"]·KO["그-숨어-있던", "그리고-숨어라", "그리고-숨었는데", "그리고-숨었다", "그리고-숨었습니다", "숨겨졌다-", "숨겨진다", "숨고-있었다", "숨는", "숨는-자들", "숨어-있는", "숨어-있었다", "숨었느냐-너는", "숨었다", "숨었던-", "숨으면", "에-숨어", "에-숨으려"]·PT["e-esconderam-se", "e-esconderás", "e-escondeu-se", "e-escondi-me", "e-escondiam-se", "escondendo-se", "esconder-se", "esconderam-se", "esconderam-se-", "escondeste-te", "escondeu-se", "escondido", "os-que-se-escondiam", "para-esconder-te", "para-se-esconder", "se-escondem", "se-esconderem"]·RU["и-прятались", "и-скрылся", "и-спрятались", "и-спрячься", "прятавшихся", "прятались-", "скрывавшиеся", "скрывается", "скрывались-", "скрывался", "скрываются", "скрывающийся", "скрываясь", "скрылся", "скрылся-ты", "спрячутся", "чтобы-скрыться", "чтобы-спрятаться"]·ES["a-esconderse", "escondido", "escondiste", "escondiéndose", "los-que-se-escondían", "para-esconderte", "se-esconde", "se-esconden", "se-escondieron-", "se-escondió", "se-habían-escondido", "y-escóndete", "y-me-escondí", "y-se-escondieron", "y-se-escondían"]·SW["akijificha", "alijificha", "alikuwa-akijificha", "anajificha", "kujificha", "na-akajificha", "na-nikajificha", "na-ujifiche", "na-wakajificha", "ulijificha", "wakijificha", "walijificha", "walikuwa-wamejificha-", "waliojificha", "watajificha", "yanajificha"]·TR["gizlendi", "gizlendiler-", "gizlendin", "gizlenen", "gizlenir", "gizleniyor", "gizlenmek-için", "gizlenmişlerdi-", "gizli", "saklanarak", "saklanmıştı", "saklanırlarsa", "saklanıyorlardı", "ve-gizlendiler", "ve-sakladı", "ve-saklan", "ve-saklandım"]·urd["اور-چھپ جاتے تھے", "اور-چھپ-جا۔", "اور-چھپ-گیا", "اور-چھپے", "جم جاتے ہیں", "چھپ-کر", "چھپ-گیا۔", "چھپا-ہوا", "چھپتا-ہے", "چھپنے-میں", "چھپنے-کو", "چھپیں-گے", "چھپے-تھے", "چھپے-تھے-", "چھپے-ہوئے"]
Gen 3:8, Gen 3:10, Gen 31:27, Josh 10:16, Josh 10:27, Judg 9:5, 1 Sam 13:6, 1 Sam 14:11, 1 Sam 14:22, 1 Sam 19:2, 1 Sam 23:23, 2 Kgs 11:3 (+8 more)
2. be hidden, be concealed — To be hidden or concealed — passive Nifal, Hofal, and Pual forms indicating that the subject is in a state of concealment or has been hidden by another's action, discovered or detected from that state. Seven occurrences include the report that the five kings 'have been found hidden' in the cave (Josh 10:17), the assurance that from the scourge of the tongue 'you shall be hidden' (Job 5:21), and the poor being driven off the road to hide themselves (Job 24:4). Spanish escondido (adjective/participle), French cache, and German verborgen shift to passive or stative constructions, confirming the semantic difference from active self-hiding: here concealment is a condition rather than an agent's decision. 7×
AR["اختَبَأَ", "اخْتَبَأَ", "اِخْتَبَأُوا", "تُخْفى", "مُختَبِئينَ", "مُخْتَبِئٌ"]·ben["তুমি-লুকানো-হবে", "লুকিয়ে-আছে", "লুকিয়ে-আছেন", "লুকিয়ে-পড়ত", "লুকিয়ে-রাখা-হয়েছে", "লুকিয়েছে"]·DE["[החבאו]", "[חבאו]", "[נחבאו]", "[תחבא]", "ist-verborgen", "verbergend", "verborgen"]·EN["hidden", "hide-themselves", "hiding", "is-hidden", "they-are-hidden", "was-hidden", "you-will-be-hidden"]·FR["[החבאו]", "cachant", "caché", "est-caché", "se-cacher"]·heb["הוחבאו", "חבאו", "נֶחְבָּא", "נחבא", "נחבאו", "נחבאים", "תיחבא"]·HI["छिप-जाती-थी", "छिप-जाते-हैं", "छिपा-हुआ-है", "छिपा-है", "छिपाए-गए", "छिपाया-जाएगा-तू", "छिपे-हुए"]·ID["bersembunyi", "engkau-tersembunyi", "mereka-disembunyikan", "tersembunyi"]·IT["hide-themselves", "nascondendo", "nascondersi", "nascosto", "voi-will-essere-hidden", "was-hidden", "è-nascosto"]·jav["dipun-singidaken", "kasumput", "ndhelik"]·KO["숨겨져-있다", "숨겨졌느니라", "숨겨지리라-너는", "숨나니", "숨어있다", "숨었는데", "숨었다"]·PT["escondia-se", "escondido", "escondidos", "foram-escondidos", "se-escondem", "serás-escondido"]·RU["будешь-сокрыт", "прячутся", "скрывается", "скрывающиеся", "смолкал", "спрятан", "спрятаны"]·ES["escondido", "escondidos", "fueron-escondidos", "se-esconden", "se-ocultó", "serás-escondido"]·SW["amejificha", "ilijificha", "utafichwa", "wakijificha", "wamefichwa", "wanajificha"]·TR["gizlendi", "gizleneceksin", "gizlenir", "gizlenmiş", "saklandilar"]·urd["چھپ جاتی تھی", "چھپا-ہوا-ہے", "چھپائے-گئے", "چھپایا-جائے-گا-تُو", "چھپتے ہیں", "چھپے-ہوئے"]
3. hide someone or something — To hide someone or something — the Hifil causative stem where one person actively conceals another, functioning transitively with a direct object. Six occurrences center on acts of protective concealment: Rahab hiding the spies and being spared for it (Josh 6:17, 25), Obadiah hiding a hundred prophets of the LORD in caves from Jezebel's slaughter (1 Kgs 18:4, 13), and a mother hiding her butchered child in a siege (2 Kgs 6:29). Spanish esconder (transitive), French cacher, and German verbergen (transitive) all use the same root as the reflexive but in a clearly transitive frame. These passages carry strong moral weight — hiding the vulnerable is an act of courage and faithfulness. 6×
AR["أَخْفَانِي", "خَبَّأَت", "فَ-أخْفَيْتُ", "فَأَخْفَتْ", "وَ-أخْفاهُمْ"]·ben["এবং-আমি-লুকিয়ে-রেখেছিলাম", "এবং-লুকিয়ে-রাখল", "এবং-সে-তাদের-লুকিয়ে-রেখেছিল", "তিনি-আমাকে-গোপন-করেছেন", "লুকিয়ে-রেখেছিলেন"]·DE["[החביאני]", "sie-verbarg", "und-ich-verbarg", "und-sie-verbarg", "und-verbarg-ihnen"]·EN["and-I-hid", "and-hid-them", "and-she-hid", "he-hid-me", "she-hid"]·FR["[החביאני]", "elle-cacha", "et-cacha-eux", "et-elle-cacha", "et-je-cacha"]·heb["החביאה", "החביאני", "ו-החבאתי", "ו-החביאם", "ו-תחביא"]·HI["उसने-मुझे-छिपाया", "और-छिपाया-उनें", "और-छिपाया-मैंने", "छिपाया-उसने", "वत्तख्बी"]·ID["Dia-menyembunyikan-Aku", "dan-aku-menyembunyikan", "dan-dia-menyembunyikan", "dan-menyembunyikan-mereka", "ia-menyembunyikan"]·IT["e-ella-nascose", "e-io-nascose", "e-nascose-loro", "ella-nascose", "nascondersi"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-ndhelikaken-Ingsun", "lan-kula-ndhelikaken", "lan-ndhelikaken", "lan-ndhelikaken-piyambakipun-sedaya", "piyambakipun-ndhelikaken"]·KO["그리고-숨겼다", "그리고-숨겼다-그들을", "나를-감추셨고", "숨겼다"]·PT["e-escondeu", "e-escondeu-os", "e-escondi", "escondeu", "escondeu-me"]·RU["и-скрыл-их", "и-спрятал", "и-спрятала", "скрыл-Меня", "спрятала-она"]·ES["Y-escondí", "escondió", "me-escondió", "y-escondió", "y-los-escondió"]·SW["alinificha", "aliwaficha", "na-akamficha", "na-akawaficha", "na-nikaficha"]·TR["gizledi-beni", "sakladı", "ve-gizledi-onları", "ve-gizledim", "ve-sakladi"]·urd["اور-میں-نے-چھپایا", "اور-چھپا-لیا", "اور-چھپایا-اُنہیں", "اُس-نے-مجھے-چھپایا", "چھپایا-اُس-نے"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [חָבָא] vb. withdraw, hide (not in Qal); cf. also חָבָה" dir="rtl" >חבה (NH id.; Arabic خَبَأَ; Ethiopic ኀብአ Assyrian ḫabû DlPr 175; 𝔗 Ethpa. hide oneself)— Niph. Pf. 3 ms. נֶחְבָּא Ju 9:5 + 1 S 10:22 2 S 17:9 (both may be pt.); נַחְבֵּאתָ Gn 31:37; וְנַחְ׳ consec. 1 S 19:2; נֶחְבְּאוּ־ Jos 10:27; נֶחְבָּ֑אוּ Jb 29:8, 10; Impf. 2 ms. תֵּחָבֵא Jb 5:21; Inf. cstr. הֵחָבֵא 2 Ch 18:24 Dn 10:7; Pt.…