H2308 H2308
To cease, stop, desist, refrain; to leave off doing something or leave someone alone; to fail or be lacking.
Chadal is the Hebrew verb of stopping — with a distinctive flavor of voluntary withdrawal rather than forced termination. Where shabat implies structured, often sacred rest, chadal carries the tone of giving up, holding back, or simply quitting. It appears in some of the Bible's most human moments: the builders at Babel 'ceased' building (Gen 11:8), Sarah's monthly cycle 'ceased' (Gen 18:11), and a weary Job begs God to 'leave me alone' (Job 10:20). The preposition min frequently accompanies the verb, creating a 'cease from' construction visible across languages — Spanish cesar de, French cesser de, German aufhoren.
Senses
1. cease, come to an end — To cease or come to an end — intransitive cessation of an action, state, or natural phenomenon. The dominant sense at 23 occurrences. The hail 'ceased' (Exod 9:29, 33), manna 'ceased' (Josh 5:12), and counting grain 'ceased' because it was beyond measure (Gen 41:49). Spanish cesaron, French cessa, and German aufhorten all converge on simple termination. The subject stops of its own nature rather than by external command — a key distinction from the imperative 'desist' sense. 23×
AR["انْقَطَعَ", "تَكُفُّ", "تَوَقَّفَتِ", "تَوَقَّفَتْ", "فَ-كَفَّ", "فَكَفَّ", "فَكَفَّتِ", "كَفَفْنَا", "كَفَّ", "كَفُّوا", "وَ-كَفَّ", "وَ-كَفَّتْ", "وَ-يَكُفّ", "يَنْقَطِعُ"]·ben["আমরা-থামিয়েছিলাম", "আর-থামল", "এবং-থামল", "এবং-থামলেন", "এবং-সে-থামল", "ও-থামলেন", "ও-থামে", "থামবে", "থামলেন-তিনি", "থামে", "থেমে-গেছে", "থেমেছে", "বন্ধ-হয়েছিল", "বন্ধ-হয়েছে", "বন্ধ-হল", "শেষ-হবে"]·DE["[ויחדל]", "[ותחדל]", "[חדל]", "[חדלו]", "[חדלנו]", "cease", "ceased", "er-aufhörte", "es-hatte-aufgehört", "sie-ceased", "und-aufhoeren", "und-ceased", "und-ceases", "und-er-ceased", "und-er-stopped", "wird-cease"]·EN["and-ceased", "and-ceases", "and-he-ceased", "and-he-refrained", "and-he-stopped", "and-she-ceased", "and-stopped", "cease", "ceased", "ends", "had-ceased", "have-ceased", "he-ceased", "they-ceased", "we-stopped", "will-cease"]·FR["--cesser", "[ויחדל]", "avait-cessa", "cessa", "cesse", "cesser", "et-cessa", "et-cesser", "et-elle-cessa", "et-il-arrêta", "et-il-cessa", "fera-cesser", "il-cessa", "ils-cessa"]·heb["ו-חדל", "ו-חדלה", "ו-חדלו", "ו-יחדל", "חדל", "חדלו", "חדלנו", "יחדל", "יחדלון"]·HI["और-थम-गईं", "और-रुक-गया", "और-रुका", "और-रुकी", "और-समाप्त-होगा", "थम-गई", "थम-गया", "थम-जाएंगी", "बंद-किया", "रुक-गय", "रुका", "रुके", "वे-रुक-गए", "समाप्त-होगा"]·ID["Berhentilah", "akan-berhenti", "akan-berhenti-ada", "berhenti", "berhentilah", "dan-berhenti", "dan-berhentilah", "dan-dia-berhenti", "dan-ia-berhenti", "ia-berhenti", "kami-berhenti", "maka-berhenti"]·IT["[ויחדל]", "aveva-ceased", "ceased", "cessa", "cessare", "cessò", "e-ceased", "e-cessare", "e-cesso'", "e-egli-cessò", "e-egli-fermò", "e-ella-cessò", "egli-ceased", "essi-cessò", "fara-cease", "will-cease"]·jav["Mèndel", "badhe-mandeg", "badhé-mandheg", "kita-mandeg", "lan-kèndel", "lan-mandheg", "lan-ngendheg", "lan-piyambakipun-boten-sios", "leren", "mandeg", "mandheg", "mèndel", "sadhèrèk", "sampun-kèndel", "sirep"]·KO["그리고-그녀가-그쳤다", "그리고-그만두었다", "그리고-그치다", "그리고-그치도다", "그리고-멈추었다", "그리고-멈춘다", "그만두었다", "그쳤다", "그치니", "그치다", "그치리라", "그치였다-우리가", "끊겨졌다", "멈추었으니", "멈춘다", "멈출-것이다"]·PT["Cessaram", "cessamos", "cessaram", "cessará", "cessarão", "cessou", "deixou", "e-cessaram", "e-cessará", "e-cessou", "e-deixou", "e-desistiu", "e-parou", "parou"]·RU["Прекратились", "и-воздержался", "и-перестал", "и-перестала", "и-прекратил", "и-прекратились", "и-прекратится", "переведётся", "перестал", "перестали", "перестали-мы", "прекратили", "прекратились", "прекратилось", "прекратился", "прекратятся"]·ES["Cesaron", "Han-cesado", "cesaron", "cesará", "cesarán", "cesó", "dejamos", "dejó", "había-cesado", "y-cesaron", "y-cesará", "y-cesó", "y-dejó", "y-se-detuvo"]·SW["Na-akaacha", "akaacha", "ilikoma", "imekoma", "imekwisha", "kukoma", "na-akaacha", "na-zikakoma", "ni-wa-gharama-kubwa", "tuliposimamisha", "vilikoma", "wameacha", "wameondoka", "zilikoma", "zitakoma"]·TR["bitti", "bıraktık", "duracaklar", "durdu", "durdular", "durmuştu", "kesilecek", "vazgeçti", "ve-bıraktı", "ve-durdular", "ve-vazgeçer", "ve-vazgeçti"]·urd["اور-رُک-گئی", "اور-رک-گئیں", "اور-رک-گیا", "تھم-گئی", "رُک-گئے", "رُک-گیا-تھا", "رُکے", "رک گئے", "رک-جائے-گی", "رک-گئی", "رکے-گا", "وَ-رُک-جاتا-ہے", "چھوڑ-دیا", "ہم-نے-رُکا"]
2. desist, refrain from — To desist or refrain from doing something — voluntary restraint, typically with the preposition min specifying the abandoned action. Sixteen occurrences center on moral or practical decisions to hold back. Jotham's trees refuse kingship: the olive says 'should I cease from my fatness?' (Judg 9:9); the fig and vine echo the refusal (9:11, 13). Deuteronomy 23:22 warns against vowing and then 'refraining' from fulfilling. Spanish cesar de and French cesser de both mark the prepositional 'from' construction that distinguishes deliberate restraint from natural cessation. 16×
AR["أَكُفُّ", "تَمْتَنِعُ", "كَفُّوا", "مِنَ-الـ-كَفِّ", "نَكُفُّ", "هَلْ-أَكُفُّ", "وَ-إِنْ-أَكُفُّ", "وَ-كَفَفتَ"]·ben["-বিরত-হওয়া-থেকে", "আমি-কি-ছেড়ে-দেব", "এবং-আমি-নিবৃত্ত-হই", "এবং-থামবে", "থামব", "থামি", "বিরত-থাক", "বিরত-থাকব", "বিরত-থাকে"]·DE["[ואחדלה]", "aufhoeren", "du-refrain", "ich-wird-cease", "soll-ich-cease", "soll-ich-refrain", "soll-wir-refrain", "und-du-refrain", "von-ceasing"]·EN["I-will-cease", "and-I-cease", "and-you-refrain", "from-ceasing", "shall-I-cease", "shall-I-refrain", "shall-we-refrain", "they-refuse", "you-refrain"]·FR["[אחדל]", "cesser", "de-cessant", "devra-je-cesser", "devra-je-refrain", "devra-nous-refrain", "et-cesser", "et-tu-refrain", "je-sera-cesser", "tu-refrain"]·heb["אחדל", "ה-חדלתי", "ו-אחדלה", "ו-חדלת", "יחדלו", "מ-חדול", "נחדל", "תחדל"]·HI["और-छोड़ो", "और-मैं-रुक-जाऊँ", "क्या-छोड़ूँ", "मैं-रुकूँगा", "रुकने-से", "रुकूँ", "रुकें", "रुकेगा", "वे-मना-करेंगे"]·ID["aku-akan-berhenti", "aku-berhenti", "aku-menahan-diri", "dan-engkau berhenti", "dan-jika-aku-berhenti", "dengan-berhenti", "haruskah-aku-meninggalkan", "kamu-berhenti", "kita-menahan-diri", "mereka-menolak"]·IT["[אחדל]", "cessare", "da-ceasing", "dovere-io-cease", "dovrà-io-refrain", "dovrà-noi-refrain", "e-cessare", "e-tu-refrain", "io-volere-cease", "tu-refrain"]·jav["kawula-mandheg", "kawula-sedaya-mandheg", "kita-badhé-nerusaken", "kula-badhé-nerusaken", "kula-mandheg", "lan-kawula-kèndel", "menapa-kula-nilaraken", "panjenengan-mboten", "piyambakipun-sami-nampik", "saking-lèrèn", "sarta-panjenengan-ora-gelem"]·KO["그리고-그칠지라도", "그리고-너는-그만두려하나", "그만둘까", "그치기를", "그치면", "그칠-것인가", "내가-그칠-것이다", "멈출까", "버려야하나", "삼가면"]·PT["Deixarei", "cessarem", "de-cessar", "deixarei", "deixaremos", "e-cessarás", "e-se-eu-parar", "me-absterei", "pararei", "pararerei?", "te-abstiveres"]·RU["Разве-оставлю", "воздержишься", "воздержусь", "и-если-перестану", "и-удержишься", "откажутся", "перестану", "перестать", "прекратить", "удержаться"]·ES["cesarán", "cesaré", "de-cesar", "me-abstendré", "me-abstendré?", "nos-abstendremos?", "te-abstengas", "y-cesarás", "y-si-dejo", "¿abandonaré"]·SW["je-niache", "kuacha", "na-nikiacha", "na-utaacha", "niaache", "niache", "ninyamaze", "nitaacha", "tuache", "utaacha", "watakataa"]·TR["bırakmaktan", "bıraktım-mı", "duracağım", "vazgeçelim", "vazgeçerlerse", "vazgeçersen", "vazgeçeyim", "vazgeçeyim-mi", "ve-vazgeçersin", "ve-vazgeçsem"]·urd["اور-رُک-جاؤ", "اور-رک-جاؤں", "باز-رہیں", "تُو-باز-رہے", "رُکنے-سے", "رُکوں", "رُکوں-گا", "رک-جاؤں", "رک-جائیں", "کیا-چھوڑ-دوں-میں"]
Exod 23:5, Deut 23:22, Judg 9:9, Judg 9:11, Judg 9:13, Judg 15:7, Judg 20:28, 1 Sam 12:23, 1 Kgs 22:6, 1 Kgs 22:15, 2 Chr 18:5, 2 Chr 18:14 (+4 more)
3. leave alone, let be — To leave alone or let be — an imperative or jussive sense of forbearing, often directed at God or a superior. Sixteen occurrences carry the tone of 'stop bothering' or 'stand down.' Moses tells the Israelites 'leave us alone!' (Exod 14:12); Job pleads with God to 'look away from me and let me alone' (Job 7:16; 10:20). Spanish cesa and French cesser shift toward interpersonal withdrawal. The 2 Chronicles passages (25:16; 35:21) use chadal as a warning to stop interfering in someone else's affairs — a pragmatic, relational sense distinct from abstract cessation. 16×
AR["كُفَّ", "كُفَّ-", "كُفُّوا", "وَ-يَكُفَّ", "يَكُفُّ"]·ben["[থামুক]", "এবং-থামুন", "এবং-সে-বিরত-থাকুক", "চিন্তা-করা-ছেড়ে-দেন", "ছেড়ে-দাও", "থাক", "থাম", "থামুন", "থামো-", "বন্ধ-কর", "বিরত-হও", "সে-বিরত-থাকুক"]·DE["[(וחדל)]", "[[יחדל]]", "[ויחדל]", "[חדל]", "[חדלו]", "aufhoeren", "cease", "ceases"]·EN["[let-Him-cease]", "and-cease", "cease", "cease-", "ceases", "let-him-refuse", "refrain", "refrain-", "stop-"]·FR["[חדל]", "ceases", "cesser", "cessez", "et-cesser"]·heb["ו-חדל", "ו-יחדל", "חדל", "חדל-", "חדל־", "חדלו", "יחדל"]·HI["और-वह-रुके", "छोड़", "छोड़-दे", "छोड़-दे-", "छोड़-दो", "मना-करे", "रहने-दे", "रहने-दो", "रुक", "रुक-", "रुक-जा", "रुक-जा-"]·ID["Berhentilah", "Biarkanlah", "[biarlah-Ia-berhenti]", "berhenti", "berhenti-", "berhentilah", "berhentilah-", "biarkanlah", "biarlah", "biarlah-menolak", "dan-berhentilah", "dan-biarlah-ia-berhenti"]·IT["[חדל]", "cease", "ceases", "cessare", "e-cessare"]·jav["Mandeg-aken", "Sampun-ngurus", "kendel", "kendèlna-", "kèndel-", "kèndela", "kèndèl", "lan-kèndel", "mandhega", "mugi-kèndel", "mugi-nilar", "sumangga-piyambakipun-nampik", "sèlèhna"]·KO["(그리고-그치라)", "[그치라]", "그리고-쉬게-하소서", "그만두라", "그만둡-것이다", "그치라", "그치라-", "그치소서", "그칠-것이다", "두라", "멈춰라-"]·PT["(e-cesse)", "Cessa-", "Cessai", "Deixa", "[cesse]", "cessa", "cessa-", "cesse", "deixa", "deixai", "deixe", "desiste", "e-cessará", "para-"]·RU["[остановись]", "Перестань", "воздержись", "воздержись-", "воздержитесь", "и-прекрати", "и-успокоится", "оставь", "отступи", "перестал", "перестань-", "перестаньте", "прекрати-", "пусть-отказывается"]·ES["(Cesa)", "Cesa-", "Cesad", "[Cesa]", "cesa-", "cesará", "deja", "deja-", "dejad", "dejadlo", "deje", "desiste", "déjame", "déjanos", "y-descansará"]·SW["Acha-", "Tuache", "[na-aache]", "acha", "acha-", "acheni", "akatae", "ataache", "chadal", "jiepushe", "na-aacha", "na-aache", "niache"]·TR["Birakin", "Dur-", "[durur]", "bırak", "bırak-", "bırakın", "bırakır", "dur-", "vazgeç", "vazgeç-", "vazgeçin", "ve-dursun", "ve-vazgeçen", "ve-vazgeçsin"]·urd["اور-رک-جا", "اور-رک-جائے", "باز-رہے", "رُک-جا-", "رک", "رک-جائے", "رکو", "رہنے-دو", "چھوڑ", "چھوڑ-دو", "چھوڑ-دے", "چھوڑ-دے-"]
Exod 14:12, 1 Sam 9:5, 2 Chr 25:16, 2 Chr 35:21, Job 7:16, Job 10:20, Job 10:20, Job 14:6, Prov 19:27, Prov 23:4, Isa 1:16, Isa 2:22 (+4 more)
4. fail, be lacking — To fail, be lacking, or cease to exist — a stative sense denoting the absence of something expected. Four occurrences at the margins of the verb's range. 'The poor will not cease from the land' (Deut 15:11), 'the wicked cease from troubling' in death (Job 3:17), a person 'ceases to act wisely' (Ps 36:3), and 'in many words transgression does not cease' (Prov 10:19). The shift from active 'stopping' to stative 'being absent' is subtle but real — Spanish cesan and German aufhoren both tend toward existential rather than volitional vocabulary in these contexts. 4×
AR["كَفَّ", "كَفُّوا", "وَ-كَفَّ", "يَنْعَدِمُ-"]·ben["এবং-অবহেলা-করে", "বন্ধ-করেছে", "বন্ধ-হয়-"]·DE["[חדלו]", "[יחדל]", "er-hat-ceased", "und-refrains"]·EN["and-refrains", "cease", "he-has-ceased", "is-lacking"]·FR["cesser", "et-refrains"]·heb["ו-חדל", "חדל", "חדלו", "יחדל־"]·HI["और-छोड़-दे", "छोड़-देते-हैं", "छोड़ा-उसने", "रुकता"]·ID["berhenti", "berhenti-", "dan-ia-menolak"]·IT["cessare", "cesso'", "e-refrains"]·jav["kèndel", "lan-piyambakipun-kendel", "mandheg", "sampun-kèndel"]·KO["그리고-그만두었다", "그쳤도다", "그치다", "그치지"]·PT["cessam", "deixou", "e-deixou", "falta"]·RU["и-откажется", "перестал", "перестают", "прекращается-"]·ES["cesa", "cesan", "cesó", "y-dejó"]·SW["ameacha", "hakikomi", "na-akaacha", "wameacha"]·TR["bıraktılar", "eksik-olur-", "vazgeçti", "ve-vazgeçti"]·urd["اور-رُکے", "اُس-نے-چھوڑ-دیا", "باز-آئے", "رکتا-ہے"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G3752 1. (123×)H6153 1. evening, time of day (123×)H0227a 1. then (122×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חָדַל vb. cease (Sab. חדל be negligent, Sab. Denkm.76)— Qal Pf. חָדַל Gn 18:11 + 4 times; וְחָדַל consec. Nu 9:13 ψ 49:9; 2 ms. וְחָדַלְתָּ֫ Ex 23:5; pl. חָֽדְלוּ Ju 5:6 + 4 times; חָדֵ֑לּוּ (cf. Köi, 243) Ju 5:7 1 S 2:5; 1 pl. חָדַלְנוּ Je 44:18; Impf. יֶחְדַּל Dt 15:11 + (Jb 10:20 Kt יחדל jussive > Qr וַחֲדָ֑ל Imv.); אֶחְדָּ֑ל Ju 15:7 + 3 times; וְאַחְדְּלָה Jb 16:6; pl. יֶחְדָּ֑לוּ Ez 2:5 +…