H2611 H2611
Godless, profane, hypocritical — one whose outward piety masks inner moral corruption and defiance of God
A sharp term of moral censure that brands a person as profane and godless. Concentrated in the wisdom literature — Job alone accounts for eight occurrences — it names the one whose religiosity is a veneer over deep corruption. Job 8:13 declares that 'the hope of the godless shall perish,' while Isaiah 9:16 and 10:6 extend the charge to entire nations. Intriguingly, the Arabic cognate hanif shifted to mean 'one who inclines to true religion,' almost the opposite sense. Spanish 'hipocrita' and German 'Heuchler' capture the hypocrisy dimension.
Senses
1. godless, profane, hypocrite — A profane, godless, or hypocritical person whose religious pretense conceals moral bankruptcy. Dominant in Job (8:13; 13:16; 15:34; 17:8; 20:5; 27:8; 34:30; 36:13), where it characterizes those whose piety is superficial and whose end is ruin. Also used of nations (Isa 9:16; 10:6) and groups (Isa 33:14; Ps 35:16). The cognate Arabic term paradoxically means 'devout,' highlighting a semantic divergence between the two languages. 13×
AR["المُنافِقِ", "الْمُنَافِقِ", "الْمُنَافِقِينَ", "معَ-المُنافِقينَ", "مُنافِقٌ", "مُنافِقٍ", "مُنَافِقٌ", "مُنَافِقَةٍ", "وَ-مُنافِقو"]·ben["-ভণ্ডদের-সঙ্গে", "অধার্মিক", "আর-ভণ্ড-হৃদয়ের", "কপট", "ভণ্ড", "ভণ্ডদের", "ভণ্ডের"]·DE["Heuchler", "[חנף]", "[חנפים]", "mit-profane", "und-Heuchler"]·EN["and-the-godless-of-", "godless", "godless-one", "hypocrite", "profane", "the-godless", "with-profane"]·FR["[חנף]", "[חנפים]", "dans-impie", "et-hypocrite", "hypocrite"]·heb["ב-חנפי", "ו-חנפי", "חנף", "חנפים"]·HI["और-कपटी-हृदय", "कपटियों-की", "कपटियों-को", "कपटी", "कपटी-की", "कपटी-के-विरुद्ध", "पाखंडी", "में-पाखंडियों"]·ID["Dan-orang-orang munafik-", "fasik", "murtad", "orang-munafik", "orang-orang-fasik", "yang murtad"]·IT["[בחנפי]", "[חנף]", "[חנפים]", "e-ipocrita", "ipocrita"]·jav["Kalayan-tiyang-munafik", "Lan-tiyang-lamis-ipun", "lamis", "munafik", "tiyang-lamis", "tiyang-munafik"]·KO["경건치-않으며", "경건한-자", "경건한-자의", "그리고-외식적인-자들은", "불경건한", "불경건한-자들-처럼", "외식자-가", "외식자들을", "외식하는-자의", "위선자-가", "위선적인"]·PT["E-hipócritas-de-", "Entre-ímpios", "do-hipócrita", "hipócrita", "profana", "profano", "profícuos"]·RU["и-лицемеры-", "лицемер", "лицемера", "нечестивого", "нечестивы", "нечестивый", "нечестивых", "с-нечестивыми"]·ES["Con-los-profanos", "Y-hipócritas-de-", "hipócrita", "hipócritas", "impía", "impíos"]·SW["Pamoja-na-wanafiki", "la-wanafiki", "mnafiki", "na-wanafiki-wa", "ni-mnafiki", "wanafiki"]·TR["Küfr-edenlerin", "Ve-iki-yüzlüler-", "iki-yuzlu", "iki-yüzlü", "iki-yüzlünün", "ikiyuzlu", "ikiyuzluuleri", "iküzükarın", "münafık"]·urd["اور-منافق", "بے-دینوں-کے-ساتھ", "ریاکاروں-کو", "منافق", "منافق-کی", "کے-خلاف"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חָנֵף adj. profane, irreligious (Syriac ܚܰܢܦܳܐ profane, hence often heathen, apostate; Arabic حَنِيفٌ inclining to a right state, especially the true religion, a Muslim)—abs. ח׳ Jb 8:13 + 10 times; pl. חֲנֵפִים Is 33:14; חַנְפֵי Jb 36:13 ψ 35:16;—profane, godless: of persons, אָדָם ח׳ Jb 34:30; גּוֹי ח׳ Is 10:6; as subst. godless man Is 9:16 (‖ מרע) Jb 8:13; 13:16; 17:8; 20:5; 27:8; Pr 11:9;…