H2620 H2620
to seek refuge, take shelter — predominantly used of trusting in God as one's protective hiding place
Chasah is a verb of vivid physical imagery — to flee for cover, to duck under protective wings — that the Psalms have made into one of the Hebrew Bible's most intimate expressions of trust in God. Of its 37 occurrences, the overwhelming majority appear in poetry, especially the Psalms, where the worshiper 'takes refuge' under God's wings (Ps 57:2; 91:4) or in his name (Ps 17:7; 36:8). The word's emotional register sets it apart from synonyms like batach ('trust') and qawah ('hope'): chasah conveys urgency and vulnerability, the desperate dive of someone fleeing danger into a safe embrace. Ruth 2:12 captures this beautifully when Boaz blesses Ruth for coming 'to take refuge under the wings of the God of Israel.' The sole negative use appears in Deuteronomy 32:37, where Israel is mocked for having sought refuge in false gods.
Senses
1. take refuge, seek shelter — To seek refuge or take shelter, expressing trust and dependence by fleeing to a protector. Nearly all occurrences describe the act of seeking divine protection, with God portrayed as fortress, rock, or sheltering bird. The participial form chosim ('those who take refuge') functions as a virtual title for the faithful (Ps 2:12; 5:12; 17:7; 34:9; Na 1:7). Jotham's fable uniquely applies the verb to trees: 'come, take refuge in my shade' (Judg 9:15). The Spanish 'refugiarse,' French 'se refugier,' and German 'Zuflucht nehmen' all capture the reflexive-physical metaphor of fleeing to shelter. 37×
AR["أَحتَمي", "احتَمَت", "احْتَمَوْا", "احْتَمَيْتُ", "الاحتِماء", "المُحْتَمينَ", "المُحْتَمِينَ", "الْمُحْتَمِينَ"]·ben["আমি-আশ্রয়-নিয়েছি", "আমি-আশ্রয়-নেব", "আশ্রয়-নিয়েছি", "আশ্রয়-নিয়েছি,", "আশ্রয়-নিয়েছি;", "আশ্রয়-নিয়েছে", "আশ্রয়-নেওয়া", "যারা-আশ্রয়-নেয়"]·DE["Zuflucht", "der-die-nehmend-refuge", "lass-mich-nehmen-Zuflucht", "zu-Zuflucht"]·EN["I-have-taken-refuge", "I-take-refuge", "I-will-take-refuge", "has-taken-refuge", "let-me-take-refuge", "the-ones-taking-refuge", "they-have-taken-refuge", "those-taking-refuge", "those-who-take-refuge", "to-take-refuge", "who-take-refuge"]·FR["le-ceux-prenant-refuge", "le-se-réfugier", "se-réfugier", "à-se-réfugier"]·heb["אחסה", "ה-חוסים", "חוסי", "חוסים", "חסו", "חסיה", "חסיתי", "ל-חסות"]·HI["जो-शरण-लेते-हैं", "मैं-भरोसा-रखूंगा", "मैंने-भरोसा-किया", "मैंने-शरण-ली", "मैंने-शरण-ली-है", "शरण-ली-उन्होंने", "शरण-ली-है-मैंने", "शरण-लूँगा", "शरण-लेता-है", "शरण-लेना", "शरण-लेनेवाले", "शरण-लेनेवालों", "शरण-लेनेवालों-के"]·ID["-yang-berlindung", "aku-akan-berlindung", "aku-berlindung", "berlindung", "yang-berlindung"]·IT["il-quelli-prendendo-rifugio", "rifugiarsi"]·jav["ingkang-ngungsi", "kawula-badhe-ngungsi", "kawula-ngungsi", "kula-ngeyup", "kula-ngungsi", "ngungsi", "sami-ngungsi"]·KO["그-의뢰하는-자들", "내-가-피했나이다", "내가-피하였다", "피하는-것-이", "피하는-자는", "피하는-자들", "피하는-자들-에게", "피하는-자들-을", "피하리이다", "피하였나이다", "피하였도다", "피하였음이라"]·PT["confia", "confiei", "dos-que-se-refugiam", "me-refugio", "os-que-em-ti", "os-que-nele-se-refugiam", "os-que-se-refugiam", "que-nele", "refugiar-me-ei", "refugiaram-se", "refugiei-me", "é-refugiar-se"]·RU["надеюсь", "укроюсь", "укрываться", "укрывающиеся", "укрылись", "укрылся-я", "уповает", "уповал-я", "уповаю", "уповаю-я", "уповающие", "уповающих"]·ES["los-que-se-refugian", "me-he-refugiado", "me-refugiaré", "me-refugio", "me-refugié", "refugiarse", "se-refugiaron", "se-refugió"]·SW["imejikita", "kukimbilia", "nimekimbilia", "nimekukimbilia", "ninakimbilia", "nitajikinga", "wakimbiliao", "wamemkimbilia", "wanaokimbilia", "wanaomkimbilia"]·TR["sığınacağım", "sığınanlar", "sığınanları", "sığınanların", "sığındılar", "sığındım", "sığınmak", "sığınıyor"]·urd["میں-نے-پناہ-لی", "پناہ-لوں", "پناہ-لی", "پناہ-لیتا-ہوں", "پناہ-لینا", "پناہ-لینے-والوں", "پناہ-لینے-والوں-کے", "پناہ-لینے-والے"]
Deut 32:37, Judg 9:15, Ruth 2:12, 2 Sam 22:3, 2 Sam 22:31, Ps 2:12, Ps 5:11, Ps 7:1, Ps 11:1, Ps 16:1, Ps 17:7, Ps 18:2 (+25 more)
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
† חָסָה vb. (mostly poet. and fig.) seek refuge (Arabic حَشِىَ iii. is set aside; v. go aside, apart; حَشًى shelter, protection; but? ش = ס)— Qal Pf. ח׳ ψ 64:11; 3 fs. חָסָ֫יָה ψ 57:2, חָסִ֫יתִי ψ 7:2 + 7 times; pl. חָסוּ ψ 37:40 Zp 3:12, חָסָ֫יוּ Dt 32:17; Impf. יֶחְסֶּה ψ 34:9, תֶחְסֶּה ψ 91:4, אֶחְסֶּה ψ 57:2 (see Baer ψ 34:9), אֶחֱסֶה ψ 18:3 + 2 times; pl. יֶחֱסוּ Is 14:32, יֶחֱסָיוּן ψ 36:8;…