H2710 H2710
To cut in, inscribe, or engrave; by extension, to decree or enact laws; as a substantive, a ruler, lawgiver, or the scepter symbolizing authority.
A richly layered verb whose core image is the act of cutting marks into a hard surface — stone, metal, or tablet. From this physical act of engraving flows the metaphor of inscribing law: one who carves decrees into stone becomes the lawgiver, and the staff he holds becomes the scepter of authority. In Genesis 49:10 Jacob prophesies that the scepter (mᵉḥoqēq) will not depart from Judah, while in Isaiah 49:16 God declares 'I have engraved you on the palms of my hands' — the same verb moving from political authority to tender intimacy. The Spanish 'legislador' and 'cetro' neatly mirror this dual trajectory from engraver to ruler.
Senses
1. engrave, inscribe — The primary physical action: to cut, carve, or inscribe marks into a durable surface such as stone, metal, or clay. In Proverbs 8:27 Wisdom witnesses God inscribing a circle on the face of the deep at creation, while in Isaiah 30:8 the prophet is told to write on a tablet and engrave it in a book. The English glosses 'engrave' and 'inscribe' correspond to Spanish 'trazó' and 'decretó,' suggesting the act already shades toward authoritative marking. 6×
AR["ارْسُمْهَا", "بِرَسْمِهِ", "حَافِرَ", "نَقَشْتُكِ", "وَ-اِرْسُمْ"]·ben["আমি-তোমাকে-খোদাই-করেছি", "আর-খোদাই-কর", "খোদাইকারী", "যখন-তিনি-আঁকলেন", "যখন-তিনি-নির্ধারণ-করলেন", "লিখ-এটা"]·DE["[בחוקו]", "[חקה]", "[חקקי]", "[חקתיך]", "und-Satzungen"]·EN["I-have-engraved-you", "and-you-shall-engrave", "carving-in", "inscribe-it", "when-He-inscribed", "when-He-marked-out"]·FR["[חקה]", "[חקקי]", "[חקתיך]", "dans-graver-lui", "et-graver"]·heb["ב-חוקו", "ו-חקות", "חוקה", "חוקקי", "חקותיך"]·HI["और-तू-खोदेगा", "खींचते-हुए-उसके", "खोद", "तराशने-वाले", "मैंने-तुझे-खोदा"]·ID["Aku-mengukir-engkau", "dan-ukirlah", "ketika-Dia-menentukan", "ketika-Dia-menetapkan", "ukirkanlah", "yang-mengukir"]·IT["decretare", "e-statuti", "in-quando-Egli-inscribed-suo", "in-quando-Egli-marked-fuori-suo"]·jav["Ingsun-sampun-nggores-panjenengan", "ingkang-ngukir", "lan-panjenengan-ngukir", "nalika-narik", "prasastina"]·KO["그-가-그으셨을-때-에", "그-가-정하셨을-때-에", "그리고-새겨라", "내가-너를-새겼노라", "새기는-자여", "새기라"]·PT["e-gravarás", "grava-o", "gravando-na", "gravei-te", "quando-ele-marcou", "quando-ele-traçou"]·RU["вырежь-это", "вырубающий", "и-начертишь", "когда-полагал", "когда-проводил", "начертил-тебя"]·ES["cuando-decretó-él", "cuando-trazó-él", "el-que-excava", "inscríbelo", "te-grabé", "y-grabarás"]·SW["alipochora", "alipoweka", "iandike", "na-uchore", "nimekuchora", "unayechonga"]·TR["kaydet-onu", "kazidim-seni", "oyan", "ve-çizeceksin", "çizdiğinde-O"]·urd["جب-اُس-نے-مقرر-کی", "جب-اُس-نے-کھینچا", "لکھ-دے", "میں-نے-کندہ-کیا-ہے-تجھے", "و-بنا", "کھودنے-والا"]
2. ruler's staff, scepter — A metonymic extension where the Piel participle refers to the ruler's staff or scepter — the physical instrument of the one who engraves law. In Genesis 49:10 it appears alongside 'scepter' (šēbeṭ), and in Numbers 21:18 the nobles dig a well 'with the scepter' (bimḥoqēq). Spanish 'cetro' and German 'Zepter' capture this concrete object sense, while the underlying metaphor links carved authority to the rod of office. 4×
AR["بِالصَّوْلَجَانِ", "صَولَجاني", "وَالْمُشَرِّعُ"]·ben["আমার-রাজদণ্ড", "আর-বিধানদাতা", "বিধানদাতায়"]·DE["ist-mein-Zepter", "mein-Zepter", "mit-scepter", "und-der-Herrscherstab"]·EN["My-scepter", "and-ruler's-staff", "is-my-scepter", "with-scepter"]·FR["avec-scepter", "de-graver", "et-ruler's-bâton"]·heb["ב-מחקק", "ו-מחקק", "מחוקקי", "מחוקקי-"]·HI["और-विधायक", "मेरा-राजदण्ड", "मेरा-विधायक", "राजदंड-से"]·ID["dan-pembuat-hukum", "dengan-tongkat-kekuasaan", "tongkat-pembuat-hukum-Ku"]·IT["con-scepter", "decreto'", "e-ruler's-bastone"]·jav["gada-kawula", "kula", "lan-ndadosaken-angger-angger", "mawi-tongkat-pranata"]·KO["그리고-법률-주는-자가", "나-의-홀-이라", "나의-법을-세우는-자", "안-에-법-주는-자"]·PT["com-cetro", "e-legislador", "meu-legislador", "é-meu-legislador"]·RU["жезл-Мой", "жезл-мой", "законодателем", "и-законодатель"]·ES["con-el-legislador", "mi-cetro", "mi-legislador", "y-legislador"]·SW["akamruka-wandati", "fimbo-yangu-ya-kifalme", "fimbo-yangu-ya-ufalme", "kwa-fimbo"]·TR["asam", "değnekle-", "ve-hükümdar-asası"]·urd["اور-قانون-ساز", "شریعَت-ساز-میرا", "عصا-سے", "میرا-عصا"]
3. lawgiver, ruler, commander — Used substantively for the person who enacts legislation: the lawgiver, ruler, or commander. Deuteronomy 33:21 speaks of a commander's portion reserved for the lawgiver, and Judges 5:9 celebrates Israel's commanders (ḥoqᵉqê) who volunteered for battle. Spanish 'legislador' and 'legisladores' consistently render this human-agent sense, distinguishing it from the instrument (sense 2) and the act of decreeing (sense 4). 4×
AR["الْمُشَرِّعِ", "لِ-مُشْتَرِعي", "مُشَرِّعُنَا", "مُشْتَرِعونَ"]·ben["আমাদের-বিধানদাতা", "বিধানপ্রণেতাদের-জন্য", "বিধানপ্রণেতারা", "বিধায়কের"]·DE["-Befehlshaber", "Befehlshaber", "[מחקקנו]", "ist-fuer-der-Befehlshaber-von"]·EN["-commanders", "commander", "is-for-the-commanders-of", "is-our-lawgiver"]·FR["-commanders", "[מחקקנו]", "commandant", "est-pour-le-commanders-de"]·heb["ל-חוקקי", "מחוקק", "מחוקקים", "מחוקקנו"]·HI["विधानदाता-का", "हमारा-व्यवस्थापक-है", "हाकिम", "हाकिमों-के-लिए"]·ID["Pembuat-hukum-kita", "kepada-para-pemimpin", "para-pemimpin", "pembuat-hukum"]·IT["-commanders", "comandante", "decretare", "è-per-il-commanders-di"]·jav["dhateng-para-panuntun", "ingkang-paring-angger-kita", "juru-angger-angger", "para-panuntun"]·KO["우리의-입법자이시요", "입법자들-이", "입법자의", "지휘관들-에게"]·PT["legislador", "legisladores", "nosso-Legislador", "para-legisladores-de"]·RU["Законодатель-наш", "законодатели", "законодателя", "к-законодателям"]·ES["legislador", "legisladores", "nuestro-legislador", "para-legisladores-de"]·SW["kwa-wakuu-wa", "mtoa-sheria", "ni-Mweka-sheria-wetu", "wakuu"]·TR["için-komutanları", "komutanlar", "yasa-koyucumuz", "yasa-koyucunun"]·urd["حاکم", "حاکموں-کے-لیے", "حکمران-کا", "ہمارا-قانون-دینے-والا"]
4. decree, enact laws — The verbal act of issuing decrees or enacting statutes with binding force. In Proverbs 8:15 wisdom declares 'by me kings reign and rulers decree what is just,' and in Isaiah 10:1 the prophet pronounces woe upon 'those who decree iniquitous decrees.' Spanish 'decretan' and 'lo-decretado' highlight the legislative act itself rather than the agent or instrument. 3×
AR["لِـ-الْمُشَرِّعِينَ", "مَفْروضاً", "يُشَرِّعُونَ"]·ben["-যারা-আদেশ-দেয়", "প্রণয়ন-করে", "যা-বিধান-দেওয়া"]·DE["[החקקים]", "[יחקקו]", "[מחקק]"]·EN["decree", "those-decreeing", "what-is-decreed"]·FR["[החקקים]", "graver"]·heb["ה-חוקקים", "יחוקקו", "מחוקק"]·HI["नियम-बनाते-हैं", "बनाने-वालों-पर", "विधि"]·ID["menetapkan", "orang-yang-menetapkan", "yang-ditetapkan"]·IT["che-cosa-è-decreed", "decree", "decretare"]·jav["angger-angger", "ingkang-nggawé", "netepaken"]·KO["제정된-것을", "제정하는-자들아", "제정한다"]·PT["decretam", "dos-que-decretam", "o-decretado"]·RU["постановляющим", "устанавливают", "установленное"]·ES["de-los-que-decretan", "decretan", "lo-decretado"]·SW["iliyowekwa", "wanaamuru", "wanaotunga"]·TR["buyrulanları", "buyurur", "kararname-cikaranlara"]·urd["قانون-بناتے-ہیں", "قانون-بنانے-والوں", "قانون-کو"]
5. be engraved, be inscribed — The passive result of engraving: to be carved or inscribed upon a surface. Job 19:23 expresses the wish that his words 'be inscribed in a book' and engraved with an iron stylus, while Ezekiel 23:14 describes figures of Chaldeans engraved on a wall. This Qal passive participle and Hofal usage presents the completed state of the inscription rather than the active process. 2×
AR["مَحْفُورَةً", "وَ-تُنْقَشُ"]·ben["এবং-খোদাই-হোক", "খোদাই-করা"]·DE["[ויחקו]", "[חקקים]"]·EN["and-be-inscribed", "engraved"]·FR["et-graver", "graver"]·heb["ו-יוחקו", "חקוקים"]·HI["और-खोदे-जाएं", "खुदे-हुए"]·ID["dan-diukir", "yang-diukir"]·IT["[חקקים]", "e-e-essere-inscribed"]·jav["ingkang-dipun-ukir", "lan-dipunukir"]·KO["그리고-새겨지길", "새겨진"]·PT["e-fossem-gravadas", "gravados"]·RU["и-начертятся"]·ES["esculpidos", "que-fueran-grabadas,"]·SW["na-yachongwe", "walichongwa"]·TR["oyulmuş", "ve-kazınır"]·urd["اور-کندہ ہوتیں", "کندہ-کیے-ہوئے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [חָקַק] vb. cut in, inscribe, decree (NH id., Aramaic חֲקַק, Zinj. חקק; Ph. id. Pt. Hiph.; Arabic حَقَّ be just, right, obligatory, also make or decide to be just, etc.; حَقٌّ justness, truth, necessity, obligation; Ethiopic ሕቅ: adj. moderate, sufficient; cf. also חקה)— Qal וְחַקּוֹתָ֫ Ez 4:1; sf. חַקֹּתִיךְ Is 49:16; Inf. sf. בְּחֻקּוֹ Pr 8:27; בְּחוּקוֹ Pr 8:29 (assim. to בְּשׂוּמוֹ); Imv.…