H2853 H2853
to swaddle, wrap in cloth bands as with an infant
This rare verb appears only in Ezekiel 16:4, where the prophet depicts Jerusalem as an abandoned infant receiving no proper birth care. The passage uses two verbal forms (Pual perfect and Hophal infinitive absolute) for emphasis: not at all was Jerusalem rubbed with salt, and not at all was she swaddled. The imagery highlights extreme neglect, as swaddling represented basic maternal care in the ancient Near East. The verb likely relates to wrapping or entwining cloth bands around a newborn, a practice intended to promote healthy limb development.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both verbal forms appear in Ezekiel 16:4's staccato litany of birth-neglect: no washing, no salt-rubbing, no swaddling. The Hophal infinitive absolute followed by Pual perfect creates emphatic negation: "utterly not swaddled." This swaddling involved wrapping cloth strips around an infant's body, a standard practice reflected in Luke 2:7's similar terminology. The repetition in Ezekiel 16:4 intensifies the abandonment imagery—Jerusalem received none of the minimal care a newborn deserves. Cross-linguistic glosses (French envelopper, German wrapping) capture the binding/wrapping action central to this infant-care practice. 2×
AR["تُقَمَّطِي", "وَتَقْمِيطًا"]·ben["আর-কাপড়ে-জড়ানো", "কাপড়ে-জড়ানো-হল-তুমি।"]·DE["[והחתל]", "[חתלת]"]·EN["and-swaddling", "were-you-swaddled"]·FR["envelopper", "et-envelopper"]·heb["ו-החתל", "חותלת"]·HI["और-कपड़े-में-लपेटना", "लपेटी-गई-तू"]·ID["dan-membedung", "engkau-dibedung."]·IT["[והחתל]", "[חתלת]"]·jav["dipun-bebedaken", "lan-dipun-bebedaken"]·KO["그리고-포대기를-감음은", "포대기로-감진"]·PT["e-enfaixar", "foste-enfaixada"]·RU["и-пеленами", "спелёната"]·ES["fuiste-envuelta", "y-envuelta"]·SW["fungwa-vitambaa", "na-kufungwa-vitambaa"]·TR["kundaklandın", "ve-kundaklanmakla"]·urd["اور-کپڑے-میں-لپیٹنا", "لپیٹی-گئی"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [חָתַל] vb. perhaps entwine, enwrap (poss. denom., so MV al.; yet cf. NH חוֹתָל woven date-basket)— Pu. Pf. 2 fs. חֻתָּֽלְתְּ and Hoph. Inf. abs. הָחְתֵּל be swathed, swaddled;—וְהָמְלֵחַ לֹא הֻמְלַ֫חַתְּ וְהָחְתֵּל לֹא חֻתָּֽלְתְּ Ez 16:4 and not at all wast thou rubbed with salt, and not at all wast thou swaddled, of Jerusalem under fig. of infant.