חַי
living
‘living’ is one of 5 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Absolute-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Adjective
- A word that describes or qualifies a noun.
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
Stem
- Qal
- The basic, simple active stem — the plain form of the verb (“he wrote”).
Form
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Person
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
- Both
- Attested as both masculine and feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Grammatical forms 15 distinct
- Adjective, Adjective, Masculine, Singular, Absolute 146 times (29%)
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Construct 82 times (16%)
- Noun, Common, Feminine, Singular, Construct 66 times (13%)
- Adjective, Adjective, Masculine, Plural, Absolute 65 times (13%)
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Absolute 64 times (13%)
- Noun, Common, Feminine, Singular, Absolute 33 times (7%)
- Adjective, Adjective, Feminine, Singular, Absolute 23 times (5%)
- Noun, Common, Feminine, Plural, Absolute 12 times (2%)
+7 more forms (12 occurrences)
Parsed forms decoded from the imported morphology (morphhb / Westminster Leningrad Codex — WLC text public domain, morphhb tagging CC BY 4.0), counted across 503 parsed occurrences — not distinct verses.
Page 2 of 3 — showing verses 201–400 of 450 distinct verses where H2416 appears, across 29 books. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
2 Kings 16 verses
- 2 Kings 5:20 חַי adj Adjective ms But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
- 2 Kings 7:12 חַיִּ֔ים adj Adjective mp The king arose in the night, and said to his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.
- 2 Kings 10:14 חַיִּ֔ים חַיִּ֑ים adj Adjective mp adj Adjective mp He said, Take them alive. They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing-house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
- 2 Kings 14:9 חַיַּ֤ת n c fs cs Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
- 2 Kings 19:4 חַ֔י adj Adjective ms It may be Yahweh your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.
- 2 Kings 19:16 חָֽי adj Adjective ms Incline your ear, Yahweh, and hear; open your eyes, Yahweh, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, with which he has sent him to defy the living God.
- 2 Kings 25:29 חַיָּֽי/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms and changed his prison garments. [Jehoiachin] ate bread before him continually all the days of his life:
- 2 Kings 25:30 חַיָּֽ/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him of the king, every day a portion, all the days of his life.
2 Chronicles 5 verses
- 2 Chronicles 6:31 חַיִּ֖ים adj Adjective mp that they may fear you, to walk in your ways, so long as they live in the land which you gave to our fathers.
- 2 Chronicles 10:6 חַ֖י adj Adjective ms King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people?
- 2 Chronicles 18:13 חַי adj Adjective ms Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I speak.
- 2 Chronicles 25:12 חַיִּ֗ים adj Adjective mp [other] ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces.
- 2 Chronicles 25:18 חַיַּ֤ת n c fs cs Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.
Job 24 verses
- Job 3:20 וְ֝/חַיִּ֗ים conj + n c mp "Why is light given to him who is in misery, Life to the bitter in soul,
- Job 5:22 וּֽ/מֵ/חַיַּ֥ת conj + prep + n c fs cs At destruction and famine you shall laugh, Neither shall you be afraid of the animals of the earth.
- Job 5:23 וְ/חַיַּ֥ת conj + n c fs cs For you shall be in league with the stones of the field. The animals of the field shall be at peace with you.
- Job 7:7 חַיָּ֑/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.
- Job 9:21 חַיָּֽ/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs I am blameless. I don't regard myself. I despise my life.
- Job 10:1 בְּ/חַ֫יָּ֥/י prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs "My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
- Job 10:12 חַיִּ֣ים n c mp You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.
- Job 12:10 חָ֑י adj Adjective ms In whose hand is the life of every living thing, The breath of all mankind?
- Job 19:25 חָ֑י adj Adjective ms But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.
- Job 24:22 בַּֽ/חַיִּֽין prep det + n c mp Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
- Job 27:2 חַי adj Adjective ms "As God lives, who has taken away my right, The Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.
- Job 28:13 הַֽ/חַיִּֽים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp Man doesn't know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
- Job 28:21 חָ֑י adj Adjective ms Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the birds of the sky.
- Job 30:23 חָֽי adj Adjective ms For I know that you will bring me to death, To the house appointed for all living.
- Job 33:18 וְ֝/חַיָּת֗/וֹ conj + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms He keeps back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.
- Job 33:20 חַיָּת֣/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms So that his life abhors bread, And his soul dainty food.
- Job 33:22 וְ֝/חַיָּת֗/וֹ conj + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms Yes, his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to the destroyers.
- Job 33:28 ו/חית/י וְ֝/חַיָּת/וֹ conj + n c fs cs + sfx pers 1cs conj + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit, My life shall see the light.'
- Job 33:30 הַֽ/חַיִּים ptcl def.art + n c bp To bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
- Job 36:14 וְ֝/חַיָּתָ֗/ם conj + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
- Job 37:8 חַיָּ֣ה n c fs Then the animals take cover, And remain in their dens.
- Job 38:39 וְ/חַיַּ֖ת conj + n c fs cs "Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
- Job 39:15 וְ/חַיַּ֖ת conj + n c fs cs And forgets that the foot may crush them, Or that the wild animal may trample them.
- Job 40:20 חַיַּ֥ת n c fs cs Surely the mountains bring him forth food, Where all the animals of the field do play.
Psalms 50 verses
- Psalms 7:5 חַיָּ֑/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; Yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, And lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
- Psalms 16:11 חַ֫יִּ֥ים n c mp You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
- Psalms 17:14 בַּֽ/חַיִּים֮ prep det + n c mp From men by your hand, Yahweh, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, And they store up wealth for their children.
- Psalms 18:46 חַי adj Adjective ms Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
- Psalms 21:4 חַיִּ֤ים n c mp He asked life of you, you gave it to him, Even length of days forever and ever.
- Psalms 23:6 חַיָּ֑/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in Yahweh's house forever.
- Psalms 26:9 חַיָּֽ/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs Don't gather my soul with sinners, Nor my life with bloodthirsty men;
- Psalms 27:1 חַ֝יַּ֗/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
- Psalms 27:4 חַיַּ֑/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after, That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, To see Yahweh's beauty, And to inquire in his temple.
- Psalms 27:13 חַיִּֽים adj Adjective mp I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living.
- Psalms 30:5 חַיִּ֪ים n c mp For his anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, But joy comes in the morning.
- Psalms 31:10 חַיַּ/י֮ n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs For my life is spent with sorrow, My years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.
- Psalms 34:12 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp Who is someone who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?
- Psalms 36:9 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp For with you is the spring of life. In your light shall we see light.
- Psalms 38:19 חַיִּ֣ים adj Adjective mp But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous.
- Psalms 42:2 חָ֥י adj Adjective ms My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
- Psalms 42:8 חַיָּֽ/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs Yahweh will command his loving kindness in the daytime. In the night his song shall be with me: A prayer to the God of my life.
- Psalms 49:18 בְּ/חַיָּ֣י/ו prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Though while he lived he blessed his soul-- And men praise you when you do well for yourself--
- Psalms 50:10 חַיְת/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms For every animal of the forest is mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.
- Psalms 52:5 חַיִּ֣ים adj Adjective mp God will likewise destroy you forever. He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent, And root you out of the land of the living. Selah.
- Psalms 55:15 חַיִּ֑ים adj Adjective mp Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
- Psalms 56:13 הַֽ/חַיִּֽים ptcl def.art + n c bp For you have delivered my soul from death, And prevented my feet from falling, That I may walk before God in the light of the living.
- Psalms 58:9 חַ֥י adj Adjective ms Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, He will sweep away the green and the burning alike.
- Psalms 63:3 מֵֽ/חַיִּ֗ים prep + n c mp Because your loving kindness is better than life, My lips shall praise you.
- Psalms 63:4 בְ/חַיָּ֑/י prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs So I will bless you while I live. I will lift up my hands in your name.
- Psalms 64:1 חַיָּֽ/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
- Psalms 66:9 בַּֽ/חַיִּ֑ים prep det + n c mp Who preserves our life among the living, And doesn't allow our feet to be moved.
- Psalms 68:10 חַיָּתְ/ךָ֥ n c fs cs + sfx pers 2ms Your congregation lived therein. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.
- Psalms 68:30 חַיַּ֪ת n c fs cs Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, The multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
- Psalms 69:28 חַיִּ֑ים adj Adjective mp Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written with the righteous.
- Psalms 74:19 לְ֭/חַיַּת חַיַּ֥ת prep + n c fs cs n c fs cs Don't deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts. Don't forget the life of your poor forever.
- Psalms 78:50 וְ֝/חַיָּתָ֗/ם conj + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp He made a path for his anger. He didn't spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence,
- Psalms 79:2 לְ/חַיְת/וֹ prep + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, The flesh of your saints to the animals of the earth.
- Psalms 84:2 חָֽי adj Adjective ms My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of Yahweh. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
- Psalms 88:3 וְ/חַיַּ֗/י conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol.
- Psalms 103:4 חַיָּ֑יְ/כִי n c mp cs + sfx pers 2fs Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;
- Psalms 104:11 חַיְת֣/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms They give drink to every animal of the field. The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
- Psalms 104:20 חַיְת/וֹ n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms You make darkness, and it is night, In which all the animals of the forest prowl.
- Psalms 104:25 חַיּ֥וֹת n c fp There is the sea, great and wide, In which are innumerable living things, Both small and large animals.
- Psalms 104:33 בְּ/חַיָּ֑/י prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
- Psalms 116:9 הַֽ/חַיִּֽים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living.
- Psalms 124:3 חַיִּ֣ים adj Adjective mp Then they would have swallowed us up alive, When their wrath was kindled against us;
- Psalms 128:5 חַיֶּֽי/ךָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 2ms May Yahweh bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
- Psalms 133:3 חַ֝יִּ֗ים n c mp Like the dew of Hermon, That comes down on the hills of Zion: For there Yahweh gives the blessing, Even life forevermore.
- Psalms 142:5 הַֽ/חַיִּים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp I cried to you, Yahweh. I said, "You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living."
- Psalms 143:2 חָֽי adj Adjective ms Don't enter into judgment with your servant, For in your sight no man living is righteous.
- Psalms 143:3 חַיָּתִ֑/י n c fs cs + sfx pers 1cs For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
- Psalms 145:16 חַ֣י adj Adjective ms You open your hand, And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
- Psalms 146:2 בְּ/חַיָּ֑/י prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs While I live, I will praise Yahweh. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.
- Psalms 148:10 הַֽ/חַיָּ֥ה ptcl def.art + n c fs Wild animals and all cattle; Small creatures and flying birds;
Proverbs 34 verses
- Proverbs 1:12 חַיִּ֑ים adj Adjective mp Let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down into the pit.
- Proverbs 2:19 חַיִּֽים n c mp None who go to her return again, Neither do they attain to the paths of life:
- Proverbs 3:2 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp For length of days, and years of life, And peace, will they add to you.
- Proverbs 3:18 חַיִּ֣ים n c mp She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
- Proverbs 3:22 חַיִּ֣ים n c mp So they will be life to your soul, And grace for your neck.
- Proverbs 4:10 חַיִּֽים n c mp Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
- Proverbs 4:13 חַיֶּֽי/ךָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 2ms Take firm hold of instruction. Don't let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
- Proverbs 4:22 חַיִּ֣ים n c mp For they are life to those who find them, And health to their whole body.
- Proverbs 4:23 חַיִּֽים n c mp Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it is the wellspring of life.
- Proverbs 5:6 חַ֭יִּים n c mp She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn't know it.
- Proverbs 6:23 חַ֝יִּ֗ים n c mp For the commandment is a lamp, And the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
- Proverbs 8:35 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp For whoever finds me, finds life, And will obtain favor from Yahweh.
- Proverbs 9:11 חַיִּֽים n c mp For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.
- Proverbs 10:11 חַ֭יִּים n c mp The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
- Proverbs 10:16 לְ/חַיִּ֑ים prep + n c mp The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.
- Proverbs 10:17 לְ֭/חַיִּים prep + n c mp He is in the way of life who heeds correction, But he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.
- Proverbs 11:19 לְ/חַיִּ֑ים prep + n c mp He who is truly righteous gets life. He who pursues evil gets death.
- Proverbs 11:30 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls.
- Proverbs 12:28 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp In the way of righteousness is life; In its path there is no death.
- Proverbs 13:12 חַ֝יִּ֗ים n c mp Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.
- Proverbs 13:14 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, To turn from the snares of death.
- Proverbs 14:27 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life, Turning people from the snares of death.
- Proverbs 14:30 חַיֵּ֣י n c mp cs The life of the body is a heart at peace, But envy rots the bones.
- Proverbs 15:4 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp A gentle tongue is a tree of life, But deceit in it crushes the spirit.
- Proverbs 15:24 חַ֭יִּים n c mp The path of life leads upward for the wise, To keep him from going downward to Sheol.
- Proverbs 15:31 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp The ear that listens to reproof lives, And will be at home among the wise.
- Proverbs 16:15 חַיִּ֑ים n c mp In the light of the king's face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
- Proverbs 16:22 חַ֭יִּים n c mp Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, But the punishment of fools is their folly.
- Proverbs 18:21 וְ֭/חַיִּים conj + n c mp Death and life are in the power of the tongue; Those who love it will eat its fruit.
- Proverbs 19:23 לְ/חַיִּ֑ים prep + n c mp The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; He rests and will not be touched by trouble.
- Proverbs 21:21 חַ֝יִּ֗ים n c mp He who follows after righteousness and kindness Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
- Proverbs 22:4 וְ/חַיִּֽים conj + n c mp The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh Is wealth, honor, and life.
- Proverbs 27:27 וְ֝/חַיִּ֗ים conj + n c mp There will be plenty of goats' milk for your food, For your family's food, And for the nourishment of your servant girls.
- Proverbs 31:12 חַיֶּֽי/ה n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs She does him good, and not harm, All the days of her life.
Ecclesiastes 16 verses
- Ecclesiastes 2:3 חַיֵּי/הֶֽם n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.
- Ecclesiastes 2:17 הַ֣/חַיִּ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
- Ecclesiastes 3:12 בְּ/חַיָּֽי/ו prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
- Ecclesiastes 4:2 הַ֣/חַיִּ֔ים חַיִּ֖ים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp adj Adjective mp Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.
- Ecclesiastes 4:15 הַ֣/חַיִּ֔ים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 חי/ו חַיָּ֛י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.
- Ecclesiastes 5:20 חַיָּ֑י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.
- Ecclesiastes 6:8 הַ/חַיִּֽים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 בַּֽ/חַיִּ֗ים חַיֵּ֥י prep det + n c mp n c mp cs For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
- Ecclesiastes 7:2 וְ/הַ/חַ֖י conj + ptcl def.art + n c bs It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
- Ecclesiastes 8:15 חַיָּ֛י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 9:3 בְּ/חַיֵּי/הֶ֔ם prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
- Ecclesiastes 9:4 הַ/חַיִּ֖ים חַי֙ ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp adj Adjective ms For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
- Ecclesiastes 9:5 הַֽ/חַיִּ֛ים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp For the living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
- Ecclesiastes 9:9 חַיִּ֜ים חַיֵּ֣י בַּֽ/חַיִּ֔ים n c mp n c mp cs prep det + n c mp Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity: for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 10:19 חַיִּ֑ים adj Adjective mp A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes the life glad; And money is the answer for all things.
Song of Solomon 1 verse
Isaiah 17 verses
- Isaiah 4:3 לַ/חַיִּ֖ים prep det + n c mp It will happen, that he who is left in Zion, and he who remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even everyone who is written among the living in Jerusalem;
- Isaiah 8:19 הַ/חַיִּ֖ים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp When they shall tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn't a people consult with their God? on behalf of the living [should they consult] with the dead?
- Isaiah 35:9 חַיּוֹת֙ n c fp No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous animal go up thereon; they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk [there]:
- Isaiah 37:4 חַ֔י adj Adjective ms It may be Yahweh your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.
- Isaiah 37:17 חָֽי adj Adjective ms Turn your ear, Yahweh, and hear; open your eyes, Yahweh, and behold; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, who has sent to defy the living God.
- Isaiah 38:11 הַ/חַיִּ֑ים ptcl def.art + Adjective Adjective mp I said, I shall not see Yah, Yah in the land of the living: I shall see man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
- Isaiah 38:12 חַיַּ/י֙ n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me as a shepherd's tent: I have rolled up, like a weaver, my life; he will cut me off from the loom: From day even to night will you make an end of me.
- Isaiah 38:16 חַיֵּ֣י n c mp cs Lord, by these things men live; Wholly therein is the life of my spirit: You restore me, and cause me to live.
- Isaiah 38:19 חַ֥י חַ֛י adj Adjective ms adj Adjective ms The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do this day: The father to the children shall make known your truth.
- Isaiah 38:20 חַיֵּ֖י/נוּ n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cp Yahweh is [ready] to save me: Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments All the days of our life in the house of Yahweh.
- Isaiah 40:16 וְ/חַיָּת֔/וֹ conj + n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the animals of it sufficient for a burnt offering.
- Isaiah 43:20 חַיַּ֣ת n c fs cs The animals of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
- Isaiah 46:1 לַ/חַיָּ֖ה prep det + n c fs Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; their idols are on the animals, and on the cattle: the things that you carried about are made a load, a burden to the weary [animal].
- Isaiah 49:18 חַי adj Adjective ms Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live, says Yahweh, you shall surely clothe you with them all as with an ornament, and gird yourself with them, like a bride.
- Isaiah 53:8 חַיִּ֔ים adj Adjective mp By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who [among them] considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the disobedience of my people to whom the stroke [was due]?
- Isaiah 56:9 חַיְת֣וֹ חַיְת֖וֹ n c fs cs n c fs cs All you animals of the field, come to devour, [yes], all you animals in the forest.
- Isaiah 57:10 חַיַּ֤ת n c fs cs You were wearied with the length of your way; yet you didn't say, It is in vain: you found a reviving of your strength; therefore you weren't faint.
Jeremiah 23 verses
- Jeremiah 2:13 חַיִּ֗ים adj Adjective mp For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
- Jeremiah 4:2 חַי adj Adjective ms and you shall swear, As Yahweh lives, in truth, in justice, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
- Jeremiah 5:2 חַי adj Adjective ms Though they say, As Yahweh lives; surely they swear falsely.
- Jeremiah 8:3 מֵֽ/חַיִּ֔ים prep + n c mp Death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them, says Yahweh of Hosts.
- Jeremiah 10:10 חַיִּ֖ים adj Adjective mp But Yahweh is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembles, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.
- Jeremiah 11:19 חַיִּ֔ים adj Adjective mp But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter; and I didn't know that they had devised devices against me, [saying], Let us destroy the tree with the fruit of it, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
- Jeremiah 12:9 חַיַּ֥ת n c fs cs Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go you, assemble all the animals of the field, bring them to devour.
- Jeremiah 12:16 חַי adj Adjective ms It shall happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Yahweh lives; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.
- Jeremiah 16:14 חַי adj Adjective ms Therefore, behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that it shall no more be said, As Yahweh lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
- Jeremiah 16:15 חַי adj Adjective ms but, As Yahweh lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the countries where he had driven them. I will bring them again into their land that I gave to their fathers.
- Jeremiah 17:13 חַיִּ֖ים adj Adjective mp Yahweh, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be disappointed. Those who depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Yahweh, the spring of living waters.
- Jeremiah 21:8 הַ/חַיִּ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp To this people you shall say, Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
- Jeremiah 22:24 חַי adj Adjective ms As I live, says Yahweh, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet on my right hand, yet would I pluck you there;
- Jeremiah 23:7 חַי adj Adjective ms Therefore, behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that they shall no more say, As Yahweh lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
- Jeremiah 23:8 חַי adj Adjective ms but, As Yahweh lives, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them. They shall dwell in their own land.
- Jeremiah 23:36 חַיִּ֔ים adj Adjective mp The burden of Yahweh shall you mention no more: for every man's own word shall be his burden; for you have perverted the words of the living God, of Yahweh of Hosts our God.
- Jeremiah 27:6 חַיַּ֣ת n c fs cs Now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the animals of the field also have I given him to serve him.
- Jeremiah 28:14 חַיַּ֥ת n c fs cs For thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel: I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the animals of the field also.
- Jeremiah 38:16 חַי adj Adjective ms So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, As Yahweh lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.
- Jeremiah 44:26 חַי adj Adjective ms Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my great name, says Yahweh, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, As the Lord Yahweh lives.
- Jeremiah 46:18 חַי adj Adjective ms As I live, says the King, whose name is Yahweh of Hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.
- Jeremiah 52:33 חַיָּֽ/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms and changed his prison garments. [Jehoiachin] ate bread before him continually all the days of his life:
- Jeremiah 52:34 חַיָּֽי/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
Lamentations 3 verses
- Lamentations 3:39 חָ֔י adj Adjective ms Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
- Lamentations 3:53 חַיָּ֔/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.
- Lamentations 3:58 חַיָּֽ/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
Ezekiel 51 verses
- Ezekiel 1:5 חַיּ֑וֹת n c fp Out of the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
- Ezekiel 1:13 הַ/חַיּ֜וֹת הַ/חַיּ֑וֹת ptcl def.art + n c fp ptcl def.art + n c fp As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: [the fire] went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
- Ezekiel 1:14 וְ/הַ/חַיּ֖וֹת conj + ptcl def.art + n c fp The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
- Ezekiel 1:15 הַ/חַיּ֑וֹת הַ/חַיּ֖וֹת ptcl def.art + n c fp ptcl def.art + n c fp Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
- Ezekiel 1:19 הַֽ/חַיּ֔וֹת הַֽ/חַיּוֹת֙ ptcl def.art + n c fp ptcl def.art + n c fp When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
- Ezekiel 1:20 הַ/חַיָּ֖ה ptcl def.art + n c fs Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
- Ezekiel 1:21 הַ/חַיָּ֖ה ptcl def.art + n c fs When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
- Ezekiel 1:22 הַ/חַיָּה֙ ptcl def.art + n c fs Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads above.
- Ezekiel 3:13 הַ/חַיּ֗וֹת ptcl def.art + n c fp [I heard] the noise of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, even the noise of a great rushing.
- Ezekiel 5:11 חַי adj Adjective ms Therefore, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore will I also diminish [you]; neither shall my eye spare, and I also will have no pity.
- Ezekiel 5:17 וְ/חַיָּ֤ה conj + n c fs and I will send on you famine and evil animals, and they shall bereave you; and pestilence and blood shall pass through you; and I will bring the sword on you: I, Yahweh, have spoken it.
- Ezekiel 7:13 בַּ/חַיִּ֖ים חַיָּתָ֑/ם חַיָּת֖/וֹ prep det + n c mp n c fs cs + sfx pers 3mp n c fs cs + sfx pers 3ms For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they be yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude of it, none shall return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.
- Ezekiel 10:15 הַ/חַיָּ֔ה ptcl def.art + n c fs The cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
- Ezekiel 10:17 הַ/חַיָּ֖ה ptcl def.art + n c fs When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
- Ezekiel 10:20 הַ/חַיָּ֗ה ptcl def.art + n c fs This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
- Ezekiel 14:15 חַיָּ֥ה הַ/חַיָּֽה n c fs ptcl def.art + n c fs If I cause evil animals to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the animals;
- Ezekiel 14:16 חַי adj Adjective ms though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate.
- Ezekiel 14:18 חַי adj Adjective ms though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only should be delivered themselves.
- Ezekiel 14:20 חַי adj Adjective ms though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, they should deliver neither son nor daughter; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
חי — transliterated chay — is a Hebrew word carrying the sense “living.” The King James Version’s older “liveth” has given way to “life” in modern versions, as the renderings breakdown shows. The Hebrew Bible uses it across 450 verses — common. It first appears in Genesis 1:20. It is not a single-sense word — see its full sense range. See the sense tree, 450-verse concordance, and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H2416 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 450
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 450 distinct verses.
- 29 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 29 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #99
- by frequency
- Top 100 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 99 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 450 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 450 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 194 verses · 43%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 138 verses · 31%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 118 verses · 26%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
BDB lists this Strong’s number as 5 distinct words (homographs). Each count above pools all of them and is not split by sense — see the Senses section below. A low-frequency rendering may belong to a different one of those words, not the primary meaning.
- King James Version†: Life 122×, Liveth 66×, Living 53×
- American Standard Version†: Life 107×, Liveth 58×, Living 52×
- Berean Standard Bible†: Life 100×, Lives 62×, Living 53×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text†: Life 118×, Living 92×, Life of 58×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H2416 across 498† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 80 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 3 further occurrences.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H2416 across 492† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 108 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H2416 across 485† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 56 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 14 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H2416 across 528† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 53 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
16 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 16 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
חי I alive, living
- 1.
- a. of God, as the living one, the fountain of life אֵל חַי Jos 3:10 (J), Ho 2:1 ψ 42:3; 84:3; אלהים חי 2 K 19:4, 16 = Is 37:4, 17; אלהים חיים Dt 5:23 1 S 17:26, 36 Je 10:10; 23:36; חי יהוה Yahweh is living ψ 18:47 = 2 S 22:47; גאלי חי my avenger is living Jb 19:25; the formula of the oath is חַי י׳ Ju 8:19 Ru 3:13 1 S 14:39, 45; 19:6; 20:3, 21; 25:34; 26:10, 16; 28:10; 29:6 2 S 4:9; 12:5; 14:11; 15:21 1 K 1:29; 2:24; 17:1, 12; 18:10; 22:14 = 2 Ch 18:13, 2 K 5:16, 20 Ho 4:15 Je 4:2; 5:2; 12:16; 16:14, 15; 23:7, 8; 38:16; חי אל Jb 27:2; חי האלהים 2 S 2:27; חי אדני י׳ Je 44:26; חי י׳ צבאות 1 K 18:15 2 K 3:14; as used by God Himself it is חי אנכי Dt 32:40, elsewhere חי אני Nu 14:21, 28 (P) Is 49:18; Je 22:24; 46:18 Ez 5:11; 14:16, 18, 20; 16:48; 17:16, 19; 18:3; 20:3, 31, 33; 33:11, 27; 34:8; 35:6, 11 Zp 2:9, cf. also חֵי דרך באר שׁבע, חֵי אלהיך דן Am 8:14; with the exception of בְּחֵי הָעֹולָם by him who liveth for ever Dn 12:7, חֵי is always (as an artificial distinction of scribes) used of non-sacred oaths, v. b. e.g. Joshua 3:10
- b. of man; אָדָם חַי a living man La 3:39, in antith. מֵת: חי חי Is 38:19; הַחַי collective Ec 7:2; Absalom 2 S 19:7; Naboth 1 K 21:15; a son or lad 2 S 12:21 1 K 3:22(×2), 23(×2), 25, 26(×2), 27; 17:23; usually pl. חיים alive, living Nu 16:30, 33 (J), 17:13 (P), Dt 4:4; 5:3 Is 8:19 ψ 55:16; 124:3 Pr 1:12 Ec 4:2(×2), 15; 6:8; 9:4, 5 Ru 2:20; taking prisoners alive Jos 8:23 (J) 1 S 15:8 1 K 20:18(×2) 2 K 7:12; 10:14(×2) 2 Ch 25:12; living (prosperously) 1 S 25:6 (We reads לָחִי = לְאָחִי (v. Klo Dr) to my brother, after 𝔙 fratribus meis); elsewhere in phrase כל־הימים אשׁר הֵם (אַתֶּם) היים על (פני) האדמה all the days that they (ye) live upon (the face of) the land Dt 4:10; 12:1; 31:13 1 K 8:40 = 2 Ch 6:31. Note phrases: עוֹד חַי (ים) yet alive Gn 25:6; 43:7, 27, 28; 45:28; 46:30 (J), 45:3, 26 Ex 4:18 (E), Dt 31:27 1 Sa 20:14 2 S 12:22; 18:14 1 K 20:32; בהיות חי 2 S 12:18 1 K 12:6 2 Ch 10:6; אֶרֶץ (הַ)חַיִים land of the living Is 38:11; 53:8 Je 11:19 Ez 26:20; 32:23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 32 ψ 27:13; 52:7; 142:6 Jb 28:13; ארצות הח׳ ψ 116:9; ספר ח׳ ψ 69:29; צרור הח׳ bundle of the living 1 S 25:29; אור הח׳ light of the living Jb 33:30 ψ 56:14. In the oath by life of men חי is pointed always חֵי: חֵי אדני המלך as my lord the king liveth 2 S 15:21; חֵי פרעה Gn 42:15, 16 (E); חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ 1 S 1:26; 17:55 2 S 14:19; חַי י׳ וְחֵי נַפְשְׁךָ as Yahweh liveth and as thy soul (or thyself) liveth 1 S 20:3; 25:26 2 K 2:2, 4, 6; 4:30 חַיֶּךָ וְחֵי נ׳ 2 S 11:11 (but on text v. We Dr). e.g. Lamentations 3:39
- c. of animals, alive, living: ox Ex 21:35; 22:3 (E); goat Lv 16:10, 20, 21 (P); bird Lv 14:4, 6(×2), 7, 51, 53; dog, לְכֶלֶב חַי הוּא טוֹב מִן־הָאַרְיֵה הַמֵּת Ec 9:4 (comp. Arabic prov. Kalb ḥay wa-lâ maiyit, a living dog and no dead lion Wetzst Verhand. Berl. Anthrop. Ges 1878, 388); reptiles Gn 1:28 (P); animals in general Gn 9:3 (P); בשׂר חי living, raw flesh Lv 13:10, 14, 15(×2), 16 (P) 1 S 2:15. e.g. Exodus 21:35
- d. animals and man, phrases for either or both: כל חי Gn 3:20; 8:21 (J) Jb 12:10; 28:21; 30:23 ψ 143:2; 145:16; כל החי Gn 6:19 (P); נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה Gn 1:20, 24, 30 (P) 2:7, 19 (J); כל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה Gn 9:12, 15, 16 (P) Ez 47:9; כל נפשׁ החיה Gn 1:21; 9:10 Lv 11:10, 46 (P). e.g. Genesis 3:20
- e. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green, ψ 58:10 (Ges Ew Ol Pe, but De Ri Che Bae raw flesh, v. c supr. ad fin.) e.g. Psalms 58:10
- f. of water, flowing, fresh מים חיים Gn 26:19 (J), Lv 14:5, 6, 50, 51, 52; 15:13 Nu 19:17 (P), Je 2:13; 17:13 Zc 14:8 Ct 4:15. e.g. Genesis 26:19
- 2. (dub.) lively, active: אישׁ חַי an active man 2 S 23:20 (but Qr אישׁ חַיִל is to be preferred); איבי חיים mine enemies are lively ψ 38:20 (RV, but Houb Ol Ew Hu. Che al. read חִנָּם, ‖ שׁקר). e.g. 2 Samuel 23:20
- 3. reviving: כָּעֵת חַיָּה at the time (when it is) reviving, the spring Gn 18:10, 14 (J), 2 K 4:16, 17. e.g. Genesis 18:10
חי II [m.] kinsfolk (Arabic حَىٌّ a group of families united by vital ties RSK 36–40 DrSm 119), pl. sf. חַיַּי 1 S 18
חי III living thing, animal (Zinj. wild beast DHMSendsch. 34)
- 1. animal, as a living, active being:
- a. in general, Gn 8:17 Lv 11:2, 27, 47(×2) Nu 35:3 (P) ψ 104:25 Is 46:1 Dn 8:4. e.g. Genesis 8:17
- b. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity Gn 7:14, 21; 8:1, 19; 9:5 (P) Lv 17:13; 25:7 (H) Jb 37:8 ψ 148:10 Is 40:16 Ez 14:15; 33:27 Zp 2:14, 15; ח׳ קנה ψ 68:31 wild animal of the reeds; ח׳ רעה evil beast Gn 37:20, 33 (JE) Lv 26:6 (H) Ez 5:17; 14:15, 21; 34:25; ח׳ טמאה Lv 5:2 (P) unclean beast; ח׳ הארץ Gn 1:25, 30; 9:2, 10(×2) (P) 1 S 17:46 Ez 29:5; 32:4; 34:28 Jb 5:22; חיתו ארץ Gn 1:24 (P) ψ 79:2; ח׳ השׂדה Ex 23:11, 29 (covt. code) Lv 26:22 (H) Dt 7:22 2 S 21:10, 2 K 14:9 = 2 Ch 25:18, Ho 2:14, 20; 4:3; 13:8 Is 43:20 Je 27:6; 28:14 Ez 38:20; 39:4 Jb 5:23; 39:15; כל ח׳ השׂדה Gn 2:19, 20; 3:1, 14 (J) Jb 40:20 Je 12:9 Ez 31:6, 13; 34:5, 8; 39:17; חיתו שׂדי Is 56:9 ψ 104:11; חיתו (ב)יער Is 56:9 ψ 50:10; 104:20; פְּרִיץ חיות Is 35:9 destroyer among beasts. e.g. Genesis 7:14
- c. living beings, of the cherubic chariot Ez 1:5, 13(×2), 14, 15(×2), 19(×2), 20, 21, 22; 3:13; 10:15, 17, 20. e.g. Ezekiel 1:5
- 2. life, only in late poetry, ψ 143:3 Jb 33:18, 20, 22, 28; 36:14 Ez 7:13(×2), and (dub.) ψ 74:19; 78:50. e.g. Psalms 143:3
- 3. appetite, activity of hunger: חית כפרים appetite of young lions Jb 38:39. e.g. Job 38:39
- 4. revival, renewal: חַיַּת יָדֵךְ מָצָאתְ thou didst find renewal of thy strength (re-invigoration) Is 57:10; v. חָיָה 2. e.g. Isaiah 57:10
חי IV (si vera l.) community (= fem. of ii. חַי according to NöZMG, 1886, 176)
- —Several other passages are dub.: וַיֵּאָסְפוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לַחַיָּה 2 S 23:11 assembled into a troop, or by bands (RV, but neither rend. justif.: Bö Ew We Klo Dr rightly read לֶ֫חְיָה to Leḥi, cf. Ju 15:9; wd. om. by accident in ‖ 1 Ch 11:13 Dr); חַיָּֽתְךָ יָֽשְׁבוּ־בָהּ ψ 68:11 thy troop dwelt in it (Thes SS RVm Hi Ri Che, but 𝔊 𝔖 Jer Pe thy (living) creatures, of the people; Hup id., ref. to quails; improb.); אַל־תִּתֵּן לְחַיַּת נֶפֶשׁ תּוֹרֶךָ חַיַּת עֲנִיֶּיךָ אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח לָנֶ֫צַח ψ 74:19 give not the soul of thy turtle-dove to the wild beasts, the life of thine afflicted do not forget for ever: RV Hi Pe Bae Sch render thus, giving חית diff. meanings in the two clauses, the former being archaic fem. abs. Ges§ 80, 2. R. 2; text doubtless corrupt, read poss. למות Schr Ri, for לחית, or לשׁחת Kroch; Gr either of these; Che either, or better לחרב. e.g. 2 Samuel 23:11
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
I. v. sub חיה infr.
II. adj. alive, living;—ח׳ Gn 25:6 +; חָ֑י Gn 3:20 +, חֵי Am 8:14 + 15 times (Ew§ 329 explains as cstr., but Ges§ 93, R 7 n. al. as contracted abs.); f. חַיָּה Gn 1:20 +; pl. חַיִּים ψ 116:9 +;—
III. n.[m.] kinsfolk (Arabic حَىٌّ a group of families united by vital ties RSK 36–40 DrSm 119), pl. sf. חַיַּי 1 S 18:18, incorrectly pointed with the interpretation my life RV, but read חַיִּי my kinsfolk, We Ki Dr RS SS RVm VB. It is explained by the gloss משׁפחת אבי We (Klo reads אַחַי וּ).
I. n.f. living thing, animal (Zinj. wild beast DHMSendsch. 34)—ח׳ Gn 8:17 +; cstr. חַיַּת Is 57:10 +; old case ending (poetic) חַיְתוֹ Gn 1:24 ψ 50:10; 79:2; 104:11, 20 Is 56:9(×2) Zp 2:14; sf. חַיָּתִי ψ 143:3, etc.; pl. חַיּוֹת Lv 14:4 + 12 times—
II. n.f. (si vera l.) community (= fem. of ii. חַי according to NöZMG, 1886, 176)—וְחַיַּת פְּלִשְׁתִּים חֹנָה and a community of Philistines (i.e. a group of allied families, making a raid together) was encamping 2 S 23:13 (= מַחֲנֵה 1 Ch 11:15); perhaps also ψ 68:11 (cf. infr.)
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from חיה (châyâh) (H2421) — to live.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
חַי
- 1. living, alive; living creature; healthy. Ber. 27ᵇ אלמלא אני חי והוא מת יכול החי וכ׳ if I were alive and he dead, the living one might give the lie to the dead. Ib. V, 5 זה חי this one is destined to live (recover). Sabb. 94ᵃ, a. e. החי נושא את עצמו a living being carries itself (the carrying of a living being on the Sabbath is not unlawful). Ib. X, 5 את החי במטה (he who carries) a living person on a couch; a. v. fr.—אבר מן החי, v. אֵבֶר.—Pl. חַיִּים, חַיִּין. Ab. IV, 22 והח׳ לידון and the living are destined to be judged. Sabb. 94ᵃ בין ח׳ ובין שחוטין whether alive or slaughtered; a. fr.—Ab. Zar. 5ᵇ (ref. to החי, Gen. VI, 19) שחיין ראשי וכ׳ the ends of whose limbs live (exist). e.g. Genesis 6:19
- 2. in natural condition, raw (opp. בשול); unmixed (opp. מָזוּג). Snh. 70ᵃ בשר חי raw meat, יין חי unmixed wine. Ab. Zar. 38ᵃ, a. fr. הנאכל כמות שהוא חי what is eatable in its natural state; a. fr.—Fem. חַיָּה. Ḥull. 42ᵃ (ref. to Lev. XI, 2) ח׳ אכול וכ׳ what is in a healthy condition (viable), you may eat, v. טְרֵפָה. [V. חַיָּה.] e.g. Leviticus 11:2
חַי ²
- Targ. Gen. IX, 3; a. fr.—Targ. Ex. XII, 9 כד חי (half-)raw; a. fr.—Sabb. 18ᵇ קרא חייא raw cabbage.—Midr. Till. to Ps. XXII, 7 [read:] חשיך חי דבעי למיתא luckless in the living one that is dependent on the dead; Yalk. ib. 686; a. fr.—Pl. חַיִּין, חַיַּיָּא, חַיֵּי. Targ. Ps. XXXVIII, 20. Targ. Num. XVII, 13; a. fr.—Snh. 98ᵇ אי מן ח׳ הוא if he is one of the living (the present age); Y. Ber. II, 5ᵃ top; a. fr.—Fem. חַיָּיא, חַיָּא, חַיְּתָא, חַיְּי׳. Targ. Gen. I, 20. Targ. Y. ib. XXXVII, 2; a. e.—Sabb. 18ᵇ קדרא ח׳ a raw dish.—Pl. חַיָּיתָא, חַיָּין. Targ. Y. Gen. I, 21; a. fr.—Targ. Y. II, Ex. I, 19 (strong).—[B. Kam. 38ᵇ דהוה חַיָּה (h. form.) that she would have lived.
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 196 distinct written forms H2416 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 136 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H2416, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
- חיא chăyâʼ H2418 to live
- חיה châyeh H2422 lively
- חיות chayûwth H2424 living
- חיי châyay H2425 to live
- מחיה michyâh H4241 sustenance
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 10 — not the complete family. 3 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 425 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 450 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 1:20
- Exodus 1:14
- Leviticus 5:2
- Numbers 14:21
- Deuteronomy 4:4
- Joshua 1:5
- Judges 8:19
- Ruth 2:20
- 1 Samuel 1:11
- 2 Samuel 1:23
- 1 Kings 1:29
- 2 Kings 2:2
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
