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).
Page 2 of 2 — showing verses 201–319 of 319 distinct verses where H2416 appears in the Absolute state, across 28 books. Filtered view — show all forms. 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.
Proverbs 31 verses
- 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 4:22 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 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.
Ecclesiastes 10 verses
- 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 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 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 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 10 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 38:19 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 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]?
Jeremiah 18 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 12:16 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 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.
Lamentations 1 verse
Ezekiel 42 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.
- Ezekiel 14:21 וְ/חַיָּ֤ה conj + n c fs For thus says the Lord Yahweh: How much more when I send my four sore judgments on Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the evil animals, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and animal!
- Ezekiel 16:48 חַי adj Adjective ms As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, Sodom your sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as you have done, you and your daughters.
- Ezekiel 17:16 חַי adj Adjective ms As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
- Ezekiel 17:19 חַי adj Adjective ms Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: As I live, surely my oath that he has despised, and my covenant that he has broken, I will even bring it on his own head.
- Ezekiel 18:3 חַי adj Adjective ms As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, you shall not have [occasion] any more to use this proverb in Israel.
- Ezekiel 20:3 חַי adj Adjective ms Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you.
- Ezekiel 20:31 חַי adj Adjective ms and when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? and shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you;
- Ezekiel 20:33 חַי adj Adjective ms As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you:
- Ezekiel 26:20 חַיִּֽים adj Adjective mp then will I bring you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and will make you to dwell in the lower parts of the earth, in the places that are desolate of old, with those who go down to the pit, that you be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living:
- Ezekiel 32:23 חַיִּֽים adj Adjective mp whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit, and her company is round about her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living.
- Ezekiel 32:24 חַיִּ֔ים adj Adjective mp There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone down uncircumcised into the lower parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the living, and have borne their shame with those who go down to the pit.
- Ezekiel 32:25 חַיִּ֗ים adj Adjective mp They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude; her graves are round about her; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for their terror was caused in the land of the living, and they have borne their shame with those who go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of those who are slain.
- Ezekiel 32:26 חַיִּֽים adj Adjective mp There is Meshech, Tubal, and all their multitude; their graves are round about them; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they caused their terror in the land of the living.
- Ezekiel 32:27 חַיִּֽים adj Adjective mp They shall not lie with the mighty who are fallen of the uncircumcised, who are gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war, and have laid their swords under their heads, and their iniquities are on their bones; for [they were] the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
- Ezekiel 32:32 חַיִּ֑ים adj Adjective mp For I have put his terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Yahweh.
- Ezekiel 33:11 חַי adj Adjective ms Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?
- Ezekiel 33:15 הַֽ/חַיִּים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
- Ezekiel 33:27 חַי לַ/חַיָּ֥ה adj Adjective ms prep det + n c fs Thus shall you tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him who is in the open field will I give to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
- Ezekiel 34:8 חַי חַיַּ֤ת adj Adjective ms n c fs cs As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn't feed my sheep;
- Ezekiel 34:25 חַיָּֽה n c fs I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
- Ezekiel 35:6 חַי adj Adjective ms therefore, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will prepare you to blood, and blood shall pursue you: since you have not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue you.
- Ezekiel 35:11 חַי adj Adjective ms therefore, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will do according to your anger, and according to your envy which you have shown out of your hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I shall judge you.
- Ezekiel 47:9 חַיָּ֣ה adj Adjective fs It shall happen, that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters are come there, and [the waters of the sea] shall be healed, and everything shall live wherever the river comes.
Daniel 1 verse
Hosea 2 verses
- Hosea 1:10 חָֽי adj Adjective ms Yet the number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which can't be measured nor numbered; and it will come to pass that, in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'
- Hosea 4:15 חַי adj Adjective ms "Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, Yet don't let Judah offend; And don't come to Gilgal, Neither go up to Beth Aven, Nor swear, 'As Yahweh lives.'
Amos 1 verse
Zephaniah 2 verses
- Zephaniah 2:9 חַי adj Adjective ms Therefore as I live, says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.
- Zephaniah 2:15 לַֽ/חַיָּ֔ה prep det + n c fs This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, "I am, and there is none besides me." How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will hiss, and shake their fists.
Zechariah 1 verse
Malachi 1 verse
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.
