Word Study

The meaning of חַי

Understanding chay reveals the original theological depth often simplified in translation.

H2416
Hebrew Text
Strong's Concordance

חַי

Phonetickhah'-ee
Transliterationchay
Grammar Code
H:A
Hebrew Adjective
Strong's Definition
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop. - alive - hence, raw (flesh) - fresh (plant, water, year), strong - also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively adj 1) living, alive 1a) green (of vegetation) 1b) flowing, fresh (of water) 1c) lively, active (of man) 1d) reviving (of the springtime) n m 2) relatives 3) life (abstract emphatic) 3a) life 3b) sustenance, maintenance n f 4) living thing, animal 4a) animal 4b) life 4c) appetite 4d) revival, renewal 5) community

Scripture References

Occurrences in the Bible

448 total references
ReferenceText
Genesis 9:3

Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Joshua 4:14

On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

1 Kings 12:6

And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

Proverbs 11:30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Lamentations 3:53

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.

Usage Statistics

Total Occurrences
448x
Most Frequent Book
Genesis
Book Distribution
Genesis56
Exodus9
Leviticus29
Numbers7
Deuteronomy19
Joshua4
Judges2
Ruth2
1 Samuel24
2 Samuel18
1 Kings21
2 Kings16
2 Chronicles5
Job24
Psalms50
Proverbs34
Ecclesiastes15
Song of Solomon1
Isaiah17
Jeremiah23
Lamentations3
Ezekiel51
Daniel3
Hosea6
Amos1
Jonah3
Zephaniah3
Zechariah1
Malachi1

Devotional Reflection

How does the original Hebrew meaning of 'חַי' deepen your understanding of Genesis 9:3?

Related Words

Cross-referenced Strong's numbers with semantic or etymological connections.