Original Word: חָוַר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chavar
Pronunciation: khaw-var'
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-var')
KJV: wax pale
NASB: turn pale
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to blanch (as with shame)

wax pale

A primitive root; to blanch (as with shame) -- wax pale.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be or grow white or pale
NASB Translation
turn pale (1).

I. [חָוַר] verb be or grow white, pale (Arabic be white, whiteness, Aramaic , חֲוַר be white) — only

Qal Imperfect3masculine plural וְלֹא עַתָּה מָּנָיו יֶחֱוָר֑וּ Isaiah 29:22 ("" לֹא עַתָּה יֵבוֺשׁ יַעֲקֹב).

חִוָּר adjective white (ᵑ7 Syriac; Biblical Hebrew I. [חָוַר]); — Daniel 7:9 (robe).

Scriptural Occurrence

חָוַר appears once, in Isaiah 29:22. There the prophet proclaims: “Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says concerning the house of Jacob: ‘No longer will Jacob be ashamed, and no longer will his face grow pale’” (Berean Standard Bible).

Imagery and Semantic Range

The verb evokes the blanching of a face when blood rushes away—an outward sign of inner fear, shame, or shock. Scripture frequently links facial countenance with the heart’s condition (Genesis 4:5-6; Proverbs 15:13). Paleness therefore functions as a vivid emblem of disgrace or dread, whereas a brightened face signals joy and acceptance (Psalm 34:5).

Historical Setting in Isaiah

Isaiah 29 addresses blind spiritual leaders in Jerusalem and the looming threat of Assyrian siege. Israel’s unfaithfulness had rendered the nation spiritually colorless—desperate, humiliated, and powerless. Yet verse 22 interrupts warnings with gospel-tinged promise: God, still “the LORD, who redeemed Abraham,” pledges to overturn the humiliation His people have brought upon themselves. The single use of חָוַר thus delivers a striking reversal: the pallor of shame will give way to restored honor.

Theological Significance

1. Covenant Fidelity. By anchoring the pledge to His redemption of Abraham, the Lord ties Jacob’s future dignity to the irrevocable covenant (Genesis 15:17-18).
2. Substitution of Honor for Shame. The movement from pallor to radiance anticipates the broader biblical trajectory in which God removes shame from His people (Isaiah 61:7; Joel 2:26-27).
3. Divine Initiative. Israel cannot recolor its own face; only Yahweh’s intervention dispels the disgrace. Salvation is by grace, not human reformation.

Links to Redemption and Honor

The Old Testament often pairs “shame” with “face” imagery (Psalm 44:15-16; Jeremiah 8:9). Isaiah’s promise lays groundwork for the messianic hope that the Servant will bear His people’s shame (Isaiah 50:6; 53:3). In Christ’s passion the Redeemer’s face is marred (Isaiah 52:14), so that believers’ faces may shine (2 Corinthians 3:18).

New Testament Resonances

1 Peter 2:6 cites Isaiah 28:16 to affirm that “the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:11 repeats the same assurance. Both echo Isaiah 29:22’s pledge that the redeemed community will not grow pale with embarrassment but will stand vindicated before God and men.

Pastoral and Discipleship Applications

• Assurance for the Guilty. Those gripped by shame may claim God’s promise that He removes the pallor of past sin through the work of Christ (Romans 8:1).
• Hope amid Opposition. Believers under hostile scrutiny may recall that final vindication belongs to the Lord; their faces will not ultimately blanch in fear (Hebrews 12:2-3).
• Ministry to the Afflicted. Pastors can employ the imagery of חָוַר to contrast the whitening effect of anxiety with the Spirit-induced radiance that accompanies forgiveness (Psalm 34:5).

Homiletical Themes

1. “From Pale to Radiant: God’s Transformation of Shame.”
2. “The Face of Jacob and the Face of Jesus: How the Redeemer Reverses Disgrace.”
3. “When Grace Brings Color Back: Isaiah’s Promise for a Blanched People.”

Worship and Prayer Considerations

Liturgies built on Isaiah 29:22 can move worshippers from confession (acknowledging discolored spiritual countenance) to assurance of pardon, ending with celebratory songs that highlight restored honor (Psalm 3:3).

Summary

חָוַר captures a fleeting but potent image of discoloration born of shame. In its lone biblical appearance, God pledges to remove that pallor from His covenant people. The promise unfolds through redemptive history, culminating in Jesus Christ, whose bearing of our shame ensures that all who trust Him will never again grow pale in God’s presence.

יֶחֱוָֽרוּ׃ יחורו׃ ye·ḥĕ·wā·rū yecheVaru yeḥĕwārūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts