Lexical Summary chemah: Wrath, fury, heat, anger Original Word: חֵמָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furiously heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath fulOr (Dan. 11:44) chemac {khay-maw'}; from yacham; heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever) -- anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath(- ful). See chem'ah. see HEBREW yacham see HEBREW chem'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yacham Definition heat, rage NASB Translation anger (7), angry (1), burning anger (1), enrages (1), fury (9), heat (2), hot displeasure (1), hot-tempered (3), poison (2), rage (3), venom (5), wrath (86), wrath and raging (1), wrathful (2), wrathful* (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֵמָא see חֵמָה below יחם. חֵמָה wrath, see below יחם; חֵמָה Job 29:6, see חֶמְאָה; חַמָּה, חַמָּן, חַמּוֺן, חַמַּת see below חמם. below חֵמָה (once חֵמָא):121 noun feminine heat, rage (for יְחֵמָה ֗֗֗ ; Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic יַחְמָא poison, 1 heat: a. fever, חֲמַת מִיַּיִן Hosea 7:5 fever from wine, wine-fever (on stative construct see Ges§ 130, 1). b. venom, poison (figurative): חֲמַת זֹחֲלֵי עָפָר Deuteronomy 32:24; תַּנִּינִים ׳ח Deuteronomy 32:33; נָחָשׁ ׳ח Psalm 58:5 compare Psalm 58:5; עַכְשׁוּב ׳ח Psalm 140:4; poison of arrows (of ׳י) Job 6:4. 2 burning anger, rage: a. of man: Genesis 27:44 (J), 2 Samuel 11:20; 2 Kings 5:12; Esther 1:12; Esther 2:1; Esther 3:5; Esther 5:9 (against, עַל), Esther 7:7,10; Psalm 37:8 ("" אַף), Psalm 76:11 (yet on text see Che), Proverbs 6:34; Proverbs 15:1,18 (אִישׁ חֵמָה man of rage = raging or wrathful man), Proverbs 16:4; Proverbs 19:19 (׳גְּדָלאח Qr = one great in rage, see De Now), Proverbs 27:4 ("" אַף), Isaiah 51:13 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 23:25; אִישׁ חֵמוֺת Proverbs 22:24 ("" בַּעַל אָ֑ף); בַּעַל חֵמָה Proverbs 29:22 ("" אִישׁ אַף); חֵמָה עַזָּה strong rage Proverbs 21:14 ("" אַף); חֲמַת רוּחִי Ezekiel 3:14 the rage of my spirit. b. of the he-goat in Daniel's vision, בַּחֲמַת כֹחוֺ Daniel 8:6 in the fury of his power. c. of God (׳י), often Jeremiah, Isa2, Ezekiel, Psalms: Jeremiah 4:4 16t. Jeremiah; 2 Kings 22:13,17; Isaiah 27:4 (Hi Ew Di Du; on other interpretations, and on text see Di), Isaiah 63:5; Lamentations 2:4; Ezekiel 5:13 29t. Ezekiel; Numbers 25:11 (P), 2 Chronicles 12:7; 34:21,25; 36:16; Psalm 59:14; Psalm 79:6; Psalm 88:8; Psalm 89:47; Psalm 106:23; Job 21:20; apparently also Job 19:29; Job 36:18 see Di; often "" אַף Micah 5:14; Deuteronomy 9:19; Deuteronomy 29:22; Isaiah 42:25 (אַמּוֺ as appositive, + עֱזוּז מִלְחָמָה), Isaiah 63:3,6; Daniel 9:16; Psalm 6:2; Psalm 78:38; Psalm 90:7; לְהָשִׁיב בְּחֵמָה אַמּוֺ Psalm 66:15 ("" וְגַעֲרַתוֺ בְּלַהֲבֵיאֵֿשׁ), + Jeremiah 23:19; Jeremiah 30:23 of the whirlwind of ׳י; "" אַף + קֶצֶף גָּדוֺל Deuteronomy 29:27; Jeremiah 21:5; Jeremiah 32:37; "" אַף + תֹּכְחוֺת חֵמָה Ezekiel 5:15, compare תּוֺכְחוֺת חֵמָה alone Ezekiel 25:17; "" חֲרוֺן אַמּוֺ Nahum 1:6; Lamentations 4:11; "" קֶצֶף Isaiah 34:2 (of fury against, על ), Psalm 38:2; "" גְּעָרָה Isaiah 51:20; "" גְּמוּל Isaiah 59:18; "" קִנְאָה Ezekiel 36:6, compare חֵמָה גְדוֺלָה קִנֵּאתִי Zechariah 8:2 ("" קִנְאָה גדולה); דַּם חֵמָה וְקִנְאָה Ezekiel 16:38 (on text see Co); חֲמַת קֶ֑רִי Leviticus 26:28 rage of meeting, i.e. encountering them in rage; כּוֺס חֲמָתוֺ(ת־ִיׅ Isaiah 51:17,22 the cup of his (my) fury; כּוֺס הַיַּיִן הַחֵמָה הַזּאֹת Jeremiah 25:15; בַּעַל חֵמָה a possessor of fury = furious Nahum 1:2 ("" נֹקֵם, אֵל קִנּוֺא). [חֵמָה עַל = rage against one: Isaiah 34:2; 2Chronicles 28:9. — Vbs. used with חֵמָה are: 2. a.: שׁוּב Genesis 27:44, הֵשִׁיב Proverbs 15:1, עָלָה 2 Samuel 11:20, בָּעַר Esther 1:12, שָׁכַךְ Esther 2:1; Esther 7:10; 2. c.: הֵשִׁיב turn away wrath of ׳י Numbers 25:11; Psalm 106:23; Jeremiah 18:20 (but הָשִׁיכ בְּחֵמָה אַמּוֺ Isaiah 66:15 to recompense his anger in fury, give it as requital); ׳י ׳ח is kindled against one יצת ב Niph`al 2 Kings 22:13,17; it burns בָּֽעֲרָה Jeremiah 4:4; Jeremiah 21:12; Jeremiah 44:6; Psalm 89:47; arises עלה2Chronicles 36:16, compare as object of עלה Hiph`il Ezekiel 24:8; is poured out נִתְּכָה בְ2Chronicles 12:7; 34:21,25; Jeremiah 7:20; נִתְּכָה עַל Jeremiah 42:18 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 44:6; נִתְּכָה כָאֵשׁ Nahum 1:6; ׳י pours it out שָׁפַךְ אֶל Psalm 79:6; שָׁפַךְ עַל Isaiah 42:25; Jeremiah 10:25; Ezekiel 7:8; Ezekiel 9:8; Ezekiel 14:19; Ezekiel 16:38 (according to Co's conjecture), Ezekiel 20:8,13,21; Ezekiel 22:22; Ezekiel 30:15; Ezekiel 36:18; שָׁפַךְ כָּאֵשׁ Lamentations 2:4; חֵמָה שְׁפוּכָה Ezekiel 20:33,34; בְ ׳הֵנִיחַ ח bring to rest (i.e. satisfy) one's fury upon Ezekiel 5:13; Ezekiel 16:42; Ezekiel 24:13; ׳כִּלָּה ח Lamentations 4:11; + בְּ Ezekiel 5:13 I have accomplished my fury upon them (in their case), Ezekiel 6:12; Ezekiel 13:15.] יַחְמוּר see below IV. חמר יַחְמַי see below חמה יחף (√ of following; original meaning unknown; Late Hebrew Aramaic יָחֵף adjective as Hebrew; Syriac Aph`el יחם (√ of following; see Biblical Hebrew יָחַם, whence חֵמָה). Topical Lexicon Overviewחֵמָה occurs about 122 times, spanning Torah, Histories, Wisdom, and Prophets. It denotes burning heat expressed as wrath, rage, jealousy, or even snake venom, always conveying an intense, potentially destructive force. The context determines whether the heat belongs to God, people, nations, wine, or serpents. Range of Meaning and Distribution 1. Divine wrath against sin (most common; Genesis through Malachi). The word is concentrated in Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, yet it first appears in Genesis 27:44 (LXX numbering) and last in Zechariah 1:15. Divine Wrath in the Pentateuch • Numbers 25:11–13 records Phinehas turning back the LORD’s חֵמָה: “Phinehas… has turned My wrath away from the Israelites… so that I did not consume them in My zeal.” Here wrath is righteous, covenantal, and appeased through zeal for holiness. Chemah in Israel’s Historical Narrative Repeated cycles in Judges, Kings, and Chronicles show חֵמָה poured out when covenant stipulations are violated. 2 Chronicles 36:16–17 summarizes the Babylonian catastrophe: “But they mocked the messengers of God… until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people and there was no remedy.” Divine wrath is never capricious; it is measured, judicial, and consistent with prior warnings. Psalms and Wisdom Literature David pleads, “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath or discipline me in Your rage” (Psalm 38:1; cf. 6:1). Worship gives vocabulary for lament and hope: “He… restrained His wrath and did not unleash all His fury” (Psalm 78:38). Proverbs 6:34 links חֵמָה with marital jealousy: “For jealousy enrages a husband.” Proverbs 27:4 contrasts emotional intensities: “Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” Wisdom thus recognizes both righteous and unrighteous heat of spirit. Prophetic Emphasis: Judgment and Hope Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve employ חֵמָה to announce looming judgment yet also its eventual cessation. • Isaiah 10:25: “For in a very little while My wrath will be spent.” The prophets also envision nations drinking a cup of wrath (e.g., Isaiah 51:17, 22), an image that reappears in Revelation 14:10. Symbolic and Figurative Uses Venom: “Their wine is the venom of serpents” (Deuteronomy 32:33). The burn of alcoholic excess mirrors moral corruption. Cup: The cup of חֵמָה signifies inescapable judgment (Isaiah 51:17). Storm / Fire: Ezekiel 38:18–19 pictures an eschatological earthquake triggered “in My zeal and fiery wrath.” Intercession and Atonement Priestly and prophetic intercessors stand between God’s wrath and the people: • Moses (Exodus 32:11–14) Ultimately, Romans 3:25 connects Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice to the Old Testament pattern—He absorbs divine חֵמָה on behalf of believers. Ministry and Pastoral Implications 1. Holiness: Persistent sin invites divine discipline (Hebrews 10:26–31 echoes Old Testament warnings). Eschatological Perspective Chemah imagery feeds into New Testament prophecy. Revelation 19:15 speaks of “the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty,” uniting Old and New Testaments in a coherent doctrine of final judgment followed by new creation where wrath is forever satisfied (Revelation 21:4). Representative References Genesis 27:44; Exodus 32:11; Numbers 25:11; Deuteronomy 9:19; 29:23; 32:33; 2 Kings 22:13; 2 Chronicles 36:16; Psalm 6:1; 38:1; 78:38; 90:7; Proverbs 6:34; 27:4; Isaiah 10:25; 13:13; 51:17; Jeremiah 7:20; 42:18; Ezekiel 5:13; 8:18; 22:31; 38:19; Hosea 11:9; Nahum 1:6; Zechariah 1:15. Summary חֵמָה presents God as morally passionate, not indifferent; His burning righteousness judges sin yet is tempered by covenant love, satisfied through atonement, and ultimately vindicated in eschatological justice. Human חֵמָה, in contrast, warns against destructive anger and jealousy, calling believers to self-control and reliance on divine mercy. Forms and Transliterations בְּחֵמָ֔ה בְּחֵמָ֣א בְּחֵמָ֥ה בְּחֵמָֽה׃ בְּחֵמָה֙ בְחֵמָ֔ה בְחֵמָה֮ בַּֽחֲמָתִ֑י בַּחֲמַ֣ת בַּחֲמַ֥ת בַּחֲמַ֨ת בַּחֲמַת־ בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥ בַּחֲמָתִ֑י בַּחֲמָתוֹ֙ בחמא בחמה בחמה׃ בחמת בחמת־ בחמתו בחמתי בחמתך הַחֵמָ֛ה החמה וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ה וְחֵמָ֖ה וְחֵמָ֥ה וְכַחֲמָתִ֑י וַֽחֲמָתִי֙ וַחֲמַ֥ת וַחֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ וַחֲמָת֖וֹ וַחֲמָתִ֖י וַחֲמָתִ֗י וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ וּבְחֵמָ֖ה וּבְחֵמָ֛ה וּבְחֵמָ֥ה וּבְחֵמָה֙ וּבַחֲמָתִ֑י וּבַחֲמָתִ֔י וּבַחֲמָתִ֖י וּבַחֲמָתִי֙ וּבַחֲמָתֽוֹ׃ וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת ובחמה ובחמתו׃ ובחמתי ובחמתך והחמה וחמה וחמת וחמתו וחמתי וחמתך וכחמתי ומחמת חֲ֝מָת֗וֹ חֲ֭מָתָם חֲמַ֖ת חֲמַ֣ת חֲמַ֥ת חֲמַ֨ת חֲמַת־ חֲמָת֑וֹ חֲמָת֔וֹ חֲמָתְךָ֖ חֲמָתְךָ֗ חֲמָתְךָ֨ חֲמָתִ֑י חֲמָתִ֔י חֲמָתִ֖י חֲמָתִ֗י חֲמָתִ֛י חֲמָתִ֣י חֲמָתִ֤י חֲמָתִ֧י חֲמָתִי֙ חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ חֲמָתֶֽךָ׃ חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ חֲמָתוֹ֙ חֵ֝מוֹת חֵ֭מָה חֵמָ֑ה חֵמָ֔ה חֵמָ֖ה חֵמָ֣ה חֵמָ֥ה חֵמָֽה׃ חֵמָה֙ חֵמֹ֣ת חמה חמה׃ חמות חמת חמת־ חמתו חמתו׃ חמתי חמתך חמתך׃ חמתם ba·ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā ba·ḥă·mā·ṯî ba·ḥă·mā·ṯōw ba·ḥă·maṯ ba·ḥă·maṯ- bachamat bachamateCha bachamaTi bachamaTo baḥămaṯ baḥămaṯ- baḥămāṯəḵā baḥămāṯî baḥămāṯōw bə·ḥê·mā bə·ḥê·māh ḇə·ḥê·māh becheMa becheMah bəḥêmā bəḥêmāh ḇəḥêmāh chaMat chamateCha chamaTi chamaTo Chamatom cheMah cheMot ha·ḥê·māh ḥă·mā·ṯām ḥă·mā·ṯe·ḵā ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā ḥă·mā·ṯî ḥă·mā·ṯōw ḥă·maṯ ḥă·maṯ- hacheMah haḥêmāh ḥămaṯ ḥămaṯ- ḥămāṯām ḥămāṯeḵā ḥămāṯəḵā ḥămāṯî ḥămāṯōw ḥê·māh ḥê·mō·wṯ ḥê·mōṯ ḥêmāh ḥêmōṯ ḥêmōwṯ ū·ḇa·ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā ū·ḇa·ḥă·mā·ṯî ū·ḇa·ḥă·mā·ṯōw ū·ḇə·ḥê·māh ū·mê·ḥă·maṯ ūḇaḥămāṯəḵā ūḇaḥămāṯî ūḇaḥămāṯōw ūḇəḥêmāh umechaMat ūmêḥămaṯ uvachamateCha uvachamaTi uvachamaTo uvecheMah vachaMat vachaMatecha vachamaTi vachamaTo vechachamaTi vecheMah veHacheMah wa·ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā wa·ḥă·mā·ṯî wa·ḥă·mā·ṯōw wa·ḥă·maṯ waḥămaṯ waḥămāṯəḵā waḥămāṯî waḥămāṯōw wə·ha·ḥê·māh wə·ḥê·māh wə·ḵa·ḥă·mā·ṯî wəhaḥêmāh wəḥêmāh wəḵaḥămāṯîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 27:44 HEB: אֲשֶׁר־ תָּשׁ֖וּב חֲמַ֥ת אָחִֽיךָ׃ NAS: until your brother's fury subsides, KJV: until thy brother's fury turn away; INT: until subsides fury your brother's Leviticus 26:28 Numbers 25:11 Deuteronomy 9:19 Deuteronomy 29:23 Deuteronomy 29:28 Deuteronomy 32:24 Deuteronomy 32:33 2 Samuel 11:20 2 Kings 5:12 2 Kings 22:13 2 Kings 22:17 2 Chronicles 12:7 2 Chronicles 28:9 2 Chronicles 34:21 2 Chronicles 34:25 2 Chronicles 36:16 Esther 1:12 Esther 2:1 Esther 3:5 Esther 5:9 Esther 7:7 Esther 7:10 Job 6:4 Job 19:29 122 Occurrences |