Original Word: חֶתֶף
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chetheph
Pronunciation: KHEH-tef
Phonetic Spelling: (kheh'-thef)
KJV: prey
NASB: robber
Word Origin: [from H2862 (חָתַף - snatch away)]

1. (properly) rapine
2. (figuratively) robbery

prey

From chathaph; properly, rapine; figuratively, robbery -- prey.

see HEBREW chathaph

Word Origin
from chathaph
Definition
prey
NASB Translation
robber (1).

חֶ֫תֶף noun [masculine] prey — only תֶּאֱרֹב ׳אַףחִֿיא כְּחֶ Proverbs 23:28 she also lieth in wait as for prey (said of strange woman).

Overview

Used once in the Old Testament, חֶתֶף portrays a figure who secures gain by stealth or violent snatching. In Proverbs 23:28 the term is applied to the seductive adulteress whose predatory tactics mirror those of a highway robber.

Biblical Usage

Proverbs 23:28: “She lies in wait like a bandit and multiplies the faithless among men.” (Berean Standard Bible)

Here חֶתֶף is set in parallel with vivid pictures of danger—a “deep pit” and a “narrow well” (Proverbs 23:27). The robber image intensifies Solomon’s warning: illicit sexuality robs a person of integrity, peace, and ultimately life itself (Proverbs 5:5; Proverbs 7:22–23).

Wisdom Literature Context

1. Contrast with Lady Wisdom. Proverbs frequently personifies both wisdom and folly as women (Proverbs 8; Proverbs 9). Lady Wisdom offers life; the adulteress, labeled with חֶתֶף, offers only loss.
2. Emphasis on vigilance. Proverbs 1:11 cautions against companions who “lie in wait for blood.” The same root idea appears in חֶתֶף, urging the reader to perceive moral danger early.

Historical and Cultural Background

Travel in the ancient Near East was perilous; roadside ambush by bandits was common (Judges 9:25; 2 Corinthians 11:26). Solomon borrows this familiar threat to make his moral point unmistakable. The sexual predator, though operating in homes and marketplaces rather than rocky passes, is no less treacherous.

Theological Significance

1. Violation of Covenant. Adultery breaches the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14) and erodes covenant fidelity that models God’s steadfast love (Hosea 2:19–20).
2. Sin as Theft. Like the robber who snatches property, sexual immorality steals what belongs to another—spousal trust, personal purity, and societal stability (Malachi 2:14–16).
3. Spiritual Warfare. The imagery anticipates New Testament teaching that Satan comes “to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). Human sin echoes the enemy’s predatory nature.

Ministry and Pastoral Application

• Warn against gradual drift. The adulteress “multiplies the faithless”; one lapse often breeds further compromise (Proverbs 6:27).
• Encourage accountability. Just as travelers grouped together for safety from bandits, believers thrive in fellowship that exposes hidden snares (Hebrews 3:13).
• Offer grace and restoration. While חֶתֶף highlights danger, Scripture also proclaims forgiveness for those who repent (1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13).

Related Biblical Motifs

Robbery imagery: Jeremiah 7:11; Luke 10:30.

Sexual sin as deadly ambush: Proverbs 7:26–27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–6.

Snatching versus rescuing: Jude 23 urges believers to “save others, snatching them out of the fire,” reversing חֶתֶף’s destructive action with redemptive zeal.

Summary

חֶתֶף crystallizes the predatory nature of sin, reminding readers that moral compromise is never harmless; it steals, enslaves, and multiplies ruin. Embracing Christ, the ultimate Deliverer from every thief, remains the surest safeguard for heart, home, and community.

כְּחֶ֣תֶף כחתף kə·ḥe·ṯep̄ keChetef kəḥeṯep̄Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts