Original Word: חָח
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chach
Pronunciation: khakh
Phonetic Spelling: (khawkh)
Definition: Palate, roof of the mouth, taste
Meaning: a ring for, the nose

bracelet, chain, hook

Once (Ezek. 29:4) chachiy {khakh-ee'}; from the same as chowach; a ring for the nose (or lips) -- bracelet, chain, hook.

see HEBREW chowach

Word Origin
from the same as choach
Definition
hook, ring, fetter
NASB Translation
brooches (1), hook (2), hooks (4).

חַח noun masculine hook, ring, fetter; — חַח absolute Exodus 35:22; suffix חַחִי Isaiah 37:29; 2 Kings 19:28; plural חַחִים Ezekiel 19:4 2t. + Ezekiel 29:4 Qr (Kt erroneous חחיים, see below); —

1 hook, ring, in nose of captive וְשַׂמְתִּי חַחִי בְּאַמֶּ֑ךָ Isaiah 37:29 = 2 Kings 19:28 (compare בַּחֹחִים2Chronicles 33:11, see חוֺחַ above); so of princes of Judah, under figure of young lions Ezekiel 19:4,9 (in Ezekiel 19:9 transp:, so that בחחים following הביא as Ezekiel 19:4; so Co); in jaws of crocodile (metaphor of Pharaoh), with נתן Ezekiel 29:4, compare Ezekiel 38:4 (but ᵐ5 omits and sense opposes, compare Co and — dubious — Da).

2 hook, ring as ornament, perhaps nose-ring (others brooch, see VB), Exodus 35:22 (P; "" נֶזֶם, טַבַּעַת, כּוּמָז).

חוט (of following; Arabic , Aramaic , חַיֵּט sew).

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to pierce.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G44 (ἄγκιστρον, ankistron): This Greek term refers to a hook, which can be related to the concept of control or capture, similar to the metaphorical use of חָח in the Hebrew Bible.

• G4973 (σφραγίς, sphragis): While primarily meaning a seal or signet, this term can relate to the idea of marking or identifying, akin to how a nose ring might signify ownership or status.

These entries highlight the cultural and symbolic significance of the nose ring in biblical times, serving both as an ornament and a metaphor for control and subjugation.

Usage: The term חָח is used in the Hebrew Bible to refer to a ring, often a nose ring, which was a common ornament in ancient Near Eastern cultures. It is used both literally and metaphorically in the scriptures.

Context: The Hebrew word חָח (Chach) appears in the context of adornment and control. In ancient times, nose rings were not only decorative but also served as symbols of status and wealth. The word is used in the Bible to describe a literal nose ring, as seen in passages like Ezekiel 16:12, where it is part of the adornment given to Jerusalem, symbolizing beauty and favor: "And I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head" (BSB).

Additionally, חָח is used metaphorically to describe control or subjugation. In 2 Kings 19:28 and its parallel passage Isaiah 37:29, God speaks of putting a hook in the nose of the Assyrian king, symbolizing His power to lead and control him: "Because your rage against Me and your arrogance have reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth, and I will send you back the way you came" (BSB). This imagery reflects the practice of leading captured animals or prisoners with a ring or hook through the nose, emphasizing dominance and control.

בַּֽחַחִ֔ים בַֽחַחִ֖ים בחחים חַחִ֖ים חַחִ֜י חַחִים֙ חָ֣ח חח חחי חחים ba·ḥa·ḥîm ḇa·ḥa·ḥîm bachaChim baḥaḥîm ḇaḥaḥîm chach chaChi chaChim ḥa·ḥî ḥa·ḥîm ḥāḥ ḥaḥî ḥaḥîm vachaChimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts