Lexical Summary chapher: To be ashamed, disgraced, confounded Original Word: חָפְר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be ashamed, be confounded, come be put to shame, bring reproach A primitive root (perhaps rath. The same as chaphar through the idea of detection): to blush; figuratively, to be ashamed, disappointed; causatively, to shame, reproach -- be ashamed, be confounded, be brought to confusion (unto shame), come (be put to) shame, bring reproach. see HEBREW chaphar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be abashed or ashamed NASB Translation abashed (1), ashamed (1), confounded (1), disgraced (1), disgraceful (1), embarrassed (2), humiliated (6), shamed (1), shamefully (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. [חָפֵר] verb be abashed, ashamed (ᵑ7 חֲפַר Proverbs 13:5, מַחְמְּרָנָא one causing shame Proverbs 19:26; Syriac  , especially Aph`el be ashamed, put to shame; Arabic  be bashful,  shy, bashful; Ethiopic  be ashamed, blush) — Qal Perfect3feminine singular חָֽפְרָה Jeremiah 50:12; וְחָֽפְרָה consecutive Isaiah 24:23; וְחָפֵ֑רָה Jeremiah 15:9; חָֽפְרוּ Psalm 71:24; וְחָֽפְרוּ consecutive Micah 3:7; Imperfect יַחְמְּרוּ Psalm 35:4 4t.; יֶחְמָּ֑רוּ Psalm 34:6; וַיֶּחְמָּ֑רוּ Job 6:20; תַּחְמְּרוּ Isaiah 1:29; — be abashed, ashamed, said of face Psalm 34:6 (avoided by looking to ׳י); elsewhere always "" בּוֺשׁ, of enemies of righteousness Psalm 71:24; Psalm 35:4; Psalm 35:26; Psalm 40:15 = Psalm 70:3; Psalm 83:18; of idolaters Isaiah 1:29; diviners Micah 3:7; of distressed Jerusalem Jeremiah 15:9; so of Babylon Jeremiah 50:12; of moon Isaiah 24:33; be put to shame (disappointment), of caravans looking for water Job 6:20. Hiph`il Perfect הֶחְמִּיר Isaiah 33:9; Imperfect יַחְמִּיר Proverbs 13:5; תַּחְמִּ֫ירִי Isaiah 54:4; Participle מַחְמִּיר Proverbs 19:26; — display shame, figurative of Lebanon Isaiah 33:9 ("" קָמַ֑ל 'dried up' Che); of Israel Isaiah 54:4 ("" בּוֺשׁ Qal); of an unfilial son, cause shame Proverbs 19:26 ("" מֵבִישׁ); compare Proverbs 13:5 of wicked ("" יבאישׁ: see באשׁ Hiph`il above). Topical Lexicon חָפְר (Strong’s 2659)Conceptual Range and Theological Nuance The verb paints a vivid picture of acute embarrassment, public disgrace, or inward humiliation. It often appears in poetic parallelism with ideas such as “confounded,” “abased,” or “put to shame,” underscoring a dramatic reversal: the trust-worthy are vindicated while the wicked, idolatrous, or hostile are exposed and silenced. Distribution in Canonical Literature • Wisdom Literature: Job 6:20; Psalm 34:5; Psalm 35:4, 26; Psalm 40:14; Psalm 70:2; Psalm 71:24; Psalm 83:17; Proverbs 13:5; Proverbs 19:26 The concentration in Psalms shows the vocabulary of worship embracing both lament and confidence, while the prophets employ the term to announce covenant judgment and eschatological hope. Honor and Shame in Covenant Relationship In Israel’s honor-shame context, communal identity hinged on loyalty to the LORD. “Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces shall never be ashamed” (Psalm 34:5). Here חָפְר is negated for the faithful; they will never experience the stigma of divine abandonment. Conversely, idolatry guarantees disgrace: “You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you delighted” (Isaiah 1:29). Covenant blessings and curses turn on whether Yahweh or false gods receive allegiance. Vindication and Divine Warfare Several occurrences frame חָפְר as divine retaliation against aggressors. “May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded” (Psalm 70:2). In these imprecatory prayers the psalmists petition God to reverse power dynamics so that enemies, not the righteous, bear disgrace. Isaiah 24:23 expands the motif to the cosmic level: once proud celestial and earthly rulers are shamed when “the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed” before the enthroned LORD. Creation Groaning and Environmental Imagery Isaiah 33:9 extends the term beyond human actors: “Lebanon is ashamed and decays; Sharon is like a desert.” The land’s personification highlights how moral rebellion disrupts the created order. When the covenant is violated, even fertile regions are portrayed as blushing in humiliation. Promise of Restoration Isaiah 54:4 places חָפְר in a promise of comfort to Zion: “Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame… you will forget the shame of your youth.” Post-exilic audiences hear that historic reproach will be erased by renewed marital covenant love, prefiguring ultimate redemption in Christ, who “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2). Eschatological Certainty Micah 3:7 forecasts that corrupt prophets “shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.” Final judgment will strip pretenders of their influence, leaving them publicly embarrassed. Jeremiah similarly forecasts national disgrace for Judah (Jeremiah 15:9) and Babylon (Jeremiah 50:12), underscoring God’s impartial justice. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Assurance for Believers: Preaching can underscore that those who fix their eyes on the LORD will never suffer ultimate disgrace (Psalm 34:5), a truth fulfilled in the gospel. Related Themes and Doctrinal Correlations • Shame versus Glory (Genesis 3; Romans 5) In all its occurrences חָפְר dramatizes the moral order upheld by God: those who trust Him are kept from disgrace, while pride, violence, and idolatry inevitably lead to exposure and humiliation. Forms and Transliterations הֶחְפִּ֥יר החפיר וְֽיַחְפְּר֥וּ וְחָֽפְרָה֙ וְחָֽפְרוּ֙ וְחָפֵ֑רָה וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ וְיַחְפְּרוּ֮ וְיַחְפִּֽיר׃ וְתַ֨חְפְּר֔וּ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃ וּמַחְפִּֽיר׃ וחפרה וחפרו ויחפיר׃ ויחפרו ויחפרו׃ ומחפיר׃ ותחפרו חָ֝פְר֗וּ חָפְרָ֖ה חפרה חפרו יֶחְפָּֽרוּ׃ יחפרו׃ תַחְפִּ֑ירִי תחפירי chafeRah chafeRu ḥā·p̄ə·rāh ḥā·p̄ə·rū ḥāp̄ərāh ḥāp̄ərū hechPir heḥ·pîr heḥpîr tachPiri ṯaḥ·pî·rî ṯaḥpîrî ū·maḥ·pîr umachPir ūmaḥpîr vaiyechParu vechafeRah vechafeRu veTachpeRu veyachpeRu veyachPir way·yeḥ·pā·rū wayyeḥpārū wə·ḥā·p̄ê·rāh wə·ḥā·p̄ə·rāh wə·ḥā·p̄ə·rū wə·ṯaḥ·pə·rū wə·yaḥ·pə·rū wə·yaḥ·pîr wəḥāp̄êrāh wəḥāp̄ərāh wəḥāp̄ərū wəṯaḥpərū wəyaḥpərū wəyaḥpîr yechParu yeḥ·pā·rū yeḥpārūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 6:20 HEB: בָּ֥אוּ עָ֝דֶ֗יהָ וַיֶּחְפָּֽרוּ׃ NAS: They came there and were confounded. KJV: they came thither, and were ashamed. INT: came there and were confounded Psalm 34:5 Psalm 35:4 Psalm 35:26 Psalm 40:14 Psalm 70:2 Psalm 71:24 Psalm 83:17 Proverbs 13:5 Proverbs 19:26 Isaiah 1:29 Isaiah 24:23 Isaiah 33:9 Isaiah 54:4 Jeremiah 15:9 Jeremiah 50:12 Micah 3:7 17 Occurrences |
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