Lexical Summary chasak: To withhold, refrain, spare, keep back Original Word: חָשַׂךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance assuage, darken, forbear, hinder, hold back, keep back, punish, refrain, A primitive root; to restrain or (reflex.) Refrain; by implication, to refuse, spare, preserve; also (by interch. With chashak) to observe -- assuage, X darken, forbear, hinder, hold back, keep (back), punish, refrain, reserve, spare, withhold. see HEBREW chashak NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to withhold, refrain NASB Translation hold them back (1), hold back (2), keep back (1), keeps back (1), kept (1), kept their in check (1), kept back (1), lessen (1), lessened (1), refrain (1), requited (1), reserved (2), restrain (1), restrained (1), restrains (2), spare (2), spared (1), unrestrained* (1), withheld (3), withholds (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs חָשַׂךְ verb withhold, refrain (Late Hebrew חָסַךְ, Aramaic חֲסַךְ,  ; Palmyrene חסך remit, spare, VogNos. 6, 15; Sabean משחכן weaned (child) DHMZMG 1875, 608) — Qal Perfect חָשַׂךְ Genesis 39:9 4t. (+ Ezekiel 30:18 Ba; see חשׁך; Isaiah 38:17 see below), חָשָׂ֑ךְ Isaiah 14:6, חָֽשְׂכוּ Job 30:10, חָשָׂ֑כוּ Jeremiah 14:10, etc.; Imperfect יַחְשׂךְ Job 16:5 2t.; 2 masculine singular תַּחְשׂךְ Isaiah 58:1, תַּחְשׂוֺךְ Proverbs 24:11; 2feminine singular תַּחְשׂ֑כִי Isaiah 54:2, etc.; Imperative חֲשׂךְ Psalm 19:14; Participle חֹשֵׂךְ Proverbs 10:19; Proverbs 11:24; חוֺשֵׂךְ Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 17:27; followed by — 1. a. withhold, keep back, keep for oneself, accusative, Genesis 22:12 (E), Genesis 22:16; Genesis 39:9 (followed by מִמֶּגִּי; both J); absolute Proverbs 21:26 (opposed to נָתַן); withhold the rod (שׁבט) in discipline, Proverbs 13:24; no object expressed Proverbs 11:24; Proverbs 24:11. b. keep one from evil, calamity, She'ôl, etc., with accusative and מִן Genesis 20:6 (E), 1 Samuel 25:39; Psalm 19:14; מִמָּוֶת נַפְשָׁם ׳ח Psalm 78:50 compare Job 33:18; Isaiah 38:7 (read חָשַׂכְתָּ or חֲשׂךְ for ᵑ0 חָשַׁקְתָּ, see חשׁק); absolute hinder (i.e. calamities from coming) Isaiah 14:6; לְמַטָח מֵעֲוֺנֵנוּ ׳ח Ezra 9:13 thou hast kept back, downward (= and kept down), part of our iniquity, i.e. hast not punished us according to our full desert. c. hold in check with accusative 2 Samuel 18:16 (or spare see below); object רַגְלֵיהֶם Jeremiah 14:10; especially of keeping silence, object מִּי Job 7:11 restrain my mouth, שׂפתים Proverbs 10:19, אמרים Proverbs 17:27; רֹק ׳מִמָּנַי לֹא ח Job 30:10 from my face they have not withheld spittle (= they have spit in my face). d. refrain (from doing what is mentioned in the context), absolute Isaiah 54:2; Isaiah 58:1. e. spare, with accusative of person 2 Kings 5:20 he hath spared Naaman מִקַּחַת so as not to take (= and hath not taken anything) out of his hand; perhaps also 2 Samuel 18:16 Joab spared the people (see above). f. reserve for, with accusative + לְ Job 38:23. 2 (absolute) restrain, check (pain) i.e. assuage, so apparently ᵑ0 Job 16:5 (see Di Kau; I would not restrain condolence of my lips, ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Me, reading לא אחשׂך for יחשׂך). — Ezekiel 30:18 see חשׁך. Niph`al Imperfect לְיוֺם אֵיד יֵחָשֶׂךְרָֿע Job 21:30 at the day of calamity the wicked is spared (passive of Qal 1 e); יֵחָשֵׂךְ Job 16:6 be assuaged, of pain (pass of Qal 2). Topical Lexicon Overview חָשַׂךְ (chasak) depicts conscious restraint—holding back, sparing, or keeping something or someone from action or release. It occurs about twenty-seven times across the Hebrew canon, portraying both divine and human withholding. The motif touches covenant obedience, providence, ethical self-control, and mercy. Semantic Range and Theological Nuances 1. Divine restraint: The Lord may withhold judgment, provision, or compassion according to His righteous purposes. Distribution Across the Canon • Torah: Genesis 22:12,16; Numbers 24:11. Representative Texts and Contextual Insights Genesis 22:12 – “Do not lay a hand on the boy… for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” The root frames covenant devotion; Abraham’s refusal to restrain devotion prefigures the Father’s later offering of His own Son. Numbers 24:11 – Balak laments, “Now the LORD has kept you back from honor.” Here divine restraint frustrates pagan ambition, underscoring sovereignty over political reward. 1 Samuel 25:26 – Abigail praises God who “has withheld you from bloodshed.” Restraint averts personal vengeance, protecting the anointed line and modeling righteous anger under control. Psalm 84:11 – “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Covenant blessing flows freely to obedient pilgrims; apparent lack must therefore serve a larger good. Proverbs 11:26 – “People will curse the one who withholds grain, but blessing will come to him who sells it.” The text condemns profiteering that suppresses life-sustaining resources. Isaiah 63:15 – The prophet pleads, “Where are Your zeal and Your might? The stirrings of Your heart and compassion are withheld from me.” In exile, Israel perceives divine restraint as distance, yet the following verses assure ultimate redemption. Key Themes 1. Sacrificial Faithfulness 2. Divine Mercy and Judgment 3. Ethical Generosity 4. Self-Control 5. Prophetic Longing Christological and Redemptive Threads Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac anticipates the Father who “did not spare His own Son” (Romans 8:32). Chasak thus foreshadows the gospel: God withholds nothing necessary for redemption while graciously restraining wrath for those in Christ. Application for Ministry and Discipleship • Worship: Encourage complete surrender; no cherished “Isaac” may be withheld. Summary חָשַׂךְ portrays the tension between giving and withholding, action and restraint. Scripture reveals a God who wisely withholds for redemptive ends and a people called to align with His generous, self-controlled character. In every occurrence the root presses the covenant community toward wholehearted trust, moral integrity, and active mercy. Forms and Transliterations אֶחֱשָׂ֫ךְ אחשך וְחֹשֵׂ֖ךְ וְחוֹשֵׂ֥ךְ וָאֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְ ואחשך וחושך וחשך חֲשֹׂ֬ךְ חָ֥שְׂכוּ חָשַׂ֖כְתָּ חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ חָשַׂ֣ךְ חָשַׂ֤ךְ חָשַׂ֤כְתָּֽ חָשַׂ֥ךְ חָשַׂ֥כְתִּי חָשָֽׂךְ׃ חָשָׂ֑כוּ חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ חושך חשך חשך׃ חשכו חשכת חשכתי יֵחָ֣שֶׂךְ יֵחָשֵׂ֣ךְ יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃ יַחְשֹׂ֣ךְ יחשך יחשך׃ תַּחְשֹׂ֑כִי תַּחְשֹׂ֔ךְ תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ׃ תחשוך׃ תחשך תחשכי ’e·ḥĕ·śāḵ ’eḥĕśāḵ chaSach chaSachta chaSachti chaSachu Chasechu chaSoch choSech echeSach ḥā·śā·ḵū ḥā·śaḵ ḥā·śāḵ ḥā·śaḵ·tā ḥā·śaḵ·tî ḥā·śə·ḵū ḥă·śōḵ ḥāśaḵ ḥāśāḵ ḥāśaḵtā ḥāśaḵtî ḥāśāḵū ḥāśəḵū ḥăśōḵ ḥō·w·śêḵ ḥōwśêḵ tachSoch tachSochi taḥ·śō·ḵî taḥ·śō·wḵ taḥ·śōḵ taḥśōḵ taḥśōḵî taḥśōwḵ vaechSoch vechoSech wā’eḥśōḵ wā·’eḥ·śōḵ wə·ḥō·śêḵ wə·ḥō·w·śêḵ wəḥōśêḵ wəḥōwśêḵ yachSoch yaḥ·śōḵ yaḥśōḵ yê·ḥā·śeḵ yê·ḥā·śêḵ yechaSech yêḥāśeḵ yêḥāśêḵLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 20:6 HEB: עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּ֔את וָאֶחְשֹׂ֧ךְ גַּם־ אָנֹכִ֛י NAS: and I also kept you from sinning KJV: of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning INT: have done likewise kept also I Genesis 22:12 Genesis 22:16 Genesis 39:9 1 Samuel 25:39 2 Samuel 18:16 2 Kings 5:20 Ezra 9:13 Job 7:11 Job 16:5 Job 16:6 Job 21:30 Job 30:10 Job 33:18 Job 38:23 Psalm 19:13 Psalm 78:50 Proverbs 10:19 Proverbs 11:24 Proverbs 13:24 Proverbs 17:27 Proverbs 21:26 Proverbs 24:11 Isaiah 14:6 Isaiah 54:2 27 Occurrences |
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