a primitive root; to be pungent; i.e. in taste (sour, i.e. literally fermented, or figuratively, harsh), in color (dazzling); cruel (man), dyed, be grieved, leavened.
Transliteration:châmêts
Pronunciation:khaw-mates'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew root H2556 (חָמֵץ, *châmêts*) is a primitive root whose core meaning revolves around the concept of "pungency" or "sharpness." This fundamental idea branches out into a diverse semantic range, manifesting in various contexts:
1. **Taste/Fermentation:** Most prominently, it signifies "to be sour" or "to be leavened/fermented." This is its most frequent and theologically significant application, referring to dough that has risen due to yeast.
2. **Color:** It can describe something "dazzling" or "intensely colored," suggesting a sharp, vibrant hue, as in dyed garments.
3. **Figurative/Character:** Metaphorically, it describes a person or action as "harsh," "cruel," or "oppressive," conveying a sharp, unpleasant disposition.
4. **Emotional State:** It can denote an internal state of being "grieved," "embittered," or "vexed," implying a sharp, painful internal sensation.
Across these applications, the underlying thread is an impactful, sometimes transformative, quality that is sharp, intense, or penetrating, whether physically, ethically, or emotionally.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The occurrences of H2556 in the Hebrew Bible reveal its multifaceted meaning, with a strong emphasis on its association with leaven.
1. **Leaven (Fermented Bread):** This is the predominant usage, particularly in the context of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
* In [[Exodus 12:15]], [[Exodus 12:19]], [[Exodus 13:3]], and [[Exodus 13:7]], the term châmêts (often translated as "leavened bread" or "leaven") is strictly forbidden during the seven days of Passover. This prohibition underscores a divine command for purity and a complete break from the old, corrupting influences, symbolizing the hasty departure from Egypt where there was no time for bread to rise.
* [[Leviticus 2:11]] explicitly prohibits châmêts from being offered in any grain offering made by fire to the Lord, reinforcing the idea that God demands purity and uncorrupted offerings. Leaven, by its nature of swelling and fermenting, came to symbolize corruption, pride, or sin.
* [[Deuteronomy 16:3]] refers to châmêts as the "bread of affliction," contrasting it with the unleavened bread (matzah) of hasty departure, though here it refers to the state of leavened bread rather than a prohibition.
2. **Cruel/Unjust (Figurative Character):**
* In [[Psalm 71:4]], the psalmist prays to be delivered from the hand of the "wicked and cruel man" (מֵאִישׁ חָמֵץ וְעַוְלָה). Here, châmêts describes a character that is harsh, oppressive, or unjust, reflecting the "pungent" or "sharp" nature in a negative ethical sense.
3. **Grieved/Embittered (Emotional State):**
* [[Psalm 73:21]] uses châmêts to describe an internal emotional state: "When my heart was grieved" (כִּי־יִתְחַמֵּץ לְבָבִי). This conveys a sharp, painful, or embittered feeling, where the heart is "soured" by distress or doubt.
4. **Dyed (Color):**
* [[Isaiah 63:1]] describes the Lord's garments as "dyed" (חָמֻץ בְּגָדִים) after His vengeance. This usage likely refers to the intense, sharp color imparted by a dye, or perhaps the process of being thoroughly permeated, connecting to the root's sense of intense penetration or transformation.
### Related Words & Concepts
Understanding H2556 is enhanced by examining its relationship with other key biblical terms and concepts:
* **`{{H4682}}` (מַצָּה, *matzah*):** Unleavened bread. This is the direct antithesis and theological counterpart to H2556 in the context of Passover. The call to eat matzah explicitly highlights the prohibition of châmêts, emphasizing purity, haste, and remembrance of divine deliverance.
* **`{{H7603}}` (שְׂאֹר, *se'or*):** Leaven, the actual fermenting agent. While H2556 describes the state of being leavened or the process, se'or refers to the substance itself, often a piece of old dough used to start a new batch. The prohibition often includes both châmêts and se'or (e.g., [[Exodus 12:15]]).
* **Purity and Holiness:** The consistent prohibition of châmêts in offerings and during sacred feasts underscores the divine demand for ritual and moral purity in the presence of God. Leaven, with its capacity to spread and corrupt, becomes a potent symbol of sin or impurity.
* **Sin and Corruption:** In a broader theological sense, the "leaven" concept, though more explicitly developed in the New Testament (e.g., `{{G2219}}` *zyme* in [[1 Corinthians 5:6-8]] referring to malice and evil), draws its symbolic weight from the Old Testament understanding of châmêts as something that corrupts and expands.
* **Justice and Righteousness:** The use of châmêts to describe a "cruel" or "unjust" person aligns with the broader biblical emphasis on ethical conduct and the Lord's abhorrence of oppression.
* **Bitterness and Grief:** The emotional connotation of châmêts in [[Psalm 73:21]] connects to the human experience of suffering and the internal struggles of faith, where bitterness can "sour" the heart.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of H2556 is profound, primarily rooted in its association with leaven and its prohibition in sacred contexts.
1. **Symbol of Purity and Separation:** The most prominent theological import of châmêts lies in its exclusion from Passover and most grain offerings. This act symbolizes God's demand for absolute purity and a complete separation from anything that corrupts or defiles. For Israel, removing châmêts was a tangible act of obedience, a physical cleansing that mirrored a spiritual commitment to holiness. It represented a clean break from the old life of slavery and sin in Egypt.
2. **Remembrance of Redemption:** The absence of châmêts during Passover recalls the haste of Israel's exodus from Egypt; there was no time for their dough to rise ([[Exodus 12:34]]). Thus, châmêts serves as a negative reminder of God's swift and decisive act of redemption, emphasizing the urgency and completeness of their deliverance.
3. **Holiness in Worship:** The prohibition of châmêts in offerings (e.g., grain offerings in [[Leviticus 2:11]]) signifies that only what is pure and uncorrupted is acceptable in the worship of a holy God. Leaven, with its fermenting and "swelling" nature, could be seen as representing pride, corruption, or impurity, which are antithetical to genuine worship.
4. **Ethical and Spiritual Purity:** Beyond ritual purity, the semantic range of châmêts extends to ethical and spiritual purity. The "cruel man" (`{{H2556}}` in [[Psalm 71:4]]) embodies a character that is morally "sour" or corrupt. Similarly, a "grieved" or "embittered" heart (`{{H2556}}` in [[Psalm 73:21]]) represents an internal state that is spiritually compromised. These usages broaden the theological scope of châmêts from mere ritual impurity to a holistic understanding of corruption, whether in action or inner disposition.
5. **Anticipation of New Testament Themes:** While an Old Testament word, the symbolic weight of châmêts as representing corruption, sin, and pride is powerfully echoed and developed in the New Testament, particularly by Paul, who uses the metaphor of "leaven" to describe the pervasive nature of sin and the need for spiritual cleansing in the believer's life ([[1 Corinthians 5:6-8]]). Christ, as the "unleavened bread," fulfills the purity symbolized by the absence of châmêts.
### Summary
The Hebrew word H2556 (חָמֵץ, *châmêts*) is a rich and multi-faceted primitive root whose core meaning is "to be pungent" or "sharp." This fundamental concept extends to various applications: physically "sour" or "leavened," visually "dazzling" or "intensely colored," ethically "harsh" or "cruel," and emotionally "grieved" or "embittered."
Its most significant biblical usage is in the context of leaven, specifically its strict prohibition during the Passover and in most grain offerings. This prohibition carries profound theological weight, symbolizing purity, a complete break from sin and corruption, and a tangible remembrance of God's swift act of redemption from Egypt. The absence of châmêts underscores the divine demand for holiness in both ritual practice and daily living. Furthermore, its application to a "cruel man" or a "grieved heart" expands its theological significance to encompass ethical and emotional states of impurity or bitterness. Thus, châmêts serves as a powerful linguistic and theological marker in the biblical narrative, illuminating God's call to a life of unblemished purity and devotion.
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