Word Study for H2643 (חַף) | Strong's Concordance

chaph /khaf/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom חׇפַף (in the moral sense of covered from soil)

Meaningpure

KJV usageinnocent.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chaph — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word chaph, represented by H2643, is a term for innocent or pure. Derived from a root meaning 'covered from soil' in a moral sense, it has a very specific usage. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse, highlighting its rarity in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H2643 is in the book of Job, where Elihu quotes Job's presumed self-defense. The word is used to make an emphatic claim of blamelessness: "I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me" Job 33:9. In this context, it contributes to a declaration of absolute moral spotlessness, a key theme in the debate surrounding Job's suffering.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words from its only context in scripture help to define its meaning by contrast:

H2134 zak (clean, pure): This word is used in parallel with H2643 to reinforce the idea of purity. It appears in the same declaration in Job, "I am clean... without transgression" Job 33:9.
H6588 peshaʻ (transgression): This term describes a revolt or rebellion, and its absence is a key part of the claim to innocence. It is used in direct opposition to purity: "I am clean without transgression" Job 33:9.
H5771 ʻâvôn (iniquity): Representing moral evil or fault, this word is the final element denied in the assertion of innocence in Job, "...neither is there iniquity in me" Job 33:9.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2643 is derived from its unique and specific context.

Claim of Righteousness: The use of H2643 is part of a human's declaration of being completely without fault, a state of perfect innocence before God Job 33:9.
Contrast with Sin: This claim of being innocent stands in stark contrast to the broader scriptural context of related terms like transgression H6588 and iniquity H5771, which are acknowledged as realities for humanity for which God provides pardon and forgiveness (Micah 7:18, Isaiah 53:5).
Moral Purity: The word itself points to an ideal state of moral spotlessness. Its sole biblical use is found within a defense against accusations of wrongdoing, linking innocence to the absence of both transgression and iniquity.

Summary

In summary, H2643 is a highly specific term for innocent. Its single appearance in scripture is powerful, used within a declaration of absolute freedom from sin, transgression, and iniquity. While rare, it provides a crucial term in the dialogue about human righteousness and moral purity found in the book of Job.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

חַף

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Job — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.