English · KJV
H2834

חָשַׂף

châsaph /khaw-saf'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto strip off, i.e. generally to make naked (for exertion or in disgrace), to drain away or bail up (a liquid)
KJV usagemake bare, clean, discover, draw out, take, uncover.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of châsaph — 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 châsaph, represented by H2834, is a primitive root meaning to strip off, make naked, or drain away. It appears 11 times across 10 unique verses in the Bible. Its core meaning involves uncovering or baring something, an act which can signify disgrace, exertion, or the simple act of drawing out a liquid.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H2834 carries a dual connotation depending on the context. It often describes an act of judgment or humiliation, as when God threatens to discover Judah's skirts to expose her shame Jeremiah 13:26 or when captive Egyptians are led away with their buttocks uncovered Isaiah 20:4. In a different context, it signifies the preparation for divine action, as when the LORD has made bare his holy arm in the sight of all nations, preparing to bring salvation Isaiah 52:10. The word is also used literally for drawing liquid, such as to take water from a pit Isaiah 30:14 or to draw out from a press Haggai 2:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of uncovering and revealing:

  • H1540 gâlâh: A primitive root meaning to denude or reveal. It is often used in parallel with H2834 to intensify the idea of exposure, as seen in the judgment against Esau, whom God has made bare and uncovered Jeremiah 49:10.
  • H6174 ʻârôwm: This word means nude or naked. It describes the state that results from the action of H2834. In Isaiah 20:4, the captives' buttocks are uncovered H2834, contributing to their naked H6174 and shameful state.
  • H7200 râʼâh: Meaning to see, this word often describes the consequence of something being made bare. After the LORD makes his arm bare H2834, all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God Isaiah 52:10.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2834 is demonstrated in its contrasting applications of judgment and salvation.

  • Divine Judgment: The act of stripping bare is a powerful metaphor for God's judgment. It signifies the removal of all protection, honor, and pretense, leaving sin and shame exposed for all to see. This is evident in the prophecies against Babylon Isaiah 47:2 and Judah Jeremiah 13:26.
  • Divine Action and Power: In a striking reversal, the same word is used to describe God's own preparation for a mighty act of salvation. By making His arm bare Isaiah 52:10, God reveals His power, "rolling up His sleeves" to work on behalf of His people. The prophet Ezekiel's uncovered arm likewise symbolizes readiness to prophesy against Jerusalem Ezekiel 4:7.
  • Revelation of Reality: At its core, the word is about revealing what is hidden. The voice of the LORD discovereth the forests Psalms 29:9, stripping them back. This action, whether in nature or in judgment, shows God's power to expose the true state of things.

Summary

In summary, H2834 is a dynamic word that conveys much more than its simple definition. While it can literally mean to draw out water, its theological significance lies in the powerful imagery of "making bare." Depending on the subject and context, this act can represent the ultimate shame of divine judgment or the glorious prelude to divine salvation, illustrating God's authority to both expose and to save.

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 a verb and a noun across 11 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — 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.

  • חְשֹׂף
  • חָשַׂפְתִּי
  • חָשַׂף
  • יֶּחֱשֹׂף
  • חֶשְׂפִּי
  • חָשֹׂף
  • חֲשׂוּפָה
  • חֲשׂוּפַי

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1540 גָּלָה a primitive root; to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripp H6174 עָרוֹם or עָרֹם; from עָרַם (in its original sense); nude, either partially or totally; naked. H7200 רָאָה a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransit

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

Appears in 10 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (4 verses); never once in the other 33.

1
Psalms
4
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
1
Ezekiel
1
Joel
1
Haggai

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.