English · KJV
H2836

חָשַׁק

châshaq /khaw-shak'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root · also interchangeable for חָשַׂךְ
Meaningto cling, i.e. join, (figuratively) to love, delight in; elliptically; to deliver
KJV usagehave a delight, (have a) desire, fillet, long, set (in) love.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of châshaq — 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 châshaq, represented by H2836, is a primitive root meaning to cling, join, love, or delight in. It appears 11 times across 11 unique verses, illustrating a range of meanings from physical attachment to profound emotional and divine love. Its definition includes having a desire, to fillet, to long for, and to set love upon someone.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H2836 expresses both divine affection and human desire. The LORD "set his love" on Israel not because of their greatness but out of His sovereign choice Deuteronomy 7:7. This divine "delight" is also shown towards the fathers of Israel, whom God chose to love Deuteronomy 10:15. On a human level, it describes the longing of Shechem's soul for Dinah Genesis 34:8 and a man's desire for a captive woman Deuteronomy 21:11. The word also has a literal, structural meaning, used to describe how the pillars of the tabernacle court were to be "filleted" with silver, physically joining them together (Exodus 27:17, Exodus 38:28).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meanings of H2836:

  • H2837 chêsheq (desire, pleasure): This noun form is used in conjunction with H2836 to describe all that Solomon "desired" to build in his kingdom 1 Kings 9:19.
  • H2838 châshuq (fillet): This is the noun for the physical objects created through the action of H2836, referring to the silver "fillets" that connected the tabernacle pillars Exodus 38:17.
  • H157 'ahab (to love): This common word for love is used alongside H2836 to emphasize God's relationship with Israel's ancestors, stating He "had a delight" in them "to love" them Deuteronomy 10:15.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2836 is significant, highlighting key aspects of God's character and His relationship with humanity.

  • Sovereign Love: The word is used to show that God's love is elective and not based on the merit of its object. The LORD "set his love" H2836 on Israel specifically because they were the "fewest of all people," not the greatest Deuteronomy 7:7.
  • Love that Delivers: God's love is presented as an active, delivering force. He promises, "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him" Psalms 91:14. Similarly, Hezekiah proclaims that God, in "love" to his soul, delivered him from the pit of corruption Isaiah 38:17.
  • Joining and Attachment: The literal meaning of "to fillet" or "to join" provides a physical picture for the spiritual reality. God's love is a deep attachment that joins Him to His people, providing stability and connection, much like the fillets joined the pillars of the court Exodus 27:17.

Summary

In summary, H2836 châshaq is a rich term that bridges the physical act of joining with the deep emotion of love and desire. It moves from the architectural details of the tabernacle to the profound mystery of God's sovereign love for His people. Through this word, we see that the love of God is not a passive feeling but an active, binding force that chooses, delights in, and delivers its object.

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 across 11 occurrences, inflected in 6 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.

  • חָשַׁק
  • מְחֻשָּׁקִים
  • חִשַּׁק
  • חָשַׁקְתָּ
  • חָשַׁקְתָּ
  • חָשְׁקָה

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.

H2837 חֵשֶׁק from חָשַׁק; delight; desire, pleasure. H2838 חָשֻׁק or חָשׁוּק; past participle of חָשַׁק; attached, i.e. a fence-rail or rod connecting the posts or pillars; fillet. H157 אָהַב or אָהֵב ; a primitive root; to have affection for (sexually or otherwise); (be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.

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 11 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus and Deuteronomy (3 verses each); never once in the other 32.

1
Genesis
3
Exodus
3
Deuteronomy
1
1 Kings
1
2 Chronicles
1
Psalms
1
Isaiah

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.