Word Study for H2853 (חָתַל) | Strong's Concordance

Roota primitive root

Meaningto swathe

KJV usageswaddle.

In idiomsat all

In depth

Word Study

A plain-language study of châthal — 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 châthal, represented by H2853, is a primitive root meaning to swathe or swaddle. Though it appears only 2 times in 1 unique verse, its use in scripture is part of a powerful and vivid metaphor for care and neglect. It specifically refers to the practice of wrapping a newborn infant in cloths.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single context for châthal is in Ezekiel's prophecy regarding Jerusalem Ezekiel 16:4. In this passage, God describes the city's origins using the metaphor of an abandoned newborn. To illustrate its state of utter neglect at its "birth," the text lists several basic acts of care that were not performed. The infant Jerusalem was not washed, its navel was not cut, and it was not swaddled at all. The repetition of "at all" emphasizes the totality of the abandonment.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words from its context in Ezekiel 16:4 illuminate the scene of neglect:

H3205 yâlad (to bear young): This word establishes the context of birth. The verse describes the day Jerusalem was born, setting the stage for the expected, but absent, acts of newborn care.
H3772 kârath (to cut): In this passage, it refers to the failure to cut the navel cord, a critical first step of care. This same word is also used to make a covenant, often by the cutting of flesh, creating a powerful contrast between neglect and divine relationship.
H7364 râchats (to lave; bathe): The infant was not washed, another essential act of care. This word is used elsewhere to describe both physical bathing and spiritual cleansing from sin and filth Isaiah 1:16.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of châthal is derived entirely from its metaphorical use in this single passage.

Symbol of Foundational Care: Swaddling represents the most basic, tender care given to a vulnerable newborn. Its absence in Ezekiel 16:4 symbolizes a complete lack of love, value, and protection from the moment of existence.
Metaphor for Divine Grace: By detailing the lack of human care—no washing, no cutting, and no swaddling—the passage powerfully highlights Jerusalem's helpless and wretched state before God's intervention.
Highlighting Covenant Rescue: The failure to be swaddled signifies exposure and vulnerability. This imagery underscores Israel's condition before God found it, took pity on it, and established His covenant, providing the protection and care it never received at its origin.

Summary

In summary, châthal is a specific term for swaddling that carries immense metaphorical significance. Its use in Ezekiel 16:4 transforms a simple act of newborn care into a profound symbol. It represents the utter rejection and vulnerability of Jerusalem at its "birth" and, by its absence, serves to magnify the incredible grace of God, who chose to rescue, protect, and cherish the one who had been abandoned.

Translation

How the KJV Renders It

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.

Morphology

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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. These are this word’s own inflections, not words built from it — for those, see Related Words.

הָחְתֵּל
חֻתָּלְתְּ

Related Words

3 entries in Strong’s name this word as their origin. These are its derivatives — a different relationship from the inflected forms above, which are this same word bent by grammar.

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.

Context

Theographic 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.

Distribution

Biblical Distribution

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

Concordance

Every Occurrence

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.