English · KJV
H2856

חָתַם

châtham /khaw-tham'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto close up; especially to seal
KJV usagemake an end, mark, seal (up), stop.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of châtham — 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 châtham, represented by H2856, is a primitive root meaning to close up, seal, make an end, mark, or stop. It appears 27 times across 24 unique verses in the Bible. Its usage conveys concepts of authentication, security, finality, and concealment, applying to everything from legal documents to divine mysteries.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H2856 is frequently used in official and legal contexts. When Jeremiah purchased a field, he "subscribed the evidence, and sealed it" to finalize the transaction Jeremiah 32:10. Similarly, royal decrees were given irreversible authority by being sealed with the king's ring, as seen in the story of Esther Esther 8:8. The word also carries a strong prophetic weight. Daniel was commanded to "seal the book" until the time of the end, preserving its contents Daniel 12:4. Metaphorically, it can describe exclusivity, as in the Song of Solomon where the bride is a "fountain sealed" Song of Solomon 4:12, or divine judgment, as when Job speaks of his transgression being "sealed up in a bag" Job 14:17.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller picture of the act of sealing and its implications:

  • H2368 chôwthâm (seal, signet): This noun, derived from H2856, is the object or mark of the seal itself. It was used to impart authority, as when Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal 1 Kings 21:8.
  • H2885 ṭabbaʻath (ring): This term refers to the signet ring used to make the impression. Royal edicts were made official when sealed with the king's ring Esther 3:12.
  • H3789 kâthab (to write): This action often precedes sealing. An official document or covenant would first be written and then sealed to authenticate it Nehemiah 9:38.
  • H5640 çâtham (to keep secret, closed up): This word is used in parallel with H2856 to emphasize the concealment of prophetic revelation. Daniel is told that the words are closed up and sealed until the end time Daniel 12:9.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H2856 is profound, touching on themes of divine authority, sovereignty, and fulfillment.

  • Authentication and Authority: Sealing was the ancient equivalent of a binding signature. When leaders in Nehemiah's time made a sure covenant, they seal it to affirm their commitment, making it official and binding Nehemiah 9:38.
  • Preservation and Concealment: God uses sealing to preserve prophetic truth for its appointed time. The command to seal up the vision in Daniel shows that God controls the timing and understanding of His revelation Daniel 12:4.
  • Finality and Fulfillment: The act of sealing can signify a conclusion. The prophecy in Daniel speaks of a time to "make an end of sins" and to "seal up the vision and prophecy," indicating their ultimate fulfillment Daniel 9:24.
  • Divine Sovereignty: The term is used to describe God's absolute power over creation, as when He "sealeth up the stars" Job 9:7, and over humanity, as He "sealeth up the hand of every man" Job 37:7.

Summary

In summary, H2856 is a powerful verb that moves beyond the simple act of closing something. It is a cornerstone concept for understanding authenticity, finality, and preservation in the scriptures. From the legal finality of a sealed deed in Jeremiah to the cosmic authority of God sealing the stars, the word illustrates how a physical action can represent profound legal, prophetic, and theological truths, ultimately pointing to God's sovereign control over his covenants, creation, and redemptive plan.

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 27 occurrences, inflected in 16 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.

  • חָתוּם
  • יַחְתֹּם
  • חֲתוֹם
  • חֲתֻמִים
  • הֶחְתִּים
  • נַחְתּוֹם
  • נֶחְתָּם
  • חִתְּמוּ
  • אֶחְתֹּם
  • תַּחְתֹּם
  • יַּחְתֹּם
  • חִתְמוּ
  • חָתוֹם
  • חְתֹּם
  • חוֹתֵם
  • חֹתָמ

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.

H2368 חוֹתָם or חֹתָם; from חָתַם; a signature-ring; seal, signet. H2885 טַבַּעַת from טָבַע; properly, a seal (as sunk into the wax), i.e. signet (for sealing); hence (generally) a ring of any kind; ri H3789 כָּתַב a primitive root; to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe); describe, record, presc H5640 סָתַם or שָׂתַם; (Numbers 24:15), a primitive root; to stop up; by implication, to repair; figuratively, to keep secret; close

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 24 verses across 11 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job (5 verses); never once in the other 28.

1
Leviticus
1
Deuteronomy
1
1 Kings
2
Nehemiah
3
Esther
5
Job
1
Song of Solomon
2
Isaiah
4
Jeremiah
1
Ezekiel
3
Daniel

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.