הָבַר (ha.var)
ha.var
to divide
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb habar means to divide or separate. In the Bible, it appears only once, in Isaiah 47:13. Here, the prophet uses it to describe those who attempt to predict the future by dividing the heavens into signs.
This single occurrence links the act of splitting the sky with the practice of astrology. The sources explain that habar refers to distinguishing specific stars or zodiacal patterns within the celestial sphere. By breaking down the night sky into manageable parts, these figures sought to interpret divine messages through the movements of stars.
The word highlights a contrast between human attempts to control fate through calculation and the sovereignty of God. Isaiah uses this rare term to mock the futility of such efforts, showing that dividing the heavens does not grant true insight into the future.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word habar appears only once in Scripture, found in Isaiah 47:13. There it describes those who try to divide the heavens into signs to predict the future. This rare verb captures the human urge to control uncertainty by breaking the world into calculable parts.
When life feels chaotic, we often seek patterns to feel safe. Yet Isaiah shows that dividing the sky does not grant true insight. God remains sovereign over time and events, far beyond any chart or calculation. We can rest in His care rather than exhausting ourselves trying to map out every detail.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [those who] divide1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הֹבְרֵ֣י1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 47:13
You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels. Now let the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from the things that will happen to you.
This is the only occurrence of habar, where it describes astrologers dividing the heavens to predict events.