חוּץ (chuts)
chuts
outside
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 131 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun chuts refers to what lies beyond a boundary, primarily meaning "outside," "outdoors," or "the street." Its root sense involves separation, likely by a wall, which establishes a clear distinction between the interior space and the exterior world. This spatial definition allows it to describe physical locations such as fields, deserts, or public thoroughfares where people gather.
Scripture frequently uses chuts to mark the contrast between inside and outside, particularly in ritual contexts. For example, Leviticus commands that certain sacrifices be burned "outside the camp" (Leviticus 16:27), emphasizing a place of removal or exclusion from the sacred center. Similarly, it describes daily life in the streets, as when Wisdom calls out in the public squares (Proverbs 1:20).
Translators render chuts variously as "without," "abroad," or "field" depending on the context. The term carries theological weight by defining what is distinct from the protected or holy interior, whether that be the tabernacle, a home, or the community of Israel.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word chuts describes what lies beyond a boundary, marking the space outside a home, a city wall, or the sacred camp. It is a term of separation, distinguishing the protected interior from the open exterior world. In Scripture, this distinction often carries theological weight, defining where holiness resides and where exclusion occurs.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God’s presence is not confined to one location but extends into the public squares and fields where daily life happens. While some rituals required removal from the camp, Jesus later fulfilled these patterns by suffering outside the city gates, bringing redemption to those on the margins. The boundary between inside and outside becomes a place of encounter with divine mercy.
Whether you find yourself in a protected sanctuary or navigating the open streets, chuts teaches that God sees both spaces equally. It invites us to recognize that holiness is not just about staying within walls but about living faithfully wherever we are placed. This understanding helps us see every location as part of God’s broader story.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 131 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ [the] outside42×
- the/ outside/ towards15×
- [the] streets10×
- on the/ outside8×
- and/ in/ [the] streets of7×
- [the] outside/ towards7×
- in the/ street6×
- the/ outside4×
- and/ from/ outside4×
- in/ [the] streets of3×
- in the/ streets3×
- in/ streets/ its2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/ח֖וּץ13×
- מִ/ח֥וּץ12×
- מִ/ח֣וּץ12×
- הַ/חֽוּצָ/ה\׃6×
- מִ/חוּץ֙5×
- חוּצֽוֹת\׃4×
- וּ/בְ/חֻצ֖וֹת4×
- וּ/מִ/ח֖וּץ3×
- הַ/ח֑וּצָ/ה3×
- מִ/ח֨וּץ2×
- מִ/ח֤וּץ2×
- חוּצוֹת֙2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 15:5
Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So your offspring will be.”
God physically moves Abram outside to reveal the vastness of his promised offspring, linking the open sky with divine promise.
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Exodus 33:7
Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The Tent of Meeting.” Everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.
Moses pitches the tent far outside the camp, showing that seeking God sometimes requires stepping away from the community center.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chuts mean in the Bible?
How is chuts different from other words for outside?
Why is chuts important in Leviticus?
Does chuts appear in the New Testament?
Every Occurrence (131 verses across 27 books)
Genesis 12 verses
Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch.
Genesis 9:22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
Genesis 15:5Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He…
Genesis 19:16But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to…
Genesis 19:17It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t…
Genesis 24:11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out…
Genesis 24:29Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
Genesis 24:31He said, “Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the…
Genesis 39:12She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside.
Genesis 39:13When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had run outside,
Genesis 39:15When he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”
Genesis 39:18and as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”