חָוַר (cha.var)
cha.var
to pale
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb chavar describes a visible change in color, specifically turning white or growing pale. It captures the physical reaction of skin losing its natural hue, whether through fear, shock, or illness. This is not a metaphor for spiritual purity but a literal description of a bodily state.
This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Isaiah 29:22. Here it describes Jacob’s face becoming pale as he waits to meet Esau. The image conveys anxiety and vulnerability rather than divine favor. The text uses this physical detail to highlight the tension in their reunion.
Translators often render chavar as "grow pale" or "turn white." This choice preserves the concrete, sensory nature of the original. It reminds readers that biblical language frequently grounds spiritual or emotional realities in tangible human experiences. The word’s rarity makes its single occurrence stand out, emphasizing the intensity of the moment it depicts.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chavar paints a vivid picture of physical fear, describing skin that loses its color and turns pale. It appears only once in Scripture, capturing Jacob’s anxiety as he prepares to meet Esau. This raw human reaction reminds us that our emotions are real and visible to God.
Isaiah 29:22 offers a powerful promise against this backdrop of fear. God declares that Jacob will no longer be ashamed or pale. This reassurance extends to you, offering comfort when anxiety threatens to drain your strength. You do not have to face your fears alone.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they will grow pale1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יֶחֱוָֽרוּ\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 29:22
Therefore Yahweh, who redeemed Abraham, says concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall no longer be ashamed, neither shall his face grow pale.
This verse contrasts the physical sign of fear with God's promise of restoration, showing that divine redemption removes the shame and anxiety that cause one to pale.