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חָיָה (cha.yah)

cha.yah

to live

H2421 · Hebrew · Old Testament · 210 verses

H:V

Quick Reference

Language
Biblical Hebrew
Testament
Old Testament
Occurrences
210 verses
Root
—
Part of speech
H:V

Word Overview

The Hebrew verb chayah denotes the state of being alive, whether in the physical sense of breathing or the broader experience of sustaining life. It appears frequently across the Old Testament, from the genealogies in Genesis to the prayers of the Psalms, describing everything from simple survival to thriving prosperity. The word captures the full spectrum of vitality, indicating not just existence but the active continuation of life.

A notable feature of chayah is its use to describe restoration and revival. In various contexts, it means to be quickened or brought back from faintness, sickness, or even death. For instance, in Genesis 45:27, the family of Jacob is described as being revived when they hear that Joseph remains alive. This nuance highlights a dynamic view of life, where vitality can be renewed by divine intervention or natural recovery.

The word also carries a theological weight regarding God’s role as the source of life. In passages like Psalm 16:11, chayah is linked to the fullness of joy and pleasures found in God’s presence. This connection suggests that true living is not merely biological but is deeply tied to a relationship with the Creator, who preserves and sustains life.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The Hebrew word chayah describes life in its fullest sense. It is not just about breathing or existing. It points to the vibrant energy that sustains us day by day. When you read the genealogies in Genesis, this word marks the long years of each patriarch. These are not empty dates. They show God’s patience and His steady hand holding history together.

Life here is more than survival. It includes family, legacy, and the simple act of continuing forward. Even when circumstances seem difficult, this word reminds us that life is a gift maintained by the Creator. We do not sustain ourselves by sheer will. We rely on the One who gives breath to all things.

Think of how your own days feel. Are they filled with purpose? The biblical view invites you to see every moment as part of a larger story. God cares about your daily existence. He preserves you so you can walk in His ways. This assurance brings peace to the heart, knowing that your life is held securely in His hands.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 210 verses where it appears, by frequency.

  • and/ he lived42×
  • and/ he will live17×
  • may he live10×
  • and/ live10×
  • preserve alive/ me9×
  • you will live8×
  • he will live7×
  • he lived5×
  • you may live4×
  • to/ preserve alive4×
  • I will live4×
  • so/ we may preserve alive3×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

  • וַֽ/יְחִי\־12×
  • וַ/יְחִ֣י8×
  • וַֽ/יְחִ֣י7×
  • יְחִ֥י6×
  • חַיֵּֽ/נִי\׃6×
  • וָ/חָֽי\׃6×
  • וַ/יֶּֽחִי\׃4×
  • וִֽ/חְי֑וּ4×
  • יִחְיֶ֥ה3×
  • יְחִ֖י3×
  • תִֽחְיֶֽה\׃2×
  • תִֽחְיֶ֔ה2×

Key Verses

  • Genesis 3:22
    Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever—”

    This verse highlights the profound theological weight of eternal life, showing that living forever is tied directly to access to the tree of life and divine presence.

  • Genesis 6:19
    Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.

    Here the word emphasizes physical preservation, as Noah gathers animals specifically to keep them alive during the flood, demonstrating God’s care for all living creatures.

  • Genesis 5:3
    Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.

    This occurrence grounds the concept of life in human lineage, showing how chayah marks the continuation of family lines and the passing of generations from father to son.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does chayah mean in the Old Testament?

Chayah means to live, survive, or be alive. It covers physical existence as well as the broader experience of sustaining life through time. The word appears frequently in genealogies and narratives about survival.

How is chayah different from other words for life?

While other terms might focus on the soul or breath, chayah emphasizes the active state of living and continuing forward. It often implies resilience and the ability to endure through circumstances.

Where does this word appear most often?

It appears extensively in Genesis, particularly in the genealogies from Adam to Noah. It also shows up in narratives about survival, such as the story of Noah and the flood.

Every Occurrence (210 verses across 26 books)

Genesis 59 verses
Genesis 3:22

Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand,…

Genesis 5:3

Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him…

Genesis 5:5

All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.

Genesis 5:6

Seth lived one hundred five years, then became the father of Enosh.

Genesis 5:7

Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 5:9

Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.

Genesis 5:10

Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 5:12

Kenan lived seventy years, then became the father of Mahalalel.

Genesis 5:13

Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 5:15

Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Jared.

Genesis 5:16

Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 5:18

Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, then became the father of Enoch.

Genesis 5:19

Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:21

Enoch lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Methuselah.

Genesis 5:25

Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, then became the father of Lamech.

Genesis 5:26

Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of other…

Genesis 5:28

Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, then became the father of a son.

Genesis 5:30

Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 6:19

Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They…

Genesis 6:20

Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind,…

Genesis 7:3

Also of the birds of the sky, seven and seven, male and female, to keep seed alive on the surface of all the earth.

Genesis 9:28

Noah lived three hundred fifty years after the flood.

Genesis 11:11

Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:12

Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah.

Genesis 11:13

Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:14

Shelah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber.

Genesis 11:15

Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:16

Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg.

Genesis 11:17

Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:18

Peleg lived thirty years, and became the father of Reu.

Genesis 11:19

Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:20

Reu lived thirty-two years, and became the father of Serug.

Genesis 11:21

Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:22

Serug lived thirty years, and became the father of Nahor.

Genesis 11:23

Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:24

Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and became the father of Terah.

Genesis 11:25

Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:26

Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 12:12

It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will…

Genesis 12:13

Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”

Genesis 17:18

Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”

Genesis 19:19

See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown…

Genesis 19:20

See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my…

Genesis 19:32

Come, let’s make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s family line.”

Genesis 19:34

It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father.…

Genesis 20:7

Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t…

Genesis 25:7

These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years.

Genesis 27:40

You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will…

Genesis 31:32

Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For…

Genesis 42:2

He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may…

Genesis 42:18

Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God.

Genesis 43:8

Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die,…

Genesis 45:7

God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.

Genesis 45:27

They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry…

Genesis 47:19

Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be…

Genesis 47:25

They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

Genesis 47:28

Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred…

Genesis 50:20

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today.

Genesis 50:22

Joseph lived in Egypt, he, and his father’s house. Joseph lived one hundred ten years.

Exodus 6 verses
Leviticus 3 verses
Numbers 8 verses
Deuteronomy 17 verses
Joshua 8 verses
Judges 3 verses
I Samuel 4 verses
II Samuel 5 verses
I Kings 8 verses
II Kings 17 verses
I Chronicles 1 verse
II Chronicles 2 verses
Nehemiah 5 verses
Esther 1 verse
Job 6 verses
Psalms 22 verses
Proverbs 4 verses
Ecclesiastes 4 verses
Isaiah 9 verses
Jeremiah 8 verses
Lamentations 1 verse
Hosea 1 verse
Amos 3 verses
Habakkuk 2 verses
Zechariah 3 verses