חִיצוֹן (chi.tson)
chi.tson
outer
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word chi.tson simply means 'outer' or 'outside.' In the ancient world, this term often distinguished between the sacred inner sanctum and the accessible outer areas of a building. For example, in Solomon’s Temple, the walls were decorated inside and out, showing that beauty and reverence were not confined to hidden spaces but extended to every visible surface.
This distinction helps us understand how God valued both the secret place of prayer and the public witness of faith. The outer court was where people gathered, where decisions were made, and where daily life intersected with worship. It reminds us that our outward actions and presence in the world are just as significant as our private devotion.
When we consider our own lives, chi.tson invites us to see that nothing is truly 'outside' God’s care. Whether in the quiet of our hearts or the bustle of public life, every area belongs to Him. This perspective encourages integrity, knowing that what we do in the open is as important as what we do in secret.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ to the/ outer2×
- <the>/ outer2×
- outer1×
- <the>/ outside1×
- <the>/ external1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/לַ/חִיצֽוֹן\׃2×
- חִֽיצוֹנָ֣ה\׀1×
- הַֽ/חִיצ֔וֹנָה1×
- הַ/חִֽיצוֹנָה֙1×
- הַ/חִֽיצֹנָה֙1×
- הַ/חִ֣יצוֹנָ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 6:29
He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inside and outside.
This verse highlights that the temple's inner sanctum and outer walls were equally adorned with cherubim, showing God's glory extends beyond hidden spaces.
-
II Kings 16:18
He removed the covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s outer entrance to Yahweh’s house, because of the king of Assyria.
King Ahaz removed the king’s outer entrance to show submission to Assyria, demonstrating how physical boundaries can reflect political and spiritual shifts.
-
Esther 6:4
The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
Haman stands in the outer court while plotting Mordecai’s death, illustrating how public spaces can become stages for hidden agendas.