חֱמָא (che.ma)
che.ma
rage
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun che.ma denotes intense anger or rage. It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both within the book of Daniel, reflecting the language of the exilic court where this term is found.
It functions as the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew chamah (H2534). In these specific instances, it describes the fierce wrath of kings or powerful figures, capturing a sense of volatile fury rather than calm displeasure. The word underscores the emotional intensity of political conflicts in the narrative.
Its limited usage highlights the dramatic tension in Daniel’s accounts, where human authority reacts with explosive anger to divine truth. Translators typically render it as "rage" or "wrath," preserving the raw power of the original term without softening its impact.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word che.ma describes a sudden, overwhelming surge of anger that overrides reason. In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar experiences this intense rage when his authority is challenged by faithful young men who refuse to compromise their loyalty to God. This reaction highlights how quickly human power can turn volatile when it encounters a truth it cannot control.
For believers today, this narrative offers comfort rather than fear. It reminds us that even the most powerful earthly rulers are subject to God’s sovereignty. When we face opposition or unjust treatment for standing firm in our faith, we are not alone. The same God who protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remains present in our struggles, ensuring that no human wrath can ultimately thwart His purposes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- anger1×
- and/ anger1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֱמָ֗א1×
- וַ/חֲמָ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:13
Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. Then these men were brought before the king.
This verse captures the immediate eruption of royal anger as Nebuchadnezzar reacts to the refusal of his officials to worship the golden image.
-
Daniel 3:19
Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
Here the word illustrates how fury physically alters the king’s demeanor, driving him to escalate punishment in a futile attempt to enforce compliance.