חֶ֫מֶד (che.med)
che.med
delight
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun chemed refers to a deep desire or delight in something highly valued. It captures the intense longing for what is considered beautiful, pleasant, or precious. This word often points to objects or people that evoke strong affection and admiration.
Its usage spans various contexts, from personal desires to divine blessings. In Isaiah, it describes the beauty of Zion, while in Amos, it highlights the greed for trivial gains. The term’s flexibility allows it to convey both positive appreciation and negative covetousness, depending on the context.
Understanding chemed enriches our grasp of biblical themes around value and desire. It reminds us that what we cherish shapes our actions and priorities, inviting reflection on where our true delights lie.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chemed describes a deep delight or cherished desire for something precious. It captures the intense longing we feel for what is beautiful and valuable in life. This term helps us understand how our hearts attach to specific things, whether they are blessings from God or worldly gains.
Scripture uses this word to highlight both positive appreciation and negative covetousness. In Isaiah, it describes the beauty of Zion as a delightful vineyard, pointing to God's provision. In Amos, it warns against greed for trivial gains that lead to emptiness. This contrast invites us to examine what we truly cherish.
Your faith journey involves discerning where your deepest delights lie. When you align your desires with God's goodness, your life reflects true value. Consider how this word shapes your priorities and actions each day.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- delight3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֶ֣מֶד1×
- חֶ֖מֶד1×
- חֶ֕מֶד1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 27:2
In that day, sing to her, “A pleasant vineyard!
This verse uses chemed to describe Zion as a 'pleasant vineyard,' highlighting God's blessing and the beauty of His provision.
-
Isaiah 32:12
Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
Here, chemed refers to 'pleasant fields' that evoke mourning due to judgment, showing how delight can turn to sorrow when misaligned with God's will.
-
Amos 5:11
Therefore, because you trample on the poor and take taxes from him of wheat, you have built houses of cut stone, but you will not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
The word appears in a warning against greed, where 'pleasant vineyards' symbolize hollow gains that bring no lasting satisfaction.