חֵמָה (che.mah)
che.mah
rage
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 75 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun che.mah describes a fierce, burning anger that feels like fever or poison. Its root meaning is simply "heat," which explains why the word can refer to both physical illness and intense emotional rage. In Scripture, it often depicts wrath as something toxic or consuming, such as when Psalm 58:4 compares the words of the wicked to the venom of a serpent.
This term carries significant weight in prophetic literature, appearing frequently in Jeremiah and Isaiah to describe God’s judgment against injustice. It is not merely annoyance but a destructive force, as seen in Zephaniah 1:15 where it is paired with day of distress. The word also appears in Daniel 11:44 in its Aramaic form, showing how the concept of burning fury crossed linguistic boundaries in biblical narratives.
Translators usually render che.mah as "wrath" or "rage," capturing its violent intensity. Unlike milder terms for irritation, this word implies a heat that can destroy. It reminds readers that divine anger is not arbitrary but a serious response to evil, much like the fever that signals a body fighting infection.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word che.mah describes anger as a feverish heat that consumes from within. It is not a mild irritation but a destructive force, often compared to venom or burning fire. When Scripture uses this term for God, it highlights a serious response to evil rather than arbitrary moodiness. Just as a fever signals the body fighting infection, divine wrath indicates that God takes injustice seriously.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that God’s holiness cannot coexist with sin. Yet, the biblical narrative also shows that humility can turn away this burning heat. In Esther 2:1, we see King Ahasuerus’s rage finally pacified after a time of reflection. This offers hope: even intense anger has an end, and reconciliation is possible when hearts are softened.
You do not need to fear God’s judgment as if He were capricious. Instead, trust in His consistent character. He hates what destroys His creation but desires mercy. When you face conflict, remember that true peace comes from aligning with His justice and grace, finding rest in the One who turns wrath into redemption.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 75 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- rage16×
- rage/ my8×
- [the] anger of8×
- rage/ your3×
- rage/ his3×
- and/ rage/ my3×
- in/ rage/ my2×
- anger/ my2×
- anger/ his2×
- and/ the/ rage2×
- and/ rage2×
- and/ in/ rage/ my2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֵ֭מָה5×
- חֲמַת\־5×
- חֲמַ֣ת4×
- חֵמָ֣ה3×
- חֲמָתִ֛/י3×
- חֲמָתִ֗/י3×
- חֲמָתִ/י֙3×
- חֲמַ֥ת3×
- חֵמָה֙2×
- חֵמָֽה\׃2×
- חֵמָ֑ה2×
- חֲמָתְ/ךָ֖2×
Key Verses
-
Esther 2:1
After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
This verse shows the rare moment when a king's intense rage was finally pacified, offering a concrete example of anger reaching its end.
-
II Kings 5:12
Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
Here the word describes Naaman’s personal fury and pride as he turns away in disgust, illustrating human anger's isolating nature.
-
Esther 7:7
The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen, for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
The king arises from his banquet in wrath, showing how sudden anger can disrupt social order and lead to decisive action.
-
Deuteronomy 9:19
For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which Yahweh was angry against you to destroy you. But Yahweh listened to me that time also.
Moses recalls the 'hot displeasure' God felt toward Israel, emphasizing the severity of divine anger against rebellion.