חֶמְלָה (chem.lah)
chem.lah
compassion
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun chemlah conveys a deep sense of compassion, mercy, or pity. It appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times within the book of Genesis. In these instances, the word describes the intense emotional bond and tender affection that characterizes familial love, particularly between parents and children.
Its usage highlights a raw, visceral empathy rather than a distant act of charity. The term is closely linked to the root for "womb," suggesting that this compassion springs from the deepest, most intimate layers of human relationship. It captures the instinctive protective care seen in Jacob’s declaration regarding Joseph, where his heart holds onto hope and love despite years of separation.
While rare in Scripture, chemlah provides a specific lens for understanding biblical mercy as something rooted in kinship and shared life. It reminds readers that divine compassion often mirrors the profound, unbreakable ties found in human family bonds, grounding abstract theological concepts in tangible emotional reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chemlah appears only twice in the Old Testament, yet it carries a weight far beyond its frequency. It describes a compassion that is visceral and intimate, rooted in the very depths of human connection. This is not distant pity, but a tender, protective love that mirrors the bond between family members.
When we encounter this term, we are reminded that God’s care for us is not abstract. It is personal and deep, akin to the fierce protection a parent feels for a child. This understanding invites us to see divine mercy as something grounded in relationship, offering comfort in our own moments of vulnerability.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ [the] mercy of1×
- and/ in/ mercy/ his1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/בְ/חֶמְלָת֖/וֹ1×
- בְּ/חֶמְלַ֥ת1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 19:16
But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.
This verse highlights God's merciful intervention by physically guiding Lot and his family to safety when they were too overwhelmed to act on their own.
-
Isaiah 63:9
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. He bore them, and carried them all the days of old.
Here the term emphasizes that God’s redemption was driven by His love and pity, sharing in Israel's affliction rather than remaining distant from it.