חִנָּם (chin.nam)
chin.nam
for nothing
H:AdvQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 28 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:Adv
Word Overview
The adverb chin.nam describes an action that occurs without cost, reason, or justification. Derived from the root for grace or favor, it literally suggests something given "out of favor" or freely, but in Scripture it most often carries a negative sense: doing something in vain or without cause. It appears frequently in wisdom literature to highlight futility, such as when Proverbs warns that setting a snare is done in vain if the bird sees it (Proverbs 1:17).
A significant usage distinguishes between innocent suffering and unjust punishment. In Psalms and Job, characters cry out that they are hated or afflicted without cause, emphasizing their innocence against false accusations (Psalms 35:7; Job 2:3). Conversely, it can denote a transaction free of charge, as when David refuses to offer sacrifices that cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). The word underscores that true value or justice requires a valid reason, whether in payment or in judgment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word chinam carries a dual weight in Scripture: it describes both empty transactions and unjust suffering. When used for cost, it highlights actions that demand no sacrifice or offer no real value. When applied to relationships, it exposes the pain of being treated unfairly without any reason or provocation.
This distinction helps us navigate our own experiences of injustice. Like Job, who cried out that he was afflicted without cause, we often face situations where others act against us with no valid justification. Recognizing this pattern allows us to identify false accusations and rest in the truth that our worth is not defined by the unfairness of others.
Conversely, chinam also warns against cheap worship. David refused to offer sacrifices that cost him nothing, understanding that true devotion requires personal investment. This invites us to examine whether our faith involves genuine commitment or merely routine actions that require no effort or heart change.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 28 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- without cause17×
- for nothing5×
- without paying4×
- in vain2×
- ¿/ in vain1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חִנָּ֑ם9×
- חִנָּֽם\׃8×
- חִ֝נָּ֗ם3×
- חִנָּ֣ם2×
- חִנָּ֖ם2×
- חִנָּ֔ם2×
- חִנָּ֗ם1×
- חִ֭נָּם1×
- הַֽ/חִנָּ֔ם1×
Key Verses
-
Job 1:9
Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
Satan uses this term to challenge the sincerity of Job's devotion, suggesting his faith is transactional rather than genuine.
-
I Samuel 19:5
for he put his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”
Jonathan argues against killing David by emphasizing that doing so would be an unjust act without any legal or moral cause.
-
II Samuel 24:24
The king said to Araunah, “No, but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
David rejects a free offering to demonstrate that true worship requires personal sacrifice and cannot be obtained for nothing.
-
Psalms 35:19
Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
The psalmist pleads for protection from enemies who oppose him without any valid reason, highlighting the pain of unprovoked hostility.