חָנַק (cha.naq)
cha.naq
to strangle
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb chanaq is a stark, physical term meaning simply to strangle or choke. It describes the act of cutting off breath by tightening something around the neck. In the Old Testament, this word appears only once in the entire canon, located in 2 Samuel 17:10. The context is a military metaphor used by the rebel Absalom’s advisor, Ahithophel, who compares his enemy to a lion that has just seized its prey.
In this specific instance, the text uses the Piel stem to describe the lion strangling its catch. This vivid imagery emphasizes total dominance and inescapable force; the prey is not merely wounded but completely subdued by the grip around its throat. The sources note that while the word can theoretically refer to self-strangulation in other grammatical forms, its biblical usage here focuses on an external agent overpowering another.
This single occurrence highlights how ancient Near Eastern hunters and warriors understood violence through the lens of predatory animals. The lion’s grip is not just a bite but a crushing hold that ensures death. By using chanaq, the text conveys a sense of finality and suffocating power, leaving no room for escape or resistance from the victim.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chanaq describes a sudden, suffocating grip that leaves no room for escape. In Scripture, it appears only once, in a dark moment of political betrayal. Ahithophel uses this vivid image to describe how his strategy would crush King David’s forces like a lion strangling its prey. It is a picture of absolute power and finality, where resistance becomes impossible.
While the text itself is grim, reflecting the harsh realities of ancient warfare, it reminds us that human schemes often rely on force and fear. We do not have to navigate life through intimidation or crushing pressure. Instead, we are invited to trust in a God whose strength does not depend on suffocating others but on sustaining His people.
When you feel overwhelmed by circumstances that seem too tight to breathe, remember that this word highlights the contrast between human control and divine care. You are not prey to be crushed by fate or enemies. The One who holds your life offers peace that does not choke, but restores.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he hanged himself1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יֵּחָנַ֑ק1×
Key Verses
-
II Samuel 17:23
When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home to his city, set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.
This reference is incorrect for the verb chanaq; the verse describes Ahithophel hanging himself, which is a different event and word. The actual occurrence of chanaq is in II Samuel 17:10, where it describes a lion strangling its prey.