חָפֵר (cha.pher)
cha.pher
be ashamed
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 13 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb cha.pher describes the visceral experience of being put to shame or confounded. It appears thirteen times in the Old Testament, with a notable concentration in the Psalms and Isaiah. The word captures more than simple embarrassment; it conveys a profound sense of humiliation where one’s reputation or hope is publicly undermined, leaving the person abashed before others.
Its root likely connects to images of digging or hollowing out, suggesting that shame empties a person of their confidence or standing. In the Qal stem, it denotes the passive state of feeling this disgrace, while the Hiphil form indicates causing such embarrassment in another. This duality highlights how social honor was central to ancient Israelite life, where public shaming served as both a personal wound and a communal corrective.
Translators often render cha.pher as "ashamed" or "confounded," depending on context. For instance, Psalm 25:3 uses it to describe the fate of those who trust in God but face opposition, contrasting their eventual deliverance with the disgrace of their enemies. The term underscores the deep emotional and social stakes involved in maintaining integrity before God and community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In ancient Israel, shame was not merely a fleeting feeling of embarrassment but a profound social wound that stripped a person of dignity and hope. The Hebrew word cha.pher captures this deep sense of humiliation, where one’s reputation is publicly undermined. It reminds us that our worth is not defined by the opinions of others or by public failure, but by our standing before God.
Scripture offers a comforting contrast to this fear. In Isaiah 54:4, God commands His people, “Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed.” This promise assures us that even when we face opposition or feel vulnerable, God’s faithfulness remains our anchor. We can trust that He sees our integrity and will ultimately vindicate those who remain faithful to Him.
When we encounter disgrace or feel the weight of others’ judgments, we are invited to look beyond the temporary sting of shame. Our hope rests in the One who defends the righteous and restores honor. In Christ, no shame has the final word, and our identity is secured by His love alone.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 13 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you will display shame1×
- they are abashed1×
- she will be abashed1×
- it has displayed shame1×
- and/ you may be abashed1×
- and/ they will be abashed1×
- and/ they were disappointed1×
- and/ they may be abashed1×
- and/ she is abashed1×
- and/ may they be abashed1×
- and/ it will be abashed1×
- and/ he may act shamefully1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תַחְפִּ֑ירִי1×
- חָפְרָ֖ה1×
- חָ֝פְר֗וּ1×
- וּ/מַחְפִּֽיר\׃1×
- וַ/יֶּחְפָּֽרוּ\׃1×
- וְ/תַ֨חְפְּר֔וּ1×
- וְ/יַחְפִּֽיר\׃1×
- וְ/יַחְפְּר֨וּ\׀1×
- וְ/יַחְפְּר֑וּ1×
- וְ/חָפֵ֑רָה1×
- וְ/חָֽפְרוּ֙1×
- וְ/חָֽפְרָה֙1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 54:4
“Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed. Don’t be confounded, for you will not be disappointed. For you will forget the shame of your youth. You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.
This verse provides a direct divine assurance that God’s people will not experience the lasting humiliation described by this word, offering hope amidst past disgrace.
-
Psalms 35:4
Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
David uses this term to describe the fate of his enemies, showing how God reverses the shame intended for the righteous into their own downfall.
-
Job 6:20
They were distressed because they were confident. They came there, and were confounded.
Job observes that those who placed their confidence in him were ultimately confounded, highlighting the emptiness of relying on human support rather than God.
-
Micah 3:7
The seers shall be disappointed, and the diviners confounded. Yes, they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.”
The prophet describes false leaders being silenced and ashamed because they lack a true answer from God, contrasting their disgrace with divine truth.