חָפַשׂ (cha.pha.s)
cha.pha.s
to search
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb chaphats describes the act of searching, whether it involves looking for a lost item or examining something closely to test its quality. In the Old Testament, this word appears in contexts ranging from practical investigations to divine inspection. For instance, Proverbs 20:27 uses it to describe the human spirit as a lamp that searches the innermost parts of a person, suggesting an internal examination rather than a physical one.
Its usage extends beyond simple retrieval. In narrative passages like 1 Kings 18:40, soldiers are ordered to chaphats the brook Kishon, indicating a thorough sweep of an area to ensure no escapees remain. The word carries a sense of diligence and completeness. It is not enough to glance; one must search out or devise a plan, as seen in Proverbs 25:2 where kings are said to search out matters, implying careful study and judgment.
A distinct nuance appears in the Hithpael stem, which means to disguise oneself by letting oneself be searched for. This ironic usage highlights the word’s core idea of exposure. When someone hides but allows themselves to be found, they are actively participating in their own discovery. This rare form underscores that true searching ultimately leads to what is hidden coming into the light.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word chaphats describes a search that is thorough and intentional. It is not a casual glance but a diligent effort to find what is hidden or lost. In Proverbs, the human spirit is described as God’s lamp, searching the innermost parts of a person. This suggests that God knows us completely, seeing beyond our outward appearance to our true motives and thoughts.
When we feel lost or when we seek God’s guidance, this word reminds us that He is actively looking for us. Just as soldiers searched thoroughly in biblical narratives, God’s care for us is precise and complete. We do not need to hide from Him, nor do we need to fear that He will miss us. His search is an act of love, aiming to restore what is broken and bring truth into the light.
This understanding offers comfort in times of uncertainty. Whether we are searching for wisdom or feeling searched by God’s grace, we can rest in the knowledge that He is attentive to every detail of our lives. We are never overlooked, and our deepest struggles are known to Him with perfect clarity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he disguised himself4×
- and/ he searched2×
- I will disguise myself2×
- you will search for/ it1×
- they will be plundered1×
- search1×
- let us examine1×
- it disguises itself1×
- he is searched for1×
- he disguised himself1×
- and/ they will search1×
- and/ I will search out1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יִּתְחַפֵּשׂ֙2×
- וַ/יְחַפֵּ֕שׂ2×
- הִתְחַפֵּשׂ֙2×
- תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂ/נָּה\׃1×
- נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה1×
- נֶחְפְּשׂ֣וּ1×
- יִתְחַפֵּ֣שׂ1×
- יְחֻפַּ֥שׂ1×
- חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ1×
- חַפְּשׂ֤וּ1×
- וַ/יִּתְחַפֵּ֥שׂ1×
- וַ/יִּתְחַפֵּ֣שׂ1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 20:27
The spirit of man is Yahweh’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
This verse uses the word to describe God’s spirit as a lamp that illuminates and examines the deepest parts of a person’s heart.
-
Lamentations 3:40
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.
Here the word calls for personal self-examination, urging believers to search their own ways before turning back to God.
-
Amos 9:3
Though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out from there; and though they be hidden from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them.
The prophet uses this term to emphasize that no matter how deeply one hides, God’s search is inescapable and thorough.
-
Genesis 44:12
He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
This narrative instance shows the word applied to a careful, methodical investigation that reveals the truth about hidden items.