חַתְחַת (chat.chat)
chat.chat
terror
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun chatchat appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Ecclesiastes 12:5. It translates to "terror" or a state of dread, describing a profound sense of fear that settles over a person.
This rare word captures the psychological weight of aging, where natural anxieties become overwhelming. The context places it among the physical decline of the body, suggesting that this terror is not merely an emotional reaction but a deep-seated apprehension about mortality and loss of control.
Its singular usage highlights the specific intensity of fear in this passage. Translators often render it as "fear" or "dread," emphasizing the internal paralysis that accompanies the realization of life's end, rather than an external threat.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chatchat appears only once in Scripture, nestled within Ecclesiastes 12:5. It describes a deep-seated dread that accompanies the twilight of life. This is not fear of an immediate external enemy, but the heavy psychological weight of aging and the approaching end. It captures the paralysis one feels when realizing that strength fades and control slips away.
Yet this passage does not leave us in despair. By naming this terror honestly, Scripture validates our deepest anxieties about mortality. We are not alone in feeling this weight; even the wisest king acknowledged it. The text points toward an everlasting home, suggesting that while physical decline brings dread, there is a destination beyond it.
When fear of the unknown rises, remember that God sees your struggle with vulnerability. You do not have to hide your trembling. Bringing these honest fears into prayer invites peace that surpasses understanding, anchoring your heart in His presence rather than your own strength.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ terrors1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/חַתְחַתִּ֣ים1×
Key Verses
-
Ecclesiastes 12:5
yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be on the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets;
This is the sole occurrence of chatchat, where it specifically denotes the internal dread of aging and mortality rather than an external threat.