כַּ֫חַשׁ (ka.chash)
ka.chash
lie
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun kaḥash carries two distinct but related meanings: deception and physical wasting. In its primary sense, it refers to lying or deceitful speech, capturing the act of speaking falsehoods with intent to mislead. This usage appears prominently in Hosea, where the prophet condemns the moral corruption of Israel’s leaders who engage in such dishonesty (Hosea 10:13). Here, the word highlights a breach of trust that undermines social and covenantal relationships.
Less commonly, kaḥash describes a state of leanness or failure, often applied to crops or livestock that have failed to thrive. This physical withering serves as a vivid metaphor for spiritual barrenness, suggesting that deceit ultimately leads to emptiness and decay. The book of Job uses this sense when describing the futility of relying on broken things (Job 27:18), illustrating how false foundations cannot sustain life.
Though rare in Scripture, kaḥash powerfully links moral failure with tangible consequences. Its dual meaning reminds readers that dishonesty does not exist in isolation; it erodes both character and community, leaving behind a landscape of loss and emptiness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word kaḥash reminds us that dishonesty is never harmless. In Hosea, it describes how leaders used lies to please one another, creating a culture where truth was sacrificed for approval. This kind of deception does not just hurt others; it erodes the very trust that holds communities together. When we choose to speak falsely, even to avoid conflict or gain advantage, we weaken the bonds that connect us.
There is also a physical dimension to this word. It can mean wasting away, like crops that fail to grow because the soil is poisoned. Job uses it to show how relying on broken things leaves us empty and shriveled. The Bible shows us that lies do not sustain life; they drain our strength and leave us barren.
God calls us to a different way. He values truth because it builds up and sustains. When we choose honesty, even when it is difficult, we honor Him and protect the relationships He has given us. Let us seek His guidance to speak with integrity, knowing that truth brings life and peace to our souls.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- lying1×
- leanness/ my1×
- and/ by/ lies/ their1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כָ֑חַשׁ1×
- כַ֝חֲשִׁ֗/י1×
- וּ/בְ/כַחֲשֵׁי/הֶ֖ם1×
Key Verses
-
Hosea 7:3
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
This verse shows how lies are used to manipulate authority figures, highlighting the social corruption that arises when truth is abandoned.
-
Hosea 10:13
You have plowed wickedness. You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, for you trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men.
Here the word illustrates the inevitable result of deceit: reaping iniquity instead of justice, showing that false foundations cannot support a nation.
-
Job 16:8
You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.
In Job's lament, the related sense of wasting away reflects how suffering and brokenness can leave a person feeling physically and spiritually depleted.