לַ֫חַץ (la.chats)
la.chats
oppression
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word for oppression describes a crushing weight, often physical or systemic, that seeks to silence and break the spirit of the vulnerable. It is not merely inconvenience but a heavy burden imposed by those in power, leaving the oppressed feeling trapped and unheard. This reality is starkly portrayed in the history of Israel, where they cried out under the harsh labor of Egypt.
Yet, Scripture consistently presents God as one who sees this suffering intimately. He does not remain distant from human pain but enters into it. When people are crushed by injustice or hardship, God hears their cry and moves to deliver them. This assurance offers profound comfort, reminding us that our struggles are seen by a God who is both powerful and compassionate.
In your own life, when you feel overwhelmed by circumstances beyond your control, remember that this same God observes your situation. You are not invisible to Him. His history of intervention suggests that He cares deeply about your well-being and desires to bring relief and justice where there is oppression.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- oppression5×
- the/ oppression1×
- oppression/ our1×
- in/ [the] oppression of1×
- by <the>/ oppression1×
- [the] oppression of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לַ֙חַץ֙2×
- לַ֔חַץ2×
- לָ֑חַץ1×
- לַחֲצֵֽ/נוּ\׃1×
- לַ֣חַץ1×
- הַ/לַּ֔חַץ1×
- בַּ/לַּ֣חַץ1×
- בְּ/לַ֣חַץ1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 3:9
Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
This verse establishes God's active awareness of systemic injustice, showing that He sees the specific nature of the Egyptians' oppression before acting.
-
Deuteronomy 26:7
Then we cried to Yahweh, the God of our fathers. Yahweh heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
It highlights the sequence of divine response, noting that Yahweh heard the cry after seeing the affliction and oppression directly.
-
II Kings 13:4
Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them.
This occurrence demonstrates God's mercy toward Jehoahaz specifically because He saw how the king of Syria oppressed Israel.
-
Psalms 43:2
For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
The psalmist connects personal mourning directly to the oppression of the enemy, questioning why God seems distant in the face of such pressure.