chamas · violence

What it means

chamas (חָמָס) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “violence”.

Unjust harm done to others.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. Unjust harm done to others.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

Violence: unjust harm done to another, by force or by deceit; also the wrong done to someone with malice. Its verb is חָמַס (‘do violence’).

• The earth “was filled with violence” Genesis 6:11Genesis 6:13Ezekiel 7:23
• Hating violence; the one who loves it Psalms 11:5Proverbs 3:31
• “Although he had done no violence” Isaiah 53:9
• Crying out “Violence” Habakkuk 1:2
• Turning from violence; a violent witness Jonah 3:8Deuteronomy 19:16

Historical and cultural background

Before the flood, “the earth was corrupt before Elohim, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). The king of Nineveh ordered each one to turn “from the violence that is in their hands” (Jonah 3:8).

How we translate it

“Violence” 55 times and “violent deeds” 2, as this edition’s glossary sets it; עֵד חָמָס is “a violent witness” (Deuteronomy 19:16). In Genesis 16:5 Sarai says “The wrong done to me be on you!”, because it is the harm she suffers.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• violence ×55
• violent deeds ×2
• malicious ×1
• violent ×1
• wrong done to me ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Genesis×4
• Exodus×1
• Deuteronomy×1
• Judges×1
• 2 Samuel×2
• 1 Chronicles×1
• Job×2
• Psalms×14
• Proverbs×7
• Isaiah×3
• Jeremiah×4
• Ezekiel×6
• Joel×1
• Amos×2
• Obadiah×1
• Jonah×1
• Micah×1
• Habakkuk×6
• Zephaniah×1
• Malachi×1

• Genesis 6:11

  And the earth was corrupt before Elohim, and the earth was filled with violence.

• Genesis 6:13

  And Elohim said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and look, I am going to destroy them with the earth.

• Genesis 16:5

  Then Sarai said to Abram, “The wrong done to me be on you! I myself gave my slave woman into your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, I became of little account in her eyes. May YHWH judge between me and you.”

• Genesis 49:5

  Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.

• Exodus 23:1

  You shall not spread a false report. Do not join hands with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

• Deuteronomy 19:16

  If a violent witness rises up against a man to testify against him of turning aside,

• Judges 9:24

  so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.

• 2 Samuel 22:3

  Elohim, my Rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my high refuge and the place where I flee, my savior; from violence you save me.

• 2 Samuel 22:49

  and who brings me out from my enemies; above those who rise against me you exalt me; from the man of violence you deliver me.

• 1 Chronicles 12:17

  David went out before them and answered and said to them, “If you have come to me in peace, to help me, I will have toward you a heart united; but if it is to deceive me in favor of my adversaries, though there is no violence in my palms, may the Elohim of our fathers see and judge.”

• Job 16:17

  although there is no violence in my palms, and my prayer is pure.

• Job 19:7

  Look, I cry out, ‘Violence,’ and I am not answered; I call for help, and there is no judgment.

• Psalms 7:16

  His suffering will return on his head, and on his crown will come down his violence.

• Psalms 11:5

  YHWH tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence his soul hates.

• Psalms 18:48

  the one who brings me to safety from my enemies; yes, above those who rise against me you exalt me; from the man of violence you deliver me.

• Psalms 25:19

  See my enemies, for they are many, and with a hatred of violence they hate me.

• Psalms 27:12

  Do not give me over to the desire of my adversaries, for there have risen against me witnesses of lies and one who breathes out violence.

• Psalms 35:11

  Witnesses of violence rise up; what I do not know they ask me.

• Psalms 55:9

  Swallow them up, Adonai, divide their tongue, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

• Psalms 58:2

  Rather, in your heart you work injustices; in the land the violence of your hands you weigh out.

• Psalms 72:14

  From oppression and from violence he will redeem their soul, and precious will be their blood in his eyes.

• Psalms 73:6

  Therefore pride is their necklace; a garment of violence covers them.

• Psalms 74:20

  Look to the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of abodes of violence.

• Psalms 140:1

  For the director. A psalm of David. Rescue me, YHWH, from the evil human being; from the man of violent deeds guard me,

• Psalms 140:4

  Keep me, YHWH, from the hands of the wicked; from the man of violent deeds guard me, who have devised to thrust aside my steps.

• Psalms 140:11

  A man of tongue will not be established on the earth; the man of violence, evil will hunt him with thrust upon thrust.

• Proverbs 3:31

  Do not envy a man of violence, and do not choose any of his ways;

• Proverbs 4:17

  For they eat the bread of wickedness, and the wine of violence they drink.

• Proverbs 10:6

  Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

• Proverbs 10:11

  A fountain of life is the mouth of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

• Proverbs 13:2

  From the fruit of the mouth of a man he will eat good, but the soul of the treacherous, violence.

• Proverbs 16:29

  A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.

• Proverbs 26:6

  He cuts off his own feet, he drinks violence, who sends words by the hand of a senseless man.

• Isaiah 53:9

  And they made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, although he had done no violence, nor was there deceit in his mouth.

• Isaiah 59:6

  Their webs will not become clothing, and they will not cover themselves with their works; their works are works of wickedness, and the deed of violence is in their palms.

• Isaiah 60:18

  Violence will no longer be heard in your land, devastation and shattering within your borders; and you will call your walls “Salvation,” and your gates “Praise.”

• Jeremiah 6:7

  As a well pours out its waters, so she pours out her evil; violence and devastation are heard in her; before me continually are sickness and wounds.

• Jeremiah 20:8

  For whenever I speak, I cry out; “Violence and destruction!” I proclaim; for the word of YHWH has become for me a reproach and a derision all day long.

• Jeremiah 51:35

  ‘My violence and my flesh be upon Babylon,’ the inhabitant of Zion will say; ‘and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,’ Jerusalem will say.”

• Jeremiah 51:46

  And lest your heart grow faint and you be afraid at the report that is heard in the land: the report comes in one year, and after it in another year the report, and violence in the land, and ruler against ruler.

And 20 more times.