Strong's Lexicon: H2658 חָפַר

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:	H2658
Word:	חָפַר
Part of Speech:	verb
Etymology:	a primitive root
Language:	Hebrew
Occurrences:	22
Transliteration:	chaphar
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:	khaw-far'
Meaning:	1. (properly) to pry into 2. (by implication) to delve, to explore
KJV Renderings:	dig, paw, search out, seek.

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I. חָפַר verb dig, search for (Arabic [untranscribed source text 1909] id.; Aramaic חֲפַר, [untranscribed source text 1910], id.; Late Hebrew חֵפֶר act of digging) —

Qal Perfect ׳ ח Job 39:29 וְחָפַרְתָּ֫ Job 11:18 וְחָפַרְתָּ֫ה Deut 23:14 חָפַרְתִּי Gen 21:30 חָֽפְרוּ Gen 26:18 + 2 t.; חָפָ֑רוּ Gen 26:32 חֲפָרוּהָ Num 21:18 Imperfect וַיַּחְפֹּר Gen 26:18; Gen 26:22 וַיַּחְפְּרֵהוּ Ps 7:16 וָאֶחְפֹּר Jer 13:7 יַחְפְּרוּ Job Job 39:21 (but read יַחְפֹּר so ᵐ5 ᵑ9 ᵑ6 Di) Deut 1:22 וַיַּחְפְּרוּ Gen 26:19 + 2 t.; וַיַּחְפְּרֻהוּ Job 3:21 Infinitive construct לַחְפֹּר Josh 2:2; Josh 2:3 + Isa 2:20 (compare below); Participle חֹפֵר Eccl 10:8 —

1. dig:

a. a well, with accusative בְּאֵר Gen 21:30 ( E ), Gen 26:15; Gen 26:18 (twice in verse); Gen 26:19; Gen 26:21; Gen 26:22; Gen 26:32 ( J ), Num 21:18 ( E ); compare Exod 7:24 ( E ); dig (a hole, implied as object) Deut 23:14 a pit, with hostile purpose, as snare or trap, figurative of malicious plan, with accusative בּוֺר Ps 7:16 (|| כָּרָה); so with accusative גומץ Eccl 10:8 , compare [שַׁחַת] לְנַפְשִׁי ׳ ח Ps 35:7 of horse, dig, i.e. paw the ground, יַחְפֹּר בָּעֵמֶק Job 39:21 (so read, see above) he paweth in the valley (compare Arabic [untranscribed source text 1911] hoof).

b. dig for something hidden, with accusative Job 3:21 (figurative of longing for death), Jer 13:7 (no object expressed)

2. search, search out, explore, with accusative הָאָרֶץ Josh 2:3 (twice in verse) ( J E ), Deut 1:22 of eagle, search for food, with accusative אֹכֶל ׳ ח Job 39:29, with especially reference to keen vision (|| מֵרָחוֺק עֵינָיו יַבִּיטוּ); so = search or look carefully about before going to rest Job 11:18 (no object). — לַחְפֹּר Isa 2:20 see חֲפַרְפָּרָה below

Other Resources

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke

Englishman's Hebrew Concordance

חפר (g’hah-phar’)

Genesis 21:30

KJV: And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

EHCC: that I have digged this well.

Genesis 26:15

KJV: For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

EHCC: had digged in the days of Abraham

Numbers 21:18

KJV: The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:

EHCC: The princes digged the well

Deuteronomy 23:13

KJV: And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:wilt…: Heb. sittest down

EHCC: ( 14). thou (lit. and thou )shaif dig therewith,

Job 39:29

KJV: From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.

EHCC: From thence she seeketh the pres,

Psalms 35:7

KJV: For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

EHCC: they have digged for my soul.

Joshua 2:2

KJV: And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.

EHCC: to search oxt the country.

Genesis 26:18

KJV: And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

EHCC: And Isaac digged again the wells

Exodus 7:24

KJV: And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.

EHCC: And all the Egyptians digged

Deuteronomy 1:22

KJV: And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.

EHCC: and they shall search us out

Job 3:21

KJV: Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;long: Heb. wait

EHCC: and dig for it more than for hid trearures;

Psalms 7:15

KJV: He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.He made a pit: Heb. He hath digged a pit

EHCC: (16). Te ew it, and digged i,

Jeremiah 13:7

KJV: Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

EHCC: Then 1 went to Euphrater and digged,

Ecclesiastes 10:8

KJV: He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

EHCC: He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it;

Strong's Lexicon