a. withhold, keep back, keep for oneself, accusative, Gen 22:12 ( E ), Gen 22:16; Gen 39:9 (followed by מִמֶּגִּי; both J ); absolute Prov 21:26 (opposed to נָתַן); withhold the rod (שׁבט) in discipline, Prov 13:24 no object expressed Prov 11:24; Prov 24:11 .

b. keep one from evil, calamity, She'ôl, etc., with accusative and מִן Gen 20:6 ( E ), 1Sam 25:39; Ps 19:14 מִמָּוֶת נַפְשָׁם ׳ ח Ps 78:50 compare Job 33:18; Isa 38:7 (read חָשַׂכְתָּ or חֲשׂךְ for ᵑ0 חָשַׁקְתָּ, see חשׁק ); absolute hinder (i.e. calamities from coming) Isa 14:6 לְמַטָח מֵעֲוֺנֵנוּ ׳ ח Ezra 9:13 thou hast kept back, downward (= and kept down), part of our iniquity , i.e. hast not punished us according to our full desert.

c. hold in check with accusative 2Sam 18:16 (or spare see below); object רַגְלֵיהֶם Jer 14:10 especially of keeping silence, object פִּי Job 7:11 restrain my mouth, שׂפתים Prov 10:19, אמרים Prov 17:27 רֹק ׳ מִפָּנַי לֹא ח Job 30:10 from my face they have not withheld spittle (= they have spit in my face).

d. refrain (from doing what is mentioned in the context), absolute Isa 54:2; Isa 58:1 .

e. spare, with accusative of person 2Kgs 5:20 he hath spared Naaman מִקַּחַת so as not to take (= and hath not taken anything) out of his hand; perhaps also 2Sam 18:16 Joab spared the people (see above).

f. reserve for, with accusative + לְ Job 38:23.