Lexical Summary
chadal: To cease, desist, leave off, refrain, forsake
Original Word:חָדַל
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:chadal
Pronunciation:khaw-DAL
Phonetic Spelling:(khaw-dal')
KJV: cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let alone, rest, be unoccupied, want
NASB:cease, ceased, refrain, leave, stop, stopped, never mind
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. (properly) to be flabby
2. (by implication) desist
3. (figuratively) be lacking or idle
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave off, let alone, rest,
A primitive root; properly, to be flabby, i.e. (by implication) desist; (figuratively) be lacking or idle -- cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let alone, rest, be unoccupied, want.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto cease
NASB Translationcease (10), ceased (8), ceasing (1), deserted (1), fail (1), failed (1), gave (1), hold back (1), leave (5), let my alone (1), neglects (1), never mind (2), no (1), past (1), quit (1), refrain (6), refrained (1), refuse (1), regarding* (1), rest (1), stop (4), stopped (4), stops (1), unavoidable* (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Sabean
be negligent, SabDenkm
76) —
PerfectGenesis 18:11 4t.; consecutiveNumbers 9:13;Psalm 49:9; 2masculine singularExodus 23:5; pluralJudges 5:6 4t.; (compare Köi, 243)Judges 5:7;1 Samuel 2:5; 1pluralJeremiah 44:18;ImperfectDeuteronomy 15:11 + (Job 10:20 Kt jussive > QrImperative);Judges 15:7 3t.;Job 16:6; pluralEzekiel 2:5 2t.;Exodus 9:29;Genesis 11:8;Exodus 9:33,1 Kings 22:15, etc.;Infinitive construct1 Samuel 12:23;ImperativeExodus 14:12 +, etc.;Isaiah 1:16;Isaiah 2:22;Zechariah 11:22; —
cease, come to an endExodus 9:29,33,34 (J),Isaiah 24:8; impersonalGenesis 18:11 (J);cease to beDeuteronomy 15:11 (followed by ), and in poetryJudges 5:6,7 (twice in verse);1 Samuel 2:5;Job 14:7; =be lacking, failJob 19:14;Proverbs 10:19.
cease, leave off, followed by infinitive withGenesis 11:8 (J),Genesis 41:49 (E),Numbers 9:13 (P),1 Samuel 12:23;1 Samuel 23:13;Jeremiah 44:18;Jeremiah 51:30;Deuteronomy 23:23;Psalm 36:4;Proverbs 19:27;Ruth 1:18; infinitive aloneIsaiah 1:16; so alsoHosea 8:10, where read for Che We; followed by infinitive withExodus 23:5 (JE),1 Kings 15:21 2Chronicles 16:5; followed by substantive with (cease regarding)Isaiah 2:22 (but Che Du and others treat see as interpolation; omitted by ),1 Samuel 9:5;Proverbs 23:4; followed by 2Chronicles 35:21, i.e. leave off provoking God;Exodus 14:12 (J), followed bydesist from us, let us alone;Job 7:16; followed by accusativeJob 3:17 ;Job 14:6have rest (i.e. cease from being troubled, see Di; compareJob 14:1); no complem. expressed,cease, forbearJudges 15:7;Judges 20:28;Amos 7:5;1 Kings 22:6,15 2Chronicles 18:5,14;Jeremiah 40:4;Jeremiah 41:8;Zechariah 11:12;Psalm 49:9;Job 16:6; 2Chronicles 25:16; specifically of refusal to hearEzekiel 2:5,7;Ezekiel 3:11,27 (all opposed to ).
Perfect (contracted) with interrogative particleJudges 9:9,11,13should I be made to leave, followed by accusative (compare Köi, 240 ff.); Job 10:20 (but read here probably Bi Bu Du); but perhaps read ,
Perfect Stu Be, compare, for accusative followed by,Job 3:17.
Topical Lexicon
Overviewחָדַל (Strong’s Hebrew 2308) expresses the ideas of ceasing, stopping, refraining, leaving off, or letting alone. Though linguistically simple, its occurrences display a rich tapestry of divine sovereignty, human responsibility, and covenant faithfulness. About fifty-eight times the Spirit employs the verb to mark moments when activity terminates—whether judgment, sin, pleading, or toil. Each appearance reminds readers that the God of Scripture both initiates and halts events for His redemptive purposes.
Catalog of Usage
1. Cessation of divine judgments (Exodus 9:29, 33-34;Amos 7:5-6).
2. Command to desist from interference (Exodus 32:10-12;Deuteronomy 9:14).
3. Pleas from people to be left alone (Exodus 14:12;Job 10:20).
4. Moral injunctions to stop sinful behavior (Isaiah 1:16;Isaiah 2:22).
5. Abandonment or desolation of social life (Judges 5:6;Lamentations 5:14-15).
6. Ceasing in speech or persuasion (Ruth 1:18;Job 6:26).
7. Choosing to refrain from a legitimate action (Deuteronomy 23:22).
8. Natural phenomena halted by God (Exodus 9:33-34;Jonah 1:15).
9. Military or national hostilities ending (2 Kings 23:5;Isaiah 16:10).
10. Prophetic intercession requesting God to cease (Amos 7:2-6).
Key Texts
Exodus 9:33-34
“So Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and went out of the city. He stretched out his hands toward the LORD, and the thunder and hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured down upon the land. But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart.”
Exodus 32:10-12
“ ‘Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.’ But Moses implored the LORD his God… ”. The verb highlights the tension between divine wrath and covenant mediation.
Ruth 1:18
“When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.”
Isaiah 1:16
“Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!”
Amos 7:5-6
“Then I said, ‘Lord GOD, please stop! How will Jacob survive, for he is so small?’ So the LORD relented from this outcome. ‘It will not happen either,’ said the Lord GOD.”
Lamentations 5:15
“The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has turned to mourning.”
Themes and Theology
Sovereign Control
חָדַל underscores that every cessation ultimately depends on God. Plagues end only when He wills (Exodus 9). Storms obey Him (Jonah 1:15). National calamities pause at prophetic intercession (Amos 7:2-6).
Mediation and Intercession
The verb often appears in dialogues where a mediator implores God to “cease” judgment (Moses, Amos). These scenes foreshadow the perfect mediation of Jesus Christ, whose atonement brings an enduring cessation of wrath for believers.
Human Freedom and Responsibility
When people refuse to “cease” sin (Exodus 16:28;Isaiah 1:16), judgment follows. Conversely, choosing to refrain from a vow (Deuteronomy 23:22) or abandoning violence (Isaiah 2:22) displays obedient restraint.
Redemptive Rest
חָדַל highlights God-granted rest after labor or turmoil—physical (hail ceasing), emotional (Naomi’s persuasion), or spiritual (sin stopped). Such rest anticipates the eternal Sabbath in Christ.
Judgment and Desolation
In prophetic poetry the word describes societal collapse: deserted highways (Judges 5:6), vanished joy (Lamentations 5:15), silenced song (Isaiah 24:8). These pictures warn of the consequences of persistent rebellion.
Foreshadowings of the Gospel
1. Prophetic pleas for God to cease judgment prefigure Christ’s high-priestly intercession.
2. The stopping of the plague through Moses’ prayer (Numbers narrative parallel) anticipates the cross where wrath forever ceased for the redeemed.
3. Moral commands to “cease evil” lay groundwork for the Gospel call to repentance empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Practical Ministry Applications
Pastoral Counseling
Encourage believers to “cease striving” in self-effort and trust God’s sovereign timing (cf.Exodus 14:12 contrasted withPsalm 46:10).
Corporate Worship
Highlight moments when God halted calamities in response to prayer, inspiring confidence in congregational intercession.
Ethics and Vows
Teach the wisdom principle ofDeuteronomy 23:22—better to refrain from a vow than to break it—promoting integrity.
Mission and Justice
Isaiah’s plea to “stop doing evil” (Isaiah 1:16) motivates holistic ministry: repentance leads to social righteousness and care for the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17).
Homiletical and Devotional Insights
• Every divine “cease” is both judgment and mercy: judgment on sin, mercy toward those who heed the warning.
• Like Naomi, spiritual leaders must know when to stop persuading and trust the Spirit to complete conviction.
• The cessation of joy inLamentations 5:15 urges lament in worship, creating space for honest grief yet hopeful expectation.
• Amos’s repeated cry “please stop” legitimizes bold intercession even amid deserved judgment.
• Ultimately, Revelation anticipates the day when sorrow, pain, and death will “cease” forever—fulfilling the deepest longing embedded in every occurrence of חָדַל.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶחְדָּ֑ל אֶחְדָּֽל׃ אחדל אחדל׃ הֶחֳדַ֙לְתִּי֙ החדלתי וְ֝אַחְדְּלָ֗ה וְחָדַ֥ל וְחָדַל֙ וְחָדַלְתָּ֖ וְיֶחְדָּ֑ל וַֽיַּחְדְּל֖וּ וַֽיַּחְדְּל֤וּ וַחֲדָ֑ל וַיֶּחְדַּ֕ל וַיֶּחְדַּ֖ל וַיֶּחְדַּ֣ל וַתֶּחְדַּ֖ל ואחדלה וחדל וחדלת ויחדל ויחדלו ותחדל חֲדַ֥ל חֲדַל־ חֲדָ֑ל חֲדָ֑לוּ חֲדָֽל׃ חִדְל֖וּ חִדְל֤וּ חַֽדַל־ חָ֣דְלוּ חָדְל֖וּ חָדְל֥וּ חָדְל֧וּ חָדְלוּ֩ חָדֵ֑לּוּ חָדַ֖ל חָדַ֜לְנוּ חָדַ֥ל חָדַ֨ל חָדַל֙ חדל חדל־ חדל׃ חדלו חדלנו יֶחְדַּ֥ל יֶחְדַּל־ יֶחְדָּ֑לוּ יֶחְדָּ֔ל יֶחְדָּ֔לוּ יֶחְדָּֽלוּ׃ יֶחְדָּל֗וּן יחדל יחדל־ יחדלו יחדלו׃ יחדלון מֵחֲדֹ֖ל מחדל נֶחְדָּ֑ל נחדל תֶחְדַּ֖ל תֶחְדָּֽל׃ תחדל תחדל׃ ’eḥ·dāl ’eḥdāl chaDal chaDalnu chaDalu chaDellu chadeLu chidLu echDal ḥă·ḏā·lū ḥă·ḏal ḥă·ḏāl ḥā·ḏal ḥa·ḏal- ḥă·ḏal- ḥā·ḏal·nū ḥā·ḏə·lū ḥā·ḏêl·lū ḥăḏal ḥăḏāl ḥāḏal ḥaḏal- ḥăḏal- ḥāḏalnū ḥăḏālū ḥāḏêllū ḥāḏəlū he·ḥo·ḏal·tî hechoDalti heḥoḏaltî ḥiḏ·lū ḥiḏlū mê·ḥă·ḏōl mechaDol mêḥăḏōl nechDal neḥ·dāl neḥdāl techDal ṯeḥ·dal ṯeḥ·dāl ṯeḥdal ṯeḥdāl vachaDal vaiyachdeLu vaiyechDal vattechDal veachdeLah vechaDal vechadalTa veyechDal wa·ḥă·ḏāl waḥăḏāl wat·teḥ·dal watteḥdal way·yaḥ·də·lū way·yeḥ·dal wayyaḥdəlū wayyeḥdal wə’aḥdəlāh wə·’aḥ·də·lāh wə·ḥā·ḏal wə·ḥā·ḏal·tā wə·yeḥ·dāl wəḥāḏal wəḥāḏaltā wəyeḥdāl yechDal yechDalu yechdaLun yeḥ·dā·lū yeḥ·dā·lūn yeḥ·dal yeḥ·dāl yeḥ·dal- yeḥdal yeḥdāl yeḥdal- yeḥdālū yeḥdālūn
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