Lexical Summary
chemah: Wrath, fury, heat, anger
Original Word:חֵמָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:chemah
Pronunciation:khay-maw'
Phonetic Spelling:(khay-maw')
KJV: anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath(-ful) See H2529
NASB:wrath, fury, anger, venom, hot-tempered, rage, heat
Word Origin:[fromH3179 (יָחַם - mating)]
1. heat
2. (figuratively) anger, poison (from its fever)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furiously heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath ful
Or (Dan. 11:44) chemac {khay-maw'}; fromyacham; heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever) -- anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath(- ful). Seechem'ah.
see HEBREWyacham
see HEBREWchem'ah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
yachamDefinitionheat, rage
NASB Translationanger (7), angry (1), burning anger (1), enrages (1), fury (9), heat (2), hot displeasure (1), hot-tempered (3), poison (2), rage (3), venom (5), wrath (86), wrath and raging (1), wrathful (2), wrathful* (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
see below .
wrath, see below ;Job 29:6, see ; , , , see below . below
(once ):121 (for ; Late Hebrewid.; Aramaicpoison,
heat, wrath, poison, BrockLex. 116, also Nö§ 103; Arabic
poison, Lane651; Assyrianimtu, spittle, breath,poison, DlHWB 78 Muss-ArnCD 62) — absoluteNahum 1:2 39t.;Daniel 11:44; constructGenesis 27:44 25t.; suffixJeremiah 4:4 36t.;Jeremiah 10:25 8t.;Psalm 88:8;Psalm 89:47;Isaiah 51:17 8t.;Job 6:4; pluralProverbs 22:24,Psalm 76:11; —
heat:
fever,Hosea 7:5fever from wine, wine-fever (on stative construct see Ges§ 130, 1).
venom, poison (figurative):Deuteronomy 32:24;Deuteronomy 32:33;Psalm 58:5 comparePsalm 58:5;Psalm 140:4;poison of arrows (of )Job 6:4.
burning anger, rage:
of man:Genesis 27:44 (J),2 Samuel 11:20;2 Kings 5:12;Esther 1:12;Esther 2:1;Esther 3:5;Esther 5:9 (against, ),Esther 7:7,10;Psalm 37:8 ("" ),Psalm 76:11 (yet on text see Che),Proverbs 6:34;Proverbs 15:1,18 (man of rage = raging or wrathful man),Proverbs 16:4;Proverbs 19:19 ( Qr =one great in rage, see De Now),Proverbs 27:4 ("" ),Isaiah 51:13 (twice in verse);Ezekiel 23:25;Proverbs 22:24 ("" );Proverbs 29:22 ("" );strong rageProverbs 21:14 ("" );Ezekiel 3:14the rage of my spirit.
,Daniel 8:6in the fury of his power.
(), often Jeremiah, Isa2, Ezekiel, Psalms:Jeremiah 4:4 16t. Jeremiah;2 Kings 22:13,17;Isaiah 27:4 (Hi Ew Di Du; on other interpretations, and on text see Di),Isaiah 63:5;Lamentations 2:4;Ezekiel 5:13 29t. Ezekiel;Numbers 25:11 (P), 2 Chronicles 12:7; 34:21,25; 36:16;Psalm 59:14;Psalm 79:6;Psalm 88:8;Psalm 89:47;Psalm 106:23;Job 21:20; apparently alsoJob 19:29;Job 36:18 see Di; often ""Micah 5:14;Deuteronomy 9:19;Deuteronomy 29:22;Isaiah 42:25 ( as appositive, + ),Isaiah 63:3,6;Daniel 9:16;Psalm 6:2;Psalm 78:38;Psalm 90:7;Psalm 66:15 ("" ), +Jeremiah 23:19;Jeremiah 30:23 of the whirlwind of ; "" +Deuteronomy 29:27;Jeremiah 21:5;Jeremiah 32:37; "" +Ezekiel 5:15, compare aloneEzekiel 25:17; ""Nahum 1:6;Lamentations 4:11; ""Isaiah 34:2 (of furyagainst,),Psalm 38:2; ""Isaiah 51:20; ""Isaiah 59:18; ""Ezekiel 36:6, compareZechariah 8:2 ("" );Ezekiel 16:38 (on text see Co);Leviticus 26:28rage of meeting, i.e.encountering themin rage;Isaiah 51:17,22the cup of his (my) fury;Jeremiah 25:15;a possessor of fury = furiousNahum 1:2 ("" , ). [ =rage against one:Isaiah 34:2; 2Chronicles 28:9. — Vbs. used with are:Genesis 27:44,Proverbs 15:1,2 Samuel 11:20,Esther 1:12,Esther 2:1;Esther 7:10;
turn away wrath ofNumbers 25:11;Psalm 106:23;Jeremiah 18:20 (butIsaiah 66:15to recompense his anger in fury, give it as requital);is kindled against one Niph`al2 Kings 22:13,17; itburnsJeremiah 4:4;Jeremiah 21:12;Jeremiah 44:6;Psalm 89:47;arises 2Chronicles 36:16, compare as object of Hiph`ilEzekiel 24:8;ispoured out 2Chronicles 12:7; 34:21,25;Jeremiah 7:20;Jeremiah 42:18 (twice in verse);Jeremiah 44:6;Nahum 1:6;pours it outPsalm 79:6;Isaiah 42:25;Jeremiah 10:25;Ezekiel 7:8;Ezekiel 9:8;Ezekiel 14:19;Ezekiel 16:38 (according to Co's conjecture),Ezekiel 20:8,13,21;Ezekiel 22:22;Ezekiel 30:15;Ezekiel 36:18;Lamentations 2:4;Ezekiel 20:33,34;bring to rest (i.e. satisfy)one's fury uponEzekiel 5:13;Ezekiel 16:42;Ezekiel 24:13;Lamentations 4:11; +Ezekiel 5:13I have accomplished my fury upon them (in their case),Ezekiel 6:12;Ezekiel 13:15.]
see below IV.
see below
(√ of following; original meaning unknown; Late Hebrew Aramaic adjective as Hebrew; Syriac Aph`el
discalceatus fuit; compare perhaps Arabic
(transposed)walk barefoot, alsobecome chafed, of foot or hoof).
(√ of following; see Biblical Hebrew , whence ).
Topical Lexicon
Overviewחֵמָה occurs about 122 times, spanning Torah, Histories, Wisdom, and Prophets. It denotes burning heat expressed as wrath, rage, jealousy, or even snake venom, always conveying an intense, potentially destructive force. The context determines whether the heat belongs to God, people, nations, wine, or serpents.
Range of Meaning and Distribution
1. Divine wrath against sin (most common; Genesis through Malachi).
2. Human anger or jealousy (e.g.,Proverbs 6:34; 27:4).
3. Figurative “venom” or “poison” (Deuteronomy 32:33;Job 20:14).
4. Consuming heat, literal or metaphorical (Isaiah 51:17;Ezekiel 5:13).
The word is concentrated in Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, yet it first appears inGenesis 27:44 (LXX numbering) and last inZechariah 1:15.
Divine Wrath in the Pentateuch
•Numbers 25:11–13 records Phinehas turning back the LORD’s חֵמָה: “Phinehas… has turned My wrath away from the Israelites… so that I did not consume them in My zeal.” Here wrath is righteous, covenantal, and appeased through zeal for holiness.
•Deuteronomy 29:23–28 warns that national apostasy will draw “all the curses written in this book,” a preview of exile fulfilled in2 Kings 25.
• Moses himself trembled: “I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 9:19). Yet mediatory prayer stayed judgment (Exodus 32:11–14), foreshadowing Christ’s intercession.
Chemah in Israel’s Historical Narrative
Repeated cycles in Judges, Kings, and Chronicles show חֵמָה poured out when covenant stipulations are violated.2 Chronicles 36:16–17 summarizes the Babylonian catastrophe: “But they mocked the messengers of God… until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people and there was no remedy.” Divine wrath is never capricious; it is measured, judicial, and consistent with prior warnings.
Psalms and Wisdom Literature
David pleads, “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath or discipline me in Your rage” (Psalm 38:1; cf. 6:1). Worship gives vocabulary for lament and hope: “He… restrained His wrath and did not unleash all His fury” (Psalm 78:38).
Proverbs 6:34 links חֵמָה with marital jealousy: “For jealousy enrages a husband.”Proverbs 27:4 contrasts emotional intensities: “Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” Wisdom thus recognizes both righteous and unrighteous heat of spirit.
Prophetic Emphasis: Judgment and Hope
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve employ חֵמָה to announce looming judgment yet also its eventual cessation.
•Isaiah 10:25: “For in a very little while My wrath will be spent.”
•Jeremiah 7:20: “My anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place.”
•Ezekiel 5:13: “Then My anger will cease, and My wrath against them will subside.”
The prophets also envision nations drinking a cup of wrath (e.g.,Isaiah 51:17, 22), an image that reappears inRevelation 14:10.
Symbolic and Figurative Uses
Venom: “Their wine is the venom of serpents” (Deuteronomy 32:33). The burn of alcoholic excess mirrors moral corruption.
Cup: The cup of חֵמָה signifies inescapable judgment (Isaiah 51:17).
Storm / Fire:Ezekiel 38:18–19 pictures an eschatological earthquake triggered “in My zeal and fiery wrath.”
Intercession and Atonement
Priestly and prophetic intercessors stand between God’s wrath and the people:
• Moses (Exodus 32:11–14)
• Phinehas (Numbers 25:11)
• The suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:5, implicitly bearing wrath for peace)
Ultimately,Romans 3:25 connects Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice to the Old Testament pattern—He absorbs divine חֵמָה on behalf of believers.
Ministry and Pastoral Implications
1. Holiness: Persistent sin invites divine discipline (Hebrews 10:26–31 echoes Old Testament warnings).
2. Gospel urgency: The church proclaims rescue “from the coming wrath” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
3. Anger management: Human חֵמָה must be governed (Ephesians 4:31).
4. Intercession: Leaders are called to plead for mercy, following Moses and Phinehas.
Eschatological Perspective
Chemah imagery feeds into New Testament prophecy.Revelation 19:15 speaks of “the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty,” uniting Old and New Testaments in a coherent doctrine of final judgment followed by new creation where wrath is forever satisfied (Revelation 21:4).
Representative References
Genesis 27:44;Exodus 32:11;Numbers 25:11;Deuteronomy 9:19; 29:23; 32:33;2 Kings 22:13;2 Chronicles 36:16;Psalm 6:1; 38:1; 78:38; 90:7;Proverbs 6:34; 27:4;Isaiah 10:25; 13:13; 51:17;Jeremiah 7:20; 42:18;Ezekiel 5:13; 8:18; 22:31; 38:19;Hosea 11:9;Nahum 1:6;Zechariah 1:15.
Summary
חֵמָה presents God as morally passionate, not indifferent; His burning righteousness judges sin yet is tempered by covenant love, satisfied through atonement, and ultimately vindicated in eschatological justice. Human חֵמָה, in contrast, warns against destructive anger and jealousy, calling believers to self-control and reliance on divine mercy.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּחֵמָ֔ה בְּחֵמָ֣א בְּחֵמָ֥ה בְּחֵמָֽה׃ בְּחֵמָה֙ בְחֵמָ֔ה בְחֵמָה֮ בַּֽחֲמָתִ֑י בַּחֲמַ֣ת בַּחֲמַ֥ת בַּחֲמַ֨ת בַּחֲמַת־ בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥ בַּחֲמָתִ֑י בַּחֲמָתוֹ֙ בחמא בחמה בחמה׃ בחמת בחמת־ בחמתו בחמתי בחמתך הַחֵמָ֛ה החמה וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ה וְחֵמָ֖ה וְחֵמָ֥ה וְכַחֲמָתִ֑י וַֽחֲמָתִי֙ וַחֲמַ֥ת וַחֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ וַחֲמָת֖וֹ וַחֲמָתִ֖י וַחֲמָתִ֗י וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ וּבְחֵמָ֖ה וּבְחֵמָ֛ה וּבְחֵמָ֥ה וּבְחֵמָה֙ וּבַחֲמָתִ֑י וּבַחֲמָתִ֔י וּבַחֲמָתִ֖י וּבַחֲמָתִי֙ וּבַחֲמָתֽוֹ׃ וּמֵחֲמַ֖ת ובחמה ובחמתו׃ ובחמתי ובחמתך והחמה וחמה וחמת וחמתו וחמתי וחמתך וכחמתי ומחמת חֲ֝מָת֗וֹ חֲ֭מָתָם חֲמַ֖ת חֲמַ֣ת חֲמַ֥ת חֲמַ֨ת חֲמַת־ חֲמָת֑וֹ חֲמָת֔וֹ חֲמָתְךָ֖ חֲמָתְךָ֗ חֲמָתְךָ֨ חֲמָתִ֑י חֲמָתִ֔י חֲמָתִ֖י חֲמָתִ֗י חֲמָתִ֛י חֲמָתִ֣י חֲמָתִ֤י חֲמָתִ֧י חֲמָתִי֙ חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ חֲמָתֶֽךָ׃ חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ חֲמָתוֹ֙ חֵ֝מוֹת חֵ֭מָה חֵמָ֑ה חֵמָ֔ה חֵמָ֖ה חֵמָ֣ה חֵמָ֥ה חֵמָֽה׃ חֵמָה֙ חֵמֹ֣ת חמה חמה׃ חמות חמת חמת־ חמתו חמתו׃ חמתי חמתך חמתך׃ חמתם ba·ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā ba·ḥă·mā·ṯî ba·ḥă·mā·ṯōw ba·ḥă·maṯ ba·ḥă·maṯ- bachamat bachamateCha bachamaTi bachamaTo baḥămaṯ baḥămaṯ- baḥămāṯəḵā baḥămāṯî baḥămāṯōw bə·ḥê·mā bə·ḥê·māh ḇə·ḥê·māh becheMa becheMah bəḥêmā bəḥêmāh ḇəḥêmāh chaMat chamateCha chamaTi chamaTo Chamatom cheMah cheMot ha·ḥê·māh ḥă·mā·ṯām ḥă·mā·ṯe·ḵā ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā ḥă·mā·ṯî ḥă·mā·ṯōw ḥă·maṯ ḥă·maṯ- hacheMah haḥêmāh ḥămaṯ ḥămaṯ- ḥămāṯām ḥămāṯeḵā ḥămāṯəḵā ḥămāṯî ḥămāṯōw ḥê·māh ḥê·mō·wṯ ḥê·mōṯ ḥêmāh ḥêmōṯ ḥêmōwṯ ū·ḇa·ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā ū·ḇa·ḥă·mā·ṯî ū·ḇa·ḥă·mā·ṯōw ū·ḇə·ḥê·māh ū·mê·ḥă·maṯ ūḇaḥămāṯəḵā ūḇaḥămāṯî ūḇaḥămāṯōw ūḇəḥêmāh umechaMat ūmêḥămaṯ uvachamateCha uvachamaTi uvachamaTo uvecheMah vachaMat vachaMatecha vachamaTi vachamaTo vechachamaTi vecheMah veHacheMah wa·ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā wa·ḥă·mā·ṯî wa·ḥă·mā·ṯōw wa·ḥă·maṯ waḥămaṯ waḥămāṯəḵā waḥămāṯî waḥămāṯōw wə·ha·ḥê·māh wə·ḥê·māh wə·ḵa·ḥă·mā·ṯî wəhaḥêmāh wəḥêmāh wəḵaḥămāṯî
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