Lexical Summary
chinnam: Without cause, freely, for nothing, in vain
Original Word:חִנָּם
Part of Speech:Adverb
Transliteration:chinnam
Pronunciation:khin-nawm'
Phonetic Spelling:(khin-nawm')
KJV: without a cause (cost, wages), causeless, to cost nothing, free(-ly), innocent, for nothing (nought, in vain
NASB:without cause, nothing, vain, without a cause, free, useless, uselessly
Word Origin:[fromH2580 (חֵן - favor)]
1. gratis, i.e. devoid of cost, reason or advantage
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
without a cost, free, causeless, to cost nothing, freely, innocent, in vain
Fromchen; gratis, i.e. Devoid of cost, reason or advantage -- without a cause (cost, wages), causeless, to cost nothing, free(-ly), innocent, for nothing (nought, in vain.
see HEBREWchen
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
chananDefinitionout of favor
NASB Translationfree (1), nothing (4), useless (1), uselessly (1), vain (2), which cost (1), which cost me nothing (1), which costs (1), which costs me nothing (1), without a cause (2), without cause (17), without pay (1), without payment (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, used chiefly in the accusative as
(compare Assyrianannáma,in vain, DlK 7, Pr 44; from , with aff. , which is sometimes found in substantives proper, as , and proper names, but is more particularly used with substantives applied adverbially, as , , : Sta§ 203 BaNB § 216) — literally out of favour; i.e.
gratis, gratuitously, for nothing, to servefor noughtGenesis 29:15;Job 1:9;Isaiah 52:3 to be sold (figurative)for noughtIsaiah 52:5;Exodus 21:2,11 to go out(from slavery)freely, for nothing,Numbers 11:5 which we used to eat in Egyptianfor nought,Jeremiah 22:13;1 Chronicles 21:24; in the Genitive2 Samuel 24:24 i.e. burnt-offeringswhich cost nothing (in the ""1 Chronicles 21:24 the construction is changed).
for no purpose, in vainProverbs 1:17;Malachi 1:10: once (compare )Ezekiel 6:10.
gratuitously, without cause, undeservedly, especially of groundless hostility or attack,1 Samuel 19:5 to slay Davidwithout cause,1 Samuel 25:31;Psalm 35:7 (twice in verse);Psalm 109:3;Psalm 119:161 ,Proverbs 1:11;Proverbs 3:30;Proverbs 23:29;Job 2:3Job 9:17;Job 22:6;Ezekiel 14:23;Psalm 35:19; andPsalm 69:5 my haterswithout cause,Lamentations 3:52 ; in the Genitive1 Kings 2:31 blood shedwithout cause (compare1 Samuel 25:31),Proverbs 24:28 ,Proverbs 26:2 thecauseless curse.
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Semantic Rangeחִנָּם denotes something occurring “for nothing,” “without cause,” “without payment,” or “in vain.” The term can describe unjust hostility, gratuitous labor, cost-free transactions, or actions deemed pointless. Context decides whether the emphasis is on innocence, gratuity, or futility, yet in every instance the word underscores an absence of deservedness or cost.
Distribution and Frequency
Used about thirty-two times across the Old Testament, חִנָּם spans every major literary division—Pentateuch (Genesis), Historical Books (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles), Wisdom Literature (Job, Psalms, Proverbs), and the Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Lamentations, Malachi). This breadth allows the word to speak into personal ethics, national history, worship, and eschatology.
Representative Uses in Narrative Texts
•Genesis 29:15 sets the economic sense: “Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative?” Laban recognizes that free labor is improper; compensation is right and just.
•1 Samuel 19:5 captures the judicial sense: Saul would shed “innocent blood … without cause,” illustrating unjust persecution rooted in jealousy rather than guilt.
•2 Samuel 24:24 highlights sacrificial integrity: David refuses offerings “that cost me nothing,” establishing a principle that genuine worship includes rightful cost.
These accounts show חִנָּם shaping decisions about labor, justice, and worship in Israel’s formative stories.
Expressing Unjust Persecution
The Psalms consistently employ חִנָּם when the righteous are harassed:
• “Do not let my enemies gloat over me without cause” (Psalm 35:19).
• “Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head” (Psalm 69:4).
The term frames persecution as baseless, highlighting both the innocence of the afflicted and the moral bankruptcy of the oppressor. This rhetoric becomes a template for later Messianic reflection (John 15:25 citesPsalm 35:19).
Denoting Free or Costless Exchange
Beyond injustice, חִנָּם can affirm grace:
•Isaiah 52:3 contrasts Israel’s exile (“You were sold for nothing”) with promised redemption “without money,” forecasting divine deliverance divorced from human merit or payment.
• The commercial nuance reappears when David insists on paying for Araunah’s threshing floor; free gifts (חִנָּם) are rejected so that worship will not be cheapened (2 Samuel 24:24).
Thus the same word can expose improper costlessness (cheap worship) or celebrate gracious costlessness (God’s redemption), depending on the agent involved.
Idiomatic Usage in Wisdom Literature
Proverbs adopts חִנָּם for ethical teaching:
• “Do not accuse a man without cause” (Proverbs 3:30);
• “Like a fluttering sparrow … a curse without cause does not come to rest” (Proverbs 26:2);
• “If they say, ‘Come with us … let us lie in wait for blood … all for nothing’” (Proverbs 1:11, 17).
The word becomes shorthand for baseless aggression, slander, and futile schemes, reinforcing personal righteousness and cautioning against envy or rash speech.
Prophetic Applications
Prophets leverage חִנָּם to expose societal sin and vindicate divine justice:
•Jeremiah 22:13 denounces a king “who makes his neighbor serve for nothing,” condemning exploitative leadership.
•Ezekiel 14:23 defends God’s judgments: “You will know that I have done nothing without cause,” asserting the Lord’s perfect rationale behind discipline.
•Lamentations 3:52 chronicles national suffering: “My enemies hunted me like a bird without cause,” blending personal lament with corporate grief.
These texts affirm that while human persecution may be groundless, divine actions are never arbitrary.
Theological Reflections
1. Divine Justice and Human Innocence: חִנָּם underscores the moral gap between righteous sufferers and unrighteous aggressors, anticipating New Testament teaching on persecution and vindication (Matthew 5:10–12).
2. Costly Worship versus Cheap Religion: David’s refusal of a cost-free sacrifice models the principle that true devotion values God above convenience.
3. Grace without Price: Isaiah’s promise of redemption “without money” anticipates the gospel invitation to drink “without cost” (Revelation 22:17), framing salvation as wholly unearned.
Practical Ministry Implications
• Pastoral Care: When believers experience unjust hostility, Psalms using חִנָּם provide language for lament that affirms innocence yet entrusts vengeance to God.
• Ethical Instruction: Proverbs warns against slander, litigation, or business practices that wrong others “without cause,” shaping Christian conduct in society.
• Worship Leadership: David’s example challenges congregations to offer resources, time, and hearts that truly cost them something, resisting consumer-style religion.
Foreshadowing the Gospel
Job 1:9 poses Satan’s piercing question: “Does Job fear God for nothing?” The narrative eventually proves that authentic faith persists even when blessing is stripped away. Centuries later, Jesus Christ embodies the ultimate righteous sufferer, hated “without cause” (Psalm 35:19;John 15:25) and yet freely offering redemption “without money.” The double note of unjust suffering and free grace embedded in חִנָּם reaches its climax at the cross, where the innocent One pays the full price so that sinners may receive eternal life—חִנָּם, gratis.
Forms and Transliterations
הַֽחִנָּ֔ם החנם חִ֝נָּ֗ם חִ֫נָּ֥ם חִ֭נָּם חִנָּ֑ם חִנָּ֔ם חִנָּ֖ם חִנָּ֗ם חִנָּ֣ם חִנָּ֤ם חִנָּֽם׃ חִנָּם֙ חנם חנם׃ chinNam Chinnom ha·ḥin·nām hachinNam haḥinnām ḥin·nām ḥinnām
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