BDB2716 [H2416]

1. a. of God, as the living one, the fountain of life אֵל חַי Josh 3:10 (J), Hos 2:1; Ps 42:3; Ps 84:3 אלהים חי 2Kgs 19:4; 2Kgs 19:16 = Isa 37:4; Isa 37:17 אלהים חיים Deut 5:23; 1Sam 17:26; 1Sam 17:36; Jer 10:10; Jer 23:36 חי יהוה Yahweh is living Ps 18:47 = 2Sam 22:47 גאלי חי my avenger is living Job 19:25 the formula of the oath is ׳חַי י Judg 8:19; Ruth 3:13; 1Sam 14:39; 1Sam 14:45; 1Sam 19:6; 1Sam 20:21; 1Sam 25:34; 1Sam 26:10; 1Sam 26:16; 1Sam 28:10; 1Sam 29:6; 2Sam 4:9; 2Sam 12:5; 2Sam 14:11; 2Sam 15:21; 1Kgs 1:29; 1Kgs 2:24; 1Kgs 17:1; 1Kgs 17:12; 1Kgs 18:10; 1Kgs 22:14 = 2Chr 18:13; 2Kgs 5:16; 2Kgs 5:20; Hos 4:15; Jer 4:2; Jer 5:2; Jer 12:16; Jer 16:14; Jer 16:15; Jer 23:7; Jer 23:8; Jer 38:16 חי אל Job 27:2 האלהים ׳ח 2Sam 2:27 ׳חי אדני י Jer 44:26 צבאות ׳תי י 1Kgs 18:15; 2Kgs 3:14 as used by God Himself it is חי אנכי Deut 32:40, elsewhere חי אני Num 14:21; Num 14:28 (P) Isa 49:18; Jer 22:24; Jer 46:18; Ezek 5:11; Ezek 14:16; Ezek 14:18; Ezek 14:20; Ezek 16:48; Ezek 17:16; Ezek 17:19; Ezek 18:3; Ezek 20:3; Ezek 20:31; Ezek 20:33; Ezek 33:11; Ezek 33:27; Ezek 34:8; Ezek 35:6; Ezek 35:11; Zeph 2:9, compare also חֵי דרך באר שׁבע, חֵי אלהיך דן Amos 8:14 with the exception of בְּחֵי הָעֹולָם by him who liveth for ever Dan 12:7, חֵי is always (as an artificial distinction of scribes) used of non-sacred oaths, see b. b. of man: אָדָם חַי a living man Lam 3:39, in antith חי חי ׃מֵת Isa 38:19 הַחַי collective Eccl 7:2 Absalom 2Sam 19:7 Naboth 1Kgs 21:15 a son or lad 2Sam 12:21; 1Kgs 3:22 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 3:23 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 3:25; 1Kgs 3:26 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 3:27; 1Kgs 17:23 usually plural חיים alive, living Num 16:30; Num 16:33 (J), Num 17:13 (P), Deut 4:4; Deut 5:3; Isa 8:19; Ps 55:16; Ps 124:3; Prov 1:12; Eccl 4:2 (twice in verse); Eccl 4:15; Eccl 6:8; Eccl 9:4; Eccl 9:5; Ruth 2:20 taking prisoners alive Josh 8:23 (J) 1Sam 15:8; 1Kgs 20:18 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 7:12; 2Kgs 10:14 (twice in verse); 2Chr 25:12 living (prosperously) 1Sam 25:6 (We reads לָחִי = לְאָחִי (see Klo Dr) to my brother, after ᵑ9 fratribus meis); elsewhere in phrase (פני) האדמה כלהֿימים אשׁר הֵם (אַתֶּם) חיים על all the days that they (ye) live upon (the face of) of the land Deut 4:10; Deut 12:1; Deut 31:13; 1Kgs 8:40 = 2Chr 6:31. Note phrases: עוֺד חַי (יםׅ yet alive Gen 25:6; Gen 43:7; Gen 43:27; Gen 43:28; Gen 45:28; Gen 46:30 (J), Gen 45:3; Gen 45:26; Exod 4:18 (E), Deut 31:27; 1Sam 20:14; 2Sam 12:22; 2Sam 18:14; 1Kgs 20:32 בהיות חי 2Sam 12:18; 1Kgs 12:6; 2Chr 10:6 אֶרֶץ (ה)חַיִים land of the living Isa 38:11; Isa 53:8; Jer 11:19; Ezek 26:20; Ezek 32:23; Ezek 32:24; Ezek 32:25; Ezek 32:26; Ezek 32:27; Ezek 32:32; Ps 27:13; Ps 52:7; Ps 142:6; Job 28:13 ׳ארצות הח Ps 116:9 ׳ספר ח Ps 69:29 ׳צרור הח bundle of the living 1Sam 25:29 ׳אור הח light of the living Job 33:30; Ps 56:14. In the oath by life of men חי is pointed always חֵי אדני ׃חֵי המלך as my lord the king liveth 2Sam 15:21 חֵי פרעה Gen 42:15; Gen 42:16 (E); חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ 1Sam 1:26; 1Sam 17:55; 2Sam 14:19 ׳חַ וְחֵי נַפְשְׁךָ ׳י as Yahweh liveth and as thy soul (or thyself) liveth 1Sam 20:3; 1Sam 25:26; 2Kgs 2:2; 2Kgs 2:4; 2Kgs 2:6; 2Kgs 4:30 חַיֶּךָ ׳וְחֵי נ 2Sam 11:11 (but on text see We Dr).
\ \ c. of animals, alive, living: ox Exod 21:35; Exod 22:3 (E); goat Lev 16:10; Lev 16:20; Lev 16:21 (P); bird Lev 14:4; Lev 14:6 (twice in verse); Lev 14:7; Lev 14:51; Lev 14:53 dog, לְכֶלֶב חַי הוּא טוֺב מִןהָֿאַרְיֵה הַמֵּת Eccl 9:4 (compare Arabic proverb Kelb µei wa-lâ meijit, a living dog and no dead lion Wetzst^{Verhand. Berl. Anthrop. Ges. 1878, 388}); reptiles Gen 1:28 (P); animals in general Gen 9:3 (P); בשׂר חי living, raw flesh Lev 13:10; Lev 13:14; Lev 13:15 (twice in verse); Lev 13:16 (P) 1Sam 2:15.
\ \ d. animals and man, phrases for either or both: ׳כל ח Gen 3:20; Gen 8:21 (J) Job 12:10; Job 28:21; Job 30:23; Ps 143:2; Ps 145:16 כל החי Gen 6:19 (P); נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה Gen 1:20; Gen 1:24; Gen 1:30 (P) Gen 2:7; Gen 2:19 (J); כל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה Gen 9:12; Gen 9:15; Gen 9:16 (P) Ezek 47:9 כל נפשׁ החיה Gen 1:21; Gen 9:10; Lev 11:10; Lev 11:46 (P).
\ \ e. (dubious) of vegetation, as thorns, green, Ps 58:10 (Ges Ew Ol Pe, but De Ri Che Bae raw flesh, see
\ \ c. above near the end) feminine of water, flowing, fresh מים חיים Gen 26:19 (J), Lev 14:5; Lev 14:6; Lev 14:50; Lev 14:51; Lev 14:52; Lev 15:13; Num 19:17 (P), Jer 2:13; Jer 17:13; Zech 14:8; Song 4:15.

2. (dubious) lively, active: אישׁ חַי an active man 2Sam 23:20 (but Qr אישׁ חַיִל is to be preferred); איבי חיים mine enemies are lively Ps 38:20 (RV, but Houb Ol Ew Hu Che and others read חִנָּם, || שׁקר).

3. reviving: כָּעֵת חַיָּה at the time (when it is) reviving, the spring Gen 18:10; Gen 18:14 (J), 2Kgs 4:16; 2Kgs 4:17.