2614. chanaq

Lexicon

chanaq: To strangle, to choke

Original Word: חָנַק
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chanaq
Pronunciation: khaw-nak'
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-nak')
Definition: To strangle, to choke
Meaning: to be narrow, to throttle, to choke oneself to death

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

hang self, strangle

A primitive root (compare chanak); to be narrow; by implication, to throttle, or (reflex.) To choke oneself to death (by a rope) -- hang self, strangle.

see HEBREW chanak

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to strangle
NASB Translation
killed (1), strangled (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[חָנַק] verb strangle (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic חֲנַק, ; Arabic ); —

Niph`al Imperfect וַיֵּחָנַ֑ק 2 Samuel 17:23 strangled himself (+וַיָּ֫מָת).

Pi`el participle מְחַנֵּק Nahum 2:13 strangle, of lion strangling prey, figurative of Ninevitish king (object not expressed).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G519 (ἀποπνίγω, apopnigō): To choke, to strangle. This Greek term is used in the New Testament to describe the act of choking or suffocating, often in a metaphorical sense, such as the parable of the sower where thorns choke the seed (Mark 4:7, 19).
• G638 (πνίγω, pnigō): To choke, to strangle. This term is similarly used in the New Testament to describe acts of strangulation or suffocation, both literally and metaphorically, as in the case of the unmerciful servant who seizes and chokes his fellow servant (Matthew 18:28).

These Greek terms reflect similar themes of constriction and suffocation found in the Hebrew חָנַק (ḥānaq), illustrating the continuity of these concepts across the biblical texts.

Usage: The verb חָנַק (ḥānaq) is used in the context of constriction or suffocation, often implying a physical or metaphorical narrowing or choking. It can refer to the act of strangling or throttling, as well as the state of being choked or suffocated.

Context: The Hebrew verb חָנַק (ḥānaq) appears in the Old Testament with the primary sense of causing constriction or suffocation. This term is used to describe both literal and figurative acts of choking or strangling. In its literal sense, it can refer to the physical act of throttling, as seen in contexts where life is threatened by asphyxiation. Figuratively, it can describe situations of extreme distress or pressure, where one feels metaphorically "choked" by circumstances.

The concept of being "narrow" is also inherent in the term, suggesting a restriction or limitation that leads to suffocation. This can be applied to various scenarios, including personal, spiritual, or communal experiences where individuals or groups feel constrained or oppressed.

In the Berean Standard Bible, the term is used to convey the severity and intensity of such experiences, emphasizing the dire consequences of being "choked" or "throttled," whether physically or metaphorically. The imagery associated with חָנַק (ḥānaq) serves as a powerful reminder of the vulnerability of life and the potential for both physical and spiritual suffocation.

Forms and Transliterations

וַיֵּחָנַ֑ק וּמְחַנֵּ֖ק ויחנק ומחנק ū·mə·ḥan·nêq umechanNek ūməḥannêq vaiyechaNak way·yê·ḥā·naq wayyêḥānaq

Englishman's Concordance

2 Samuel 17:23
HEB: אֶל־ בֵּית֖וֹ וַיֵּחָנַ֑ק וַיָּ֕מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר
NAS: in order, and strangled himself; thus he died
KJV: in order, and hanged himself, and died,
INT: about his house and strangled died was buried

Nahum 2:12
HEB: בְּדֵ֣י גֹֽרוֹתָ֔יו וּמְחַנֵּ֖ק לְלִבְאֹתָ֑יו וַיְמַלֵּא־
NAS: for his cubs, Killed [enough] for his lionesses,
KJV: for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses,
INT: enough his cubs Killed his lionesses and filled

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2614
2 Occurrences

ū·mə·ḥan·nêq — 1 Occ.
way·yê·ḥā·naq — 1 Occ.