2637. chaser
Lexical Summary
chaser: To lack, to be without, to decrease, to be in need

Original Word: חָסֵר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chacer
Pronunciation: khaw-sare'
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-sare')
KJV: be abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have) lack, make lower, want
NASB: lacking, want, decreased, lack, lacked, lacks, become empty
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to lack
2. (by implication) to fail, want, lessen

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
be abated, bereave, decrease, cause to fail, have lack, make lower, want

A primitive root; to lack; by implication, to fail, want, lessen -- be abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have) lack, make lower, want.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to lack, need, be lacking, decrease
NASB Translation
become empty (1), decreased (2), depriving (1), empty (1), have...lack (1), lack (2), lacked (2), lacking (4), lacks (2), made him a lower (1), need (1), scarce (1), want (3), withhold (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
חָסֵר verb lack, need, be lacking, decrease (see LagBN 143; Late Hebrew חִסֵּר cause to lack or fail, diminish (active), and derivatives; Aramaic חֲסַר, , want, lack, and derivatives, compare Phoenician מחסר, see מחסור below; Arabic remove, strip off; disappear, retire (of water), fail (of sight), etc.; perhaps also Ethiopic be inferior, worthless, diminished Di590and derivatives) —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular ׳ח 1 Kings 17:16; 2masculine singular חָסַרְתָּ Deuteronomy 2:7; 3plural חָסֵ֑רוּ Nehemiah 9:21; 1plural חָסַרְנוּ Jeremiah 44:18; Imperfect יֶחְסַר Deuteronomy 15:8 2t.; יֶחְסָ֑ר Proverbs 31:11; Ecclesiastes 9:8; 3feminine singular תֶּחְסָ֑ר 1 Kings 17:14; Proverbs 13:25; 2masculine singular תֶּחְסַר Deuteronomy 8:9; 1singular תֶּחְסָ֑ר Psalm 23:1; plural יַחְסְרוּ Psalm 34:11; Ezekiel 4:17; וַיַּחְסְרוּ Genesis 8:3; יַחְסְרוּן Genesis 18:28; Infinitive construct חֲסַר Proverbs 10:21 Ew§ 238 a, compare Ges§ 45. 1 a; absolute חָסוֺר Genesis 8:5; Participle חָסֵר 1 Kings 11:22; Ecclesiastes 10:3 (see חָסֵר below); — 1 lack:

a. with accusative Genesis 18:28 (J) perchance the fifty righteous lack five, Deuteronomy 2:7 thou hast not lacked anything, Deuteronomy 8:9; Jeremiah 44:18; 1 Kings 11:22; Ezekiel 4:17; Psalm 34:11; Proverbs 31:11, compare also בַּחֲסַרלֵֿב Proverbs 10:21 by lacking intelligence (sense), (Di puts here Deuteronomy 15:8, see below)

b. absolute be in want, want Psalm 23:1; Proverbs 13:25; Nehemiah 9:21.

2 be lacking, לוֺ ׳מַחְסֹרוֺ אֲשֶׁר יֶח Deuteronomy 15:8 his lack (i.e. thing needed), which is lacking to him (possible also is, which he lacks for himself, so Di, see above); שֶׁמֶן ׳עַלרֹֿאְשְׁךָ אַליֶֿח Ecclesiastes 9:8 oil on thy head let it not be lacking; see also absolute Isaiah 51:14; Songs 7:3, and לִבּוֺ חָסֵר Ecclesiastes 10:3 his sense is lacking; of jar of oil 1 Kings 17:14,16 (absolute) by meton. for the oil itself (compare "" כלה be consumed, exhausted).

3 diminish, decrease, of waters Genesis 8:3 (P), compare הָלוֺךְ וְחָסוֺר Genesis 8:5 (P), waters continually diminished (see הלך above).

Pi`el cause to lack, with accusative of person, Imperfect2masculine singular suffix וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מעט מֵאֱלהים Psalm 8:6 and thou didst make him lack little of God; Participle וּמְחַסֵּר אתנֿפשׁי מִטּוֺבָה Ecclesiastes 4:8 for whom am I labouring and depriving myself of good things?

Hiph`il Perfect הֶחֱסִיר Exodus 16:18; Imperfect יַחְסִיר Isaiah 32:6; — cause to be lacking, fail, with accusative of thing ׳מַשְׁקֵה צָמֵא יַח Isaiah 32:6; the drink of the thirsty he causeth to fail ("" לְהָרִיק נפשׁ רָעֵב); absolute Exodus 16:18 (P), he that gathered little caused no lack.

Topical Lexicon
Overview

חָסֵר (chāsēr) conveys the idea of lack, deficiency, diminution, or need. In the canon it appears in contexts of physical scarcity, social responsibility, spiritual want, and prophetic warning. Its range moves from the simple “receding” of floodwaters (Genesis 8) to the profound confession that the covenant believer “shall not want” under the Shepherd’s care (Psalm 23). The word exposes the human condition of insufficiency while simultaneously magnifying the Lord’s sufficiency and faithfulness.

Physical Provision and Divine Faithfulness

1. Flood Narrative: Twice the term describes the waters that “receded” (Genesis 8:3, 5), emphasizing God’s control over the elements and the certainty of deliverance for Noah.
2. Wilderness and Settlement:
Exodus 16:18 records that in gathering manna “he who gathered little had no shortage,” underscoring daily dependence that eliminates both excess and lack.
Deuteronomy 2:7, 8:9, and Nehemiah 9:21 recount that during forty years of wandering “you lacked nothing,” then promise a land “where you will lack nothing.” Israel’s history becomes a living testimony that the Lord meets every need en route to, and within, the inheritance.
• In 1 Kings 17:14 the same verb undergirds Elijah’s promise to the widow of Zarephath: “The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry.” The ongoing miracle of non-deficiency vindicates the prophetic word and foreshadows the sustaining grace promised to all who trust.

Social Responsibility and Generosity

The Pentateuchal law and Wisdom literature apply חָסֵר to human relationships.
Deuteronomy 15:8 commands Israel to “open wide your hand” to a needy brother “sufficient for his need, whatever he lacks.” Divine sufficiency is to be mirrored in communal care.
Proverbs 31:11 praises the excellent wife because her husband “will lack nothing of value,” illustrating how diligence and trustworthiness erase deficiency within the household.
• By contrast, Proverbs 13:25 contrasts the righteous, whose appetite “is satisfied,” with the wicked whose stomach “is in want,” teaching that moral choices affect material well-being.

Spiritual Satisfaction versus Spiritual Want

Psalm 23:1 declares, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Here חָסֵר becomes the banner of covenant security: where Yahweh shepherds, lack is impossible.
Psalm 34:10 juxtaposes “The young lions may lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing,” transforming the vocabulary of absence into an anthem of providence.
Psalm 8:5 uses the verb metaphorically: “You made him a little lower than the angels,” highlighting humanity’s glorious yet finite station—elevated, yet still “a little lacking” in comparison to heavenly beings.

Existential Reflections in Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs

Ecclesiastes 4:8 laments the solitary toiler who “lacks a second [companion],” exposing the poverty of isolation amid outward success.
Ecclesiastes 9:8 urges, “Let your clothes always be white, and never let oil be lacking on your head,” encouraging joyful, God-given enjoyment in a mortal life.
• Song of Songs 7:2 employs sensuous imagery: “Your navel is a rounded bowl that never lacks blended wine,” depicting fullness and delight within covenant love.

Prophetic Warnings and Promises

Isaiah 32:6 rebukes the fool who withholds food and drink, “leaving the hungry empty,” while Isaiah 51:14 comforts the exile: he “shall not lack his bread.” The same term exposes unfaithfulness and assures restoration.
Jeremiah 44:18 records Judah’s misguided complaint that obedience to God caused them to “lack everything,” revealing the deceptive reinterpretation of history that accompanies apostasy.
Ezekiel 4:17 forecasts siege conditions where bread and water “will be lacking,” dramatizing sin’s consequence. Yet the earlier patterns of divine provision assure that such want is neither final nor universal.

Theological Trajectory and Ministry Significance

1. Revelation of God’s Character: Each occurrence draws a line from human deficiency to divine sufficiency. The Lord’s provision in manna, land, exile, and personal shepherding proves His covenant faithfulness.
2. Ethics of Sufficiency: The mandate to relieve another’s lack (Deuteronomy 15:8) and the portrait of the noble wife (Proverbs 31:11) model stewardship. New-covenant ministry continues this ethic through generous giving, hospitality, and care for the oppressed (compare 2 Corinthians 9:9).
3. Christological Fulfillment: The Good Shepherd (John 10) embodies Psalm 23, guaranteeing that those in Him “shall not want.” The miracle of multiplied loaves echoes 1 Kings 17, displaying messianic abundance that eradicates lack.
4. Eschatological Hope: Isaiah and Ezekiel anticipate a future where bread will not be lacking. Revelation 7:16 looks beyond the prophets to proclaim, “They will never again hunger,” bringing the trajectory of חָסֵר to its consummation.

Pastoral Applications

• Encourage believers facing economic hardship with the testimony of wilderness provision and the widow’s jar.
• Cultivate congregational generosity by teaching Deuteronomy 15:8 as a timeless principle.
• Use Psalm 23 and Psalm 34 in counseling to reorient hearts from perceived scarcity to promised sufficiency.
• Warn against the illusion voiced in Jeremiah 44:18 that rebellion brings prosperity; Scripture consistently shows the opposite.
• Strengthen missions and mercy ministries with the assurance that resources surrendered to God’s purposes will “not be exhausted.”

Summary

חָסֵר traces the account of deficiency and supply across Scripture. It starts with receding floodwaters and culminates in the Shepherd-King who removes all want. The word simultaneously exposes human need, mandates compassionate action, and magnifies the Lord who ensures that His people “lack no good thing.”

Forms and Transliterations
אֶחְסָֽר׃ אחסר׃ הֶחְסִ֑יר החסיר וְחָס֔וֹר וַיַּחְסְר֣וּ וַתְּחַסְּרֵ֣הוּ וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר וחסור ויחסרו ומחסר ותחסרהו חָסֵ֑רוּ חָסַ֖רְתָּ חָסַ֣רְנוּ חסרו חסרנו חסרת יֶחְסַ֖ר יֶחְסָֽר׃ יַחְסְר֖וּ יַחְסְר֞וּן יַחְסְר֥וּ יַחְסִֽיר׃ יחסיר׃ יחסר יחסר׃ יחסרו יחסרון תֶּחְסָֽר׃ תֶחְסַ֥ר תֶחְסָ֑ר תחסר תחסר׃ ’eḥ·sār ’eḥsār chaSarnu chaSarta chaSeru echSar ḥā·sar·nū ḥā·sar·tā ḥā·sê·rū ḥāsarnū ḥāsartā ḥāsêrū hechSir heḥ·sîr heḥsîr techSar teḥ·sār ṯeḥ·sar ṯeḥ·sār teḥsār ṯeḥsar ṯeḥsār ū·mə·ḥas·sêr umechasSer ūməḥassêr vaiyachseRu vattechasseRehu vechaSor wat·tə·ḥas·sə·rê·hū wattəḥassərêhū way·yaḥ·sə·rū wayyaḥsərū wə·ḥā·sō·wr wəḥāsōwr yachseRu yachseRun yachSir yaḥ·sə·rū yaḥ·sə·rūn yaḥ·sîr yaḥsərū yaḥsərūn yaḥsîr yechSar yeḥ·sar yeḥ·sār yeḥsar yeḥsār
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Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 8:3
HEB: הָל֣וֹךְ וָשׁ֑וֹב וַיַּחְסְר֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם מִקְצֵ֕ה
NAS: days the water decreased.
KJV: days the waters were abated.
INT: steadily receded decreased the water the end

Genesis 8:5
HEB: הָיוּ֙ הָל֣וֹךְ וְחָס֔וֹר עַ֖ד הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ
NAS: The water decreased steadily until
KJV: And the waters decreased continually
INT: become steadily decreased until month

Genesis 18:28
HEB: א֠וּלַי יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙
NAS: righteous are lacking five,
KJV: Peradventure there shall lack five
INT: Suppose are lacking the fifty righteous

Exodus 16:18
HEB: וְהַמַּמְעִ֖יט לֹ֣א הֶחְסִ֑יר אִ֥ישׁ לְפִֽי־
NAS: had no lack; every man
KJV: and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered
INT: had had no lack every much

Deuteronomy 2:7
HEB: עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר׃
NAS: your God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing.'
KJV: thy God [hath been] with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.
INT: with have not lacked nothing

Deuteronomy 8:9
HEB: לֶ֔חֶם לֹֽא־ תֶחְסַ֥ר כֹּ֖ל בָּ֑הּ
NAS: scarcity, in which you will not lack anything;
KJV: scarceness, thou shalt not lack any [thing] in it; a land
INT: food without lack anything A land

Deuteronomy 15:8
HEB: מַחְסֹר֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֶחְסַ֖ר לֽוֹ׃
NAS: for his need [in] whatever he lacks.
KJV: for his need, [in that] which he wanteth.
INT: his need whatever lacks

1 Kings 17:14
HEB: הַשֶּׁ֖מֶן לֹ֣א תֶחְסָ֑ר עַ֠ד י֧וֹם
NAS: of oil be empty, until
KJV: of oil fail, until the day
INT: of oil nor be empty until the day

Nehemiah 9:21
HEB: בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר לֹ֣א חָסֵ֑רוּ שַׂלְמֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ לֹ֣א
NAS: for them in the wilderness [and] they were not in want; Their clothes
KJV: them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes
INT: the wilderness nor want their clothes nor

Psalm 8:5
HEB: וַתְּחַסְּרֵ֣הוּ מְּ֭עַט מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים
NAS: Yet You have made him a little lower
KJV: For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,
INT: have made A little God

Psalm 23:1
HEB: רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר׃
NAS: is my shepherd, I shall not want.
KJV: [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
INT: is my shepherd shall not want

Psalm 34:10
HEB: יְ֝הוָ֗ה לֹא־ יַחְסְר֥וּ כָל־ טֽוֹב׃
NAS: the LORD shall not be in want of any
KJV: the LORD shall not want any good
INT: the LORD shall not be in want of any good

Proverbs 13:25
HEB: וּבֶ֖טֶן רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֶּחְסָֽר׃ פ
NAS: of the wicked is in need.
KJV: of the wicked shall want.
INT: the stomach of the wicked need

Proverbs 31:11
HEB: וְ֝שָׁלָ֗ל לֹ֣א יֶחְסָֽר׃
NAS: trusts in her, And he will have no
KJV: doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
INT: of gain no will have

Ecclesiastes 4:8
HEB: אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־ נַפְשִׁי֙
NAS: am I laboring and depriving myself
KJV: neither [saith he], For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul
INT: I laboring and depriving myself good

Ecclesiastes 9:8
HEB: רֹאשְׁךָ֥ אַל־ יֶחְסָֽר׃
NAS: and let not oil be lacking on your head.
KJV: and let thy head lack no ointment.
INT: your head nay be lacking

Songs 7:2
HEB: הַסַּ֔הַר אַל־ יֶחְסַ֖ר הַמָּ֑זֶג בִּטְנֵךְ֙
NAS: Which never lacks mixed wine;
KJV: goblet, [which] wanteth not liquor:
INT: is a round never lacks mixed your belly

Isaiah 32:6
HEB: וּמַשְׁקֶ֥ה צָמֵ֖א יַחְסִֽיר׃
NAS: unsatisfied And to withhold drink
KJV: of the thirsty to fail.
INT: drink the thirsty withhold

Isaiah 51:14
HEB: לַשַּׁ֔חַת וְלֹ֥א יֶחְסַ֖ר לַחְמֽוֹ׃
NAS: nor will his bread be lacking.
KJV: nor that his bread should fail.
INT: the dungeon nor be lacking will his bread

Jeremiah 44:18
HEB: לָ֥הּ נְסָכִ֖ים חָסַ֣רְנוּ כֹ֑ל וּבַחֶ֥רֶב
NAS: out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything
KJV: drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all [things], and have been consumed
INT: and pouring drink have lacked everything the sword

Ezekiel 4:17
HEB: לְמַ֥עַן יַחְסְר֖וּ לֶ֣חֶם וָמָ֑יִם
NAS: and water will be scarce; and they will be appalled
KJV: That they may want bread and water,
INT: because will be scarce bread and water

21 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2637
21 Occurrences


ḥā·sar·nū — 1 Occ.
ḥā·sar·tā — 1 Occ.
ḥā·sê·rū — 1 Occ.
’eḥ·sār — 1 Occ.
heḥ·sîr — 1 Occ.
ṯeḥ·sar — 3 Occ.
ū·mə·ḥas·sêr — 1 Occ.
way·yaḥ·sə·rū — 1 Occ.
wat·tə·ḥas·sə·rê·hū — 1 Occ.
wə·ḥā·sō·wr — 1 Occ.
yaḥ·sə·rū — 2 Occ.
yaḥ·sə·rūn — 1 Occ.
yaḥ·sîr — 1 Occ.
yeḥ·sar — 5 Occ.

2636
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