Lexical Summary chaser: To lack, to be without, to decrease, to be in need Original Word: חָסֵר 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 Origina 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. Social Responsibility and Generosity The Pentateuchal law and Wisdom literature apply חָסֵר to human relationships. 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. 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. 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. 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. Pastoral Applications • Encourage believers facing economic hardship with the testimony of wilderness provision and the widow’s jar. 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 yeḥsārLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman'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 Genesis 18:28 Exodus 16:18 Deuteronomy 2:7 Deuteronomy 8:9 Deuteronomy 15:8 1 Kings 17:14 Nehemiah 9:21 Psalm 8:5 Psalm 23:1 Psalm 34:10 Proverbs 13:25 Proverbs 31:11 Ecclesiastes 4:8 Ecclesiastes 9:8 Songs 7:2 Isaiah 32:6 Isaiah 51:14 Jeremiah 44:18 Ezekiel 4:17 21 Occurrences |
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