Lexical Definition
חַי chay (khah'-ee) alive H:A
from חָיָה
[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
- alive
- hence, raw (flesh)
- fresh (plant, water, year), strong
- also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
adj
1) living, alive
1a) green (of vegetation)
1b) flowing, fresh (of water)
1c) lively, active (of man)
1d) reviving (of the springtime)
n m
2) relatives
3) life (abstract emphatic)
3a) life
3b) sustenance, maintenance
n f
4) living thing, animal
4a) animal
4b) life
4c) appetite
4d) revival, renewal
5) community
See Greek: ἄνθρωπος · βίος · ἑρπετόν · ζωή · ζωογονέω · ζῶον · θηρίον · θηρίον · θνητός · κτῆνος · τάγμα · τετράπους · ὑγιής · ψυχή
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Aramaic form: חֵיוָא
I. חַי adjective alive, living; — ׳ח Gen 25:6 +; חָ֑י Gen 3:20 +, חֵי Amos 8:14 + 15 t. (Ew§ 329 explains as construct, but Ges«GKC:93»§ 93, R 7 n and others as contracted absolute); feminine חַיָּה Gen 1:20 +; plural חַיִּים Ps 116:9 +; —
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 WetzstVerhand. 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.
II. [חַי] noun [masculine] kinsfolk (Arabic 
a group of families united by vital ties RSK 36-40 Dr Sm 119), plural suffix חַיַּי 1Sam 18:18, incorrectly pointed with the interpretation my life RV, but read חַיִּי my kins-flok, We Ki Dr RS SS RVm VB. It is explained by the gloss משׁפחת אבי We (Klo reads אַחַי וּ).
I. חַיָּה noun feminine living thing, animal (Zinjirli wild beast DHMSendsch. 34) — ׳ח Gen 8:17 +; construct חַיַּת Isa 57:10 +; old case ending (poetic) חַיְתוֺ Gen 1:24; Ps 50:10; Ps 79:2; Ps 104:11; Ps 104:20; Isa 56:9 (twice in verse); Zeph 2:14 suffix חַיָּתִי Ps 143:3, etc.; plural חַיּוֺת Lev 14:4 + 12 t. —
1. animal, as living, active being:
a. in general, Gen 8:17; Lev 11:2; Lev 11:27; Lev 11:47 (twice in verse); Num 35:3 (P) Ps 104:25; Isa 46:1; Dan 8:4.
b. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity Gen 7:14; Gen 7:21; Gen 8:1; Gen 8:19; Gen 9:5 (P) Lev 17:13; Lev 25:7 (H) Job 37:8; Ps 148:10; Isa 40:16; Ezek 14:15; Ezek 33:27; Zeph 2:14; Zeph 2:15 ׳ח קנה Ps 68:31* wild animal of the reeds; רעה ׳ח evil beast Gen 37:20; Gen 37:33 (JE) Lev 26:6 (H) Ezek 5:17; Ezek 14:15; Ezek 14:21; Ezek 34:25 טמאה ׳ח Lev 5:2 (P) unclean beast; הארץ ׳ח Gen 1:25; Gen 1:30; Gen 9:2; Gen 9:10 (twice in verse) (P) 1Sam 17:46; Ezek 29:5; Ezek 32:4; Ezek 34:28; Job 5:22 חיתו ארץ Gen 1:24 (P) Ps 79:2 השׂדה ׳ח Exod 23:11; Exod 23:29 (covt. code.) Lev 26:22 (H) Deut 7:22; 2Sam 21:10; 2Kgs 14:9 = 2Chr 25:18; Hos 2:14*; Hos 2:20*; Hos 4:3; Hos 13:8; Hos 28:14; Hos 39:4; Hos 39:15 השׂדה ׳כל ח Gen 2:19; Gen 2:20; Gen 3:1; Gen 3:14 (J) Job 40:20; Jer 12:9; Ezek 31:6; Ezek 31:13; Ezek 34:5; Ezek 34:8; Ezek 39:17 חיתו שׂדי Isa 56:9; Ps 104:11 חיתו (ב)יער Isa 56:9; Ps 50:10; Ps 104:20 פְּרִיץ חיות Isa 35:9 destroyer among beasts.
c. living beings, of the cherubic chariot Ezek 1:5; Ezek 1:13 (twice in verse); Ezek 1:14; Ezek 1:15 (twice in verse); Ezek 1:19 (twice in verse); Ezek 1:20; Ezek 1:21; Ezek 1:22; Ezek 3:13; Ezek 10:15; Ezek 10:17; Ezek 10:20.
2. life, only in late poetry, Ps 143:3; Job 33:18; Job 33:20; Job 33:22; Job 33:28; Job 36:14; Ezek 7:13 (twice in verse), and (dubious) Ps 74:19; Ps 78:50.
3. appetite, activity of hunger: חית כפרים appetite of young lions Job 38:39.
4. revival, renewal: חַיַּת יָדֵךְ מָצָאתְ thou didst find renewal of thy strength (re-invigoration) Isa 57:10 see חָיָה
2..
II. חַיָּה noun feminine (si vera lectio) community ( = feminine of II. חַי according to Nö ZMG, 1886, 176) — וְחַיַּת פְּלִשְׁתִּים חֹנָה and a community of Philistines (i.e. a group of allied families, making a raid together) was encamping 2Sam 23:13 ( = מַחֲנֵה 1Chr 11:15); perhaps also Ps 68:11* (compare below)
Note. — Several other passages are dubious: וַיֵּאָסְפוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לַחַיָּה 2Sam 23:11 assembled into a troop, or by bands (RV, but neither rendering justified: Bö Ew We Klo Dr rightly read לֶ֫חְיָה to Leµi, compare Judg 15:9 word omitted by accident in || 1Chr 11:13 Dr); חַיָּתְךָ יָָֽשְׁבוּבָֿהּ Ps 68:11* thy troop dwelt in it (Thes SS RVm Hi Ri Che, but ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Jerome Pe thy (living) creatures, of the people; Hup id., reference to quails; improbable); אַלתִּֿתֵּן לְחַיַּת נֶפֶשׁ תּוֺרֶךָ חַיַּת עֲנִיֶּיךָ אַלתִּֿשְׁכַּח לָנֶ֫צַח Ps 74:19 give not the soul of thy turtle-dove to the wild beasts, the life of thine afflicted do not forget for ever: RV Hi Pe Bae Sch render thus, giving חית different meanings in the two clauses, the former being archaic feminine absolute Ges«GKC:80»§ 80, 2. R. 2; text doubtless corrupt, read possibly למות Schr Ri, for לחית, or לשׁחת Kroch; Gr either of these; Che either, or better לחרב.
חַיִּים noun masculineDeut 28:66 plural abstract emphatic life, ׳ח Gen 2:7 +; חַיִּין Job 24:22 (Aramaism Ges«GKC:87»§ 87 (1) a); חַיֵּי Gen 23:1 +; suffix חַיַּי Gen 47:9 +; חַיָּ֑יְכִי Ps 103:4 (Ges«GKC:91»§ 91 (2) R. 2), etc.; —
1. life: physical Gen 27:46; Exod 1:14 (P), Deut 28:66 (twice in verse); 2Sam 11:11; 2Sam 15:21; Isa 38:12; Jer 8:23*; Lam 3:53; Lam 3:58; Ezek 7:13; Job 3:20; Job 7:7; Job 9:21; Job 10:12; Job 24:22; Ps 7:6*; Ps 17:14; Ps 21:5*; Ps 26:9; Ps 31:11*; Ps 34:13*; Ps 63:4*; Ps 64:2*; Ps 66:9; Ps 88:4*; Ps 103:4; Prov 18:21; Eccl 2:17; Eccl 6:12; Eccl 7:13; Eccl 9:9 (twice in verse); Eccl 10:19; Jonah 2:7*; Jonah 4:3; Jonah 4:8 חַיֵּי שׂרה life of Sarah Gen 23:1(P) ׳שְׁנֵי ח years of the life of 2Sam 19:35*; Gen 23:1; Gen 25:7; Gen 25:17; Gen 47:8; Gen 47:9 (twice in verse); Gen 47:28; Exod 6:16; Exod 6:18; Exod 6:20 (P); ׳שָׁנָה לח Gen 7:11 (P); שְׁנוֺת חַיִּים Prov 3:2; Prov 4:10; Prov 9:11 ׳יְמֵי ח days of the life of Eccl 2:3; Eccl 5:17*; Eccl 5:19*; Eccl 6:12; Eccl 8:15; Eccl 9:9 ׳כֹּל יְמֵי ח Gen 3:14; Gen 3:17 (J) Deut 4:9; Deut 6:2; Deut 16:3; Deut 17:19; Josh 1:5; Josh 4:14 (D) 1Sam 1:11; 1Sam 7:15; 1Kgs 5:1*; 1Kgs 11:34; 1Kgs 15:5; 1Kgs 15:6; 1Kgs 2:29; 1Kgs 2:30 = Jer 52:33; Jer 52:34; Isa 38:20 (poem of Hez.) Ps 23:6; Ps 27:4; Ps 128:5; Prov 31:12 ׳בּח in or during one's life Gen 27:46 (P) Lev 18:18 (H) Judg 16:30; 2Sam 1:23; 2Sam 18:18; Ps 49:19*; Ps 63:5*; Ps 104:33; Ps 146:2; Job 10:1; Eccl 3:12; Eccl 9:3 ׳רוּחַ ח Gen 6:17; Gen 7:15 (P); רוּחִי ׳ח Isa 38:16 (poem of Hez.); בשׂרים ׳ח Prov 14:30 ׳נִשְׁמַת (רוּחַ) ח Gen 2:7; Gen 7:22 (J).
2. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence Prov 16:15 as consisting of earthly felicity combined (often) with spiritual blessedness Deut 30:6; Deut 30:15; Deut 30:19 (twice in verse); Deut 30:20; Deut 32:47; Ps 30:6*; Ps 133:3; Prov 3:22; Prov 4:13; Prov 4:22; Prov 8:35; Prov 10:16; Prov 11:19; Prov 12:28; Prov 19:23; Prov 21:21; Prov 22:4; Mal 2:5 used only once distinctly of eternal life (late) עולם ׳ח Dan 12:2 אֵל חַיָּ֑י Ps 42:9* God of my life; ׳מעוז ח Ps 27:1 ׳מקור ח Ps 36:10*; Prov 10:11; Prov 13:14; Prov 14:27; Prov 16:22 עֵץ (ה)חַיִּים Gen 2:9; Gen 3:22; Gen 3:24 (J) Prov 3:18; Prov 11:30; Prov 13:12; Prov 15:4 ׳ארח ח Ps 16:11; Prov 5:6; Prov 15:24 ׳ארח לח Prov 10:17 ׳ארחות ח Prov 2:19 דֶּרֶךְ (ה)חַיִּים Prov 6:23; Jer 21:8 ׳חקּות ח Ezek 33:15 ׳תּוצאות ח Prov 4:23 sources (origin and direction) of life; ׳תוכחת ח Prov 15:31 כָּתוּב לַחַיִּים Isa 4:3 written unto life.
3. sustenance, maintenance: חַיִּים לְנַעֲרוֺתֶיךָ Prov 27:27 maintenance for thy maidens, see מִחְיַה below
Brown-Driver-Briggs References