Lexical Definition

‎חָמַד‎ châmad (khaw-mad') to desire ^H:V
a primitive root

beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, ([idiom] great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).

• to delight in

v
1) to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in
1a) (Qal) to desire
1b) (Niphal) to be desirable
1c) (Piel) to delight greatly, desire greatly
n f
2) desirableness, preciousness

See Greek: βούλημα · ἐνθυμέομαι · ἐπιθυμέω · ἐπιθυμητής · ἐπιθυμία · εὐδοκέω · νικάω · ὡραῖος

Extended Information

• v

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎חָמַד‎ verb desire, take pleasure in (Aramaic ‎חֲמַד‎ (not in Syriac); Arabic praise, eulogize, appove of; Sabean ‎חמדם‎ in gratitude [praise] there-for DHM^{ZMG 1875, 595; 1876, 686}) —

Qal Perfect ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Ps 68:17*; Prov 12:12 ‎חָֽמְדוּ‎ Prov 1:22 ‎וְחָֽמְדוּ‎ consecutive Mic 2:2 ‎חֲמַדְתֶּם‎ Isa 1:29 Imperfect ‎יַחְמֹד‎ Exod 34:24 2 masculine singular ‎תַּחְמֹד‎ Exod 20:16 (twice in verse) + 3 t. (including Prov 6:25 jussive); suffix ‎וָאֶחְמְדֵם‎ Josh 7:21 ‎וְנֶחְמְדֵ֫הוּ‎ Isa 53:2 Passive participle ‎חֲמוּדוֺ‎ Ps 39:12*; Job 20:20, ‎חֲמוּדֵיהֶם‎ Isa 44:9 — desire:
a. in bad sense of inordinate, ungoverned, selfish desire, followed by accusative Exod 20:17 (twice in verse) (E) = Deut 5:18 (Deut 5:18 b has ‎תִּתְאַוֶּה‎), Exod 34:24 (JE) Deut 7:25; Josh 7:21 (JE) Mic 2:2; Prov 12:12 of lustful desire Prov 6:25.
b. = take pleasure in, of idolatrous tendency Isa 1:29, so participle plural ‎חֲמוּדֵיהֵם‎ Isa 44:9 their delightful things (things in which they delight, see also vIsa 44:11 and Bev^{JPhoenician xvii. 1888. p. 126}); ‎לֵצִים‎ ‎לָצוֺן חָֽמְדוּ‎ Prov 1:22 how long do scorners delight in scoring.
c. less often in good sense, said of God ‎לְשִׁבְתּוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎הָהָר חָמַד א‎, poetic Ps 68:17* object the suffering servant of ‎׳‎‎י‎, Isa 53:2 no beauty in him, that we should desire him (choose him, be drawn toward him); passive participle collective ‎חֲמוּדוֺ‎ Ps 39:12* his desired things, i. e. chosen, choice, desirable (see Niph`al); so probably Job 20:20. Niph`al Participle ‎נֶחְמָד‎ Gen 2:9 + 2 t.; ‎הַנֶּחֱמָדִים‎ Ps 19:11* — desirable: ‎׳‎‎עץ נ‎ ‎לְמַרְאֶה‎ Gen 2:9, ‎לְהַשְׂכִּיל‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Gen 3:6, ‎מִזָּהָב‎ ‎׳‎‎הַנֶּח‎ Ps 19:11* which are more desirable than gold; ‎אוֺצָר נֶחְמָד‎ Prov 21:20 desirable, i.e. costly treasure. Pi`el Perfect 1 singular delight greatly ‎וְיָשַׁ֫בְתִּי‎ ‎׳‎‎בְּצִלּוֺ ח‎ Song 2:3 in his shadow I greatly delighted and sate, i.e. sate with great delight.

[‎חֲמוּדָה‎] noun feminine desirableness, preciousness — Plural absolute ‎חֲמוּדוֺת‎ Dan 9:23 ‎חֲמוּדֹת‎ Ezra 8:37 ‎חֲמֻדוֺת‎ 2Chr 20:25 + 4 t.; ‎חֲמֻדֹת‎ Gen 27:15 construct ‎חֲמֻדוֺת‎ Dan 11:43 — desirable, choice things i.e. garments Gen 27:15 (|| ‎בגדים‎); compare Dan 11:38 (|| ‎אבן‎ ‎יקרה‎), Dan 11:43 (‎חֲמֻדוֺת מִצְרַיִם‎); = precious things Ezra 8:27 (as gold); ‎׳‎‎כלי ח‎ 2Chr 20:25 ‎׳‎‎לֶחֶם ח‎ Deut 10:3 of man only ‎׳‎‎אִישׁחֿ‎ Dan 10:11; Dan 10:19, and, without ‎אישׁ‎, ‎אָ֫תָּה‎ ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Dan 9:23 thou art a precious treasure (on construction see Dr^{§ 189, 2}; see Bev and compare negative ‎חמד‎ Isa 53:2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References