H2253 – chebyown – חֶבְיוֹן – a strategically hidden thing
- Strong’s ID:
- H2253
- Hebrew Word:
- חֶבְיוֹן
- Transliteration:
- chebyôwn / chebyown
- Pronunciation:
- kheb-yone’
- Part of Speech:
- masculine noun
- Etymology:
- from H2247
- Usage Count:
- 1
- Search:
- Find “chebyown” in the Bible (Old Testament)
Equip God’s People Hebrew Lexicon
a strategically/purposely hidden thing
Word Picture:
The word “chebyown” is a unique derivative of the word “chabah” (H2247), which means “to hide, withdraw.” It only appears one time in the Bible (Habakkuk) and in no other Hebrew writings apart from referencing this verse! This adds to its mystery, without necessarily conferring mystical attributes to it.
Ironically, it is used to describe God’s power in His hand, encapsulating the paradox of it being both omnipresent yet hidden, revealed yet concealed. The best option seems to be to combine its etymology and context, leaving us with “a strategically hidden thing.” This captures the idea that God’s power is not just concealed for the sake of being hidden, but there’s a Divine purpose or strategy behind it.
In the context of Habakkuk 3:4, it is often translated as an adjective form, despite being a noun. This is due to it being part of a construct state (i.e., “flexing” back-to-back nouns so one becomes a descriptor for the other). This results in, “His splendor is like the sunrise. Rays flash from His hand, where there is strategically hidden power.”
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Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon
from H2247; a concealment:—hiding.