Properly, to prostrate ; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear
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The Hebrew verb chatat can describe being dismayed, terrified, discouraged, broken, or shattered. Saul and Israel are dismayed by Goliath's words, leaders tell Joshua and Solomon not to lose heart, prophets are warned not to collapse before hostile hearers, and nations or oppressive powers are portrayed as shattered.
Reader summary
Full entry for חָתַת (H2865) · Open the biblical lexicon
The Hebrew verb chatat can describe being dismayed, terrified, discouraged, broken, or shattered. Saul and Israel are dismayed by Goliath's words, leaders tell Joshua and Solomon not to lose heart, prophets are warned not to collapse before hostile hearers, and nations or oppressive powers are portrayed as shattered.
The BSB source-word alignment has 52 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include or discouraged (8), and be shattered (3), will be shattered (3), are dismayed (2), be dismayed (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 1:21. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (19), Isaiah (12), Job (4), 2 Chronicles (3).
The Hebrew verb chatat can describe being dismayed, terrified, discouraged, broken, or shattered. Saul and Israel are dismayed by Goliath's words, leaders tell Joshua and Solomon not to lose heart, prophets are warned not to collapse before hostile hearers, and nations or oppressive powers are portrayed as shattered. The word can name an inner response or an outward undoing, so context must decide whether a person feels fear, loses resolve, experiences shame, or is destroyed.
Commands not to be dismayed are often joined to a particular calling and to the Lord's promised presence. They are not accusations that every involuntary fear response is sinful. Saul's dismay exposes a leadership crisis in the narrative, but a trauma survivor's panic, a child's alarm, or a patient's neurological response should not be equated with covenant failure.
Jeremiah's commission does not authorize leaders to push unprepared people into danger. Responsible teaching distinguishes emotion from action, normal fear from coercive intimidation, and faithful courage from denial, bravado, or refusal of wise protection.
Chatat describes inner dismay or outward shattering. Subject, verbal voice, cause, and genre distinguish discouraged leaders, intimidated prophets, frightened populations, defeated powers, broken insults, and divinely promised steadiness.
On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Saul and Israel become deeply dismayed and afraid after hearing the Philistine champion's challenge.
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua receives a command for strength and courage grounded in the Lord's accompanying presence.
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.
David encourages Solomon to complete the temple work because the Lord will not forsake him.
Get yourself ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them, or I will terrify you before them.
Jeremiah must rise and speak the commanded message without being intimidated by his hearers.
Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.
People who know what is right are told not to be broken by human scorn and insults.
I will raise up shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any go missing, declares the Lord.
The Lord promises shepherds whose care leaves the flock neither afraid nor dismayed nor missing.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. Inward collapse through fear or outward breaking through violence; shattering at core level
Inward collapse through fear or outward breaking through violence; shattering at core level
properly, to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear BDB: be shattered Usage: abolish, affright, be (make) afraid, amaze, beat down, discourage, (cause to) dismay, go down, scare, terrify.
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 51 lexical occurrence verses.
חָתַת is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Chatat shows that courage in Scripture is neither emotional numbness nor admiration of danger. First Samuel 17 describes Saul and Israel as dismayed by Goliath before David enters the conflict, honestly locating fear within a failed military situation. Joshua 1 joins the command not to be discouraged to a defined succession, the Lord's instruction, and the promise of divine presence.
It is not a general demand that every believer undertake any dangerous request made by a leader. First Chronicles 28 similarly addresses Solomon's assigned temple work and includes the assurance that the Lord will not forsake him before the work is finished. Jeremiah 1 calls a particular prophet to speak what God commands despite intimidation. Teachers must not borrow that commission to silence accountability or send others into risk.
Isaiah 51 addresses people wounded by scorn and locates endurance in the Lord's lasting righteousness. Jeremiah 23 promises shepherds whose faithful tending means the flock is no longer frightened, dismayed, or missing. That promise tests leaders who manufacture fear. Faithful application tells the truth about threats, provides preparation and companionship, welcomes clinical care for persistent distress, resists coercion, and measures courage by faithful action rather than absence of bodily fear.
Jer.23.4
Chatat transliterates Hebrew חָתַת. Active and passive verbal forms can describe becoming dismayed, causing terror, or being shattered; emotional vocabulary and destruction vocabulary overlap, but grammatical voice and the acting subject clarify which force is present.
Jesus and the apostles repeatedly call frightened disciples to courage while also acknowledging trouble, weakness, persecution, and the need to flee some dangers. The Greek wording differs, including G2293 in this batch, so canonical comparison should preserve each command's speaker and situation.