Spoke 8 Chet KeyWords
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 1 Thessalonians 2:7f (Spoke 8, Cycle 3)

The letter Chet represents a fence, hedge, wall, or enclosure. This coheres with its ancient form that looks like two fence poles with two (or three) rails, which gave rise to the Greek and Latin forms of the letter H (cf. Chet Alphabetic Verses).

The Chet KeyWords (which includes the words God used in the Alphabetic Verses) have an extremely strong association with the ideas such as wall, fence, hedge, boundary, chamber, join, unite, bond, bind, wrap and so forth. Almost every Hebrew word beginning with Chet agrees with one or more of these themes. Its the strongest thematic flow I have seen yet governed by a single Hebrew letter, but that could be because I am still learning. There are many words I have yet to put on this page - there's so much work to do!

It just so happened that Spoke 8 was the last Spoke to be completed in the documentation of the Wheel. This was unintentional - I just put it off because it seemed like the one I knew least about. This seems providential in light of the fact that Chet signifies the ideas of binding pieces together to form a whole - very appropriate topic for the last Spoke to be documented. We have finally come full circle, closing and sealing (Chotham - see below) the Bible Wheel site with these articles on Chet.

Many of the Chet KeyWords are based on the two-letter root Chab, meaning Bosom. Here is a table of a few of the most significant:

Roots beginning with Chet - Beyt
Chob: Bosom	Chaba: Hidden	Chabab: Cherish	Chub: Debt, Guilt, Legal Binding
Chebel: Rope, Cable, Bind with a Pledge	Chabaq: Embrace	Chabar: Unite, Join, Friend	Chabash: Bind, Bandage, Turban

Chob: Bosom

 S# H2243: This is the first Chet word in the Hebrew language. It appears in only one verse of the Bible, Job 31.33:

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:

Chob sets the tone for a whole sequence of Chet KeyWords that begin with the letters Chet - Beyt. The associated idea of "hiding" coheres with the Chet KeyWord Chaba - hidden - which is formed by suffixing an Aleph to Chob, as below. This word can be understood analysed as:

Chob (Bosom) = Chet (Enclosure) + Beyt (Inward)

The idea of the bosom is the inward enclosure - like hold something close to the heart (Lev), which itself is understood as "pointing to (Lamed) the inward part (Beyt)." The idea of the bosom is strongly integrated with Chet, there being two Chet KeyWords that mean Bosom, the other being Cheyq, listed below. This reveals the essence of the great overriding theme of Spoke 8.

Chaba: Hidden

 S# H2244: This KeyWord is a natural extension of the idea of Bosom - where one hides what he cherishes. Chaba first appears in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve tried to hide their sin. This also is the debut of the Chet KeyWord Chagor (Girdle - translated as aprons) which God used in the Chet alphabetic verses of Proverbs.

Chabab: Cherish, Love

 S# H2245: This KeyWord is the root of Chob (Bosom) which literally means "cherisher." Thus Jesus the Son is cherished by the Father, and so said to reside in His Bosom (John 1.18):

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Chub: Debt, Guilt, Legal Binding

 S# H2325: This KeyWord is the verbal root of the noun of the same spelling, pronounce Chob (S# H2326), which appears with the KeyWord Chebol, cognate with Chebel (Bonds - see below) in God's definition of who is righteous in Ezekiel 18:

And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor [Chob] his pledge [Chebel], hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

Chebel: Rope, Binding

 S# H2256: This KeyWord means line, rope, or cable, the latter being a near homophone of the English synonym "cable." God used it in the fifth Chet verse of Psalm 119 (vs. 61), translated as "bands." It appears in conjunction with two other Chet KeyWords in Amos 7.17:

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword [Cherev], and thy land shall be divided [Chulaq] by line [Chebel]; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

This is the root of Chobel (S# H2259) meaning Sailor or Seaman through the idea of being a worker of ropes, riggings and cables. Chebel is also the root of Chabol (Pledge, S# H2258) through the idea of binding oneself through giving your word.

Chabaq: To Embrace

 S# H2263: This KeyWord is the root of Habakkuk (Embraced), which lies on Spoke 13 with Philemon (Kissed) to form the couplet "embraced and kissed" (cf. For Love's Sake). Chabaq is found in conjunction with the Chet KeyWord Cheyq (Bosom) in Proverbs 5.20:

And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

Chabar: To Join, To Unite, Friend, Companion

 S# H2270: Many of the Chet themes come together in this KeyWord, which is more accurately pronounced Havar. It speaks of a band of people, united by some common origin or cause. It is the root of Chaverah (Association, Company) and Chavrot (Modern Hebrew: Society, Membership). God used this in the last Chet Verse of Psalm 119 (vs. 63) where it is translated as translated as "companion":

I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

It also appears in conjunction with two other Chet KeyWords Chut (Cord) and Cham (Heat) in this famous "threefold cord" passsage from Ecclessiastes 4:

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow [Chavar]: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat [Cham]: but how can one be warm [Cham] alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord [Chut] is not quickly broken.

Chabash: Bind, Wrap, Turban

 S# H2280: This KeyWord manifests the general Chet theme. It appears in many verses, such as this from Isaiah 61.1:

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

And this from Jonah 2.5, which clearly illustrates its relation to the idea of a turban:

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

Chut: Line, Cord

 S# H2339: God used the KeyWord in conjunction with Cham (Heat) and Chavar (Friend, Fellow) the famous "threefold cord" passage from Ecclessiastes 4 above.

Cheyq: Bosom

 S# H2436 This comes from the common Chet theme meaning "to enclose." This word is found in one of the most popular of Scriptures refering to Christ as our Great Shepherd (Isaiah 40.11):

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

It also appears together with Chabaq (Embrace).

Cheytz: Wall

 S# H2434: Gesenius suggests that this KeyWord is probably the root of the name of the eigth letter, Chet. It appears in one verse of the Bible, Ezekiel 13.10

Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:

Chetz is cognate with Chatzah, which God used in the sixth Chet verse of Psalm 119.

Chomah: Wall

 (S# H2346): This KeyWord links to the fundamental meaning of Chet as a wall, fence, or hedge. It is part of a strong link between Isaiah 30 and Amos:

Isaiah 30	Amos
Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.	But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:

There are three similar repetitions of the theme of "fire on the wall" in Amos (Spoke 8, Cycle 2). This is an example of the profound integration of the Bible Wheel, the Hebrew Alphabet, and the Isaiah-Bible Correlation.

Chasah: Refuge, Trust

 S# H2620) This KeyWord is built with the letters Chet (Fence) and Semekh (Support), so it carries the idea of a fenced area of support, a natural image of a refuge. This coincides exactly with the analys of Dr. Frank Seekins in his Hebrew Word Pictures (pg. 42), and naturally coheres with the great theme subsumed under the letter Chet.

Chanuth: Chamber, Cell, Cabin

 S# H2589: This KeyWord is from the root Chanah (Encamp), and is closely related to the Chen (Grace) and Chanun (Gracious). It coheres with all the Chamber, Room, Refuge, and Defence roots like Cheder, Chuppah, Chomah.

Cheder: Chamber, Enclosure

 S# H0000 Strong's describes this word as meaning "chamber, room, parlour, innermost or inward part, within." It appears in a most intriguing verse from Isaiah 26, which teaches God's protection of his Beloved Ones through the time when He pours out his wrath:

Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers [Cheder], and shut thy doors about thee: hide [Chaba] thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

Note that Dalet first appears in Isaiah in this verse from Spoke 4 of the Inner Wheel of Isaiah (cf. [Inner Wheels] > Thy Dead shall Live).

Cheder (Chamber) also appears with the Chet KeyWord word Chuppah which denotes the Wedding Canopy, which strengthens the association with our meeting Christ our Bridegroom at the end of time.

Chuppah: Canopy, Closet

 S# H2646: Chuppah, which traditionally refers to the Canopy under which the Wedding Ceromony is conducted, appears in conjunction with the Chet KeyWord Cheder (Chamber) and both the words Bride and Bridegroom in Joel 2.16

Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber [Chadar], and the bride out of her closet [Chuppah].

The word translated as "bridegroom" is another Chet KeyWord, Chothan (see below). This integrates with the theme of the Marriage of Ruth and Boaz in Book 8. Indeed, Rabbi Mark Goldsmith explains a possible origin of the custom as arising from Ruth's words to her furture husband Boaz "spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid" (Song of Songs 3.9). This forms a strong link between Spoke 8 (Chet) and Spoke 22 (Tav) - which also manifests in the Chet KeyWord Chotham (Seal). Tav refers to The Seal of Truth - the Cross - while Chet relates to the Seal as the Covering of God's Spirit - the Divine Chuppah - that encloses the Believer. This is the Chuppah that appears with the KeyWord Cheder (Chamber) in apocalyptic verses from Joel 2.16 above. Note that Chuppah = 93 = Love (Agape).

Chotham: Seal, Signet Ring

 (S# H2368): This KeyWord appears twice in Bible Book 22 (Tav), Chapter 8 (Chet) Verse 6 (Vav). These letter/numbers include three of the four letters of Chotham. They are the coordinates of the Bible Point P_Bible(22, 8, 6) a.k.a Song of Solomon 8.6:

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

This links to the great theme of the Seal of God, and the maximization of the English word "seal" on Spoke 22. This verse is used in the beautiful Chuppah (see above) produced by Jeanette Kuvin Oren. This KeyWord also appears in Isaiah 8 (vs. 16):

Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

Chathan: Espousal, Bridegroom

 (S# H2859): This KeyWord is specific to the act of a man becoming the son-in-law, hence it is the verbal root of the noun Chothan, which, depending on context, denotes either a bridegroom or father-in-law. Thus the relations between the spouse and parents for both the husband and wife is described with a Chet KeyWord: the husbands father-in-law is Chothan, the wife's is Cham.

Cham and Chamoth: Wife's Father-in-law and Mother-in-Law

 (S# H2524) &  (S# H2545): These KeyWords denote the wife's Father-in-Law (Cham) and Mother-in-Law (Chamoth). This seems to relate to the fundamental Chet KeyWord Chamah (Wall - see above), which really makes sense in light of the wife coming to live with the son and his parents, who form a wall surrounding the newly wedded couple. This contrasts with Chothan (husband's father-in-law), which is very close to the fundamental KeyWord Chotham (Seal) and seems to relate to the idea of the oath/seal of marriage.

Ten of the eleven occurrences of the KeyWord Chamoth (mother-in-law) are found in Book 8 (cf. Ruth's Mother-in-Law). Here is the graph of its distribution on the Wheel: