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H2708 · Hebrew · Old Testament
חֻקָּה
chuqqah
Noun, feminine
statute, ordinance, decree

Definition

A statute, ordinance, or prescribed decree — especially one established by God as permanent and binding. Derived from the root meaning 'to engrave' or 'to inscribe,' chuqqah carries the weight of something carved in stone, unalterable. It is used for God's permanent institutions: Passover, the Day of Atonement, and the Sabbath.

Usage & Theological Significance

Chuqqah represents the permanence of God's will. These are not suggestions but engraved decrees. The word appears often with 'forever' (olam), emphasizing that God's moral and ceremonial laws reflect His unchanging character. While the New Covenant transforms how believers relate to these statutes, the principle remains: God's standards are eternal, carved into the fabric of reality itself.

Key Bible Verses

Exodus 12:14 This is a day you are to commemorate... a lasting ordinance [chuqqah].
Leviticus 16:34 This is to be a lasting ordinance [chuqqah] for you: Atonement is to be made once a year.
Numbers 19:2 This is a statute [chuqqah] of the law that the LORD has commanded.
Ezekiel 20:25 I also gave them statutes [chuqqah] that were not good.
Psalm 119:16 I delight in your decrees [chuqqah]; I will not neglect your word.

Related Words

External Resources

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