חֹק
Chok
Statute, decree, ordinance, prescribed limit
Chok (חֹק) is a Hebrew word meaning “statute, decree, ordinance, prescribed limit,” pronounced “KHOK.” Derived from the root ח-ק-ק, chok appears 125 times in the Hebrew Bible (Strong's H2706).
| Hebrew | חֹק |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | Chok |
| Pronunciation | KHOK |
| Meaning | Statute, decree, ordinance, prescribed limit |
| Root Letters | ח-ק-ק |
| Occurrences in Hebrew Bible | 125× |
| Key Verse | Jeremiah 31:35-36 |
| Strong's Number | H2706 |
| Category | Kingdom & Authority |
There is a category of God's commands that the Bible treats differently from all others — the chukim (חֻקִּים), the statutes. While mishpatim are laws whose reasons are self-evident and mitzvot are directly instructed, chukim are decrees whose reasons are often beyond human understanding. The dietary laws, the red heifer, the prohibition of mixing fabrics — these are chukim: laws obeyed not because they make sense to us but because they come from a God who sees further than we do. But chok carries an even deeper meaning. In Jeremiah 31:35-36, the same word describes the 'fixed order' of the sun, moon, and stars — the laws of nature God decreed into existence. A chok is a boundary inscribed into reality itself. The God who set the ocean's boundaries (Proverbs 8:29) and planetary orbits is the same God who set moral boundaries for human flourishing. Natural law and moral law share the same Hebrew word because they share the same Author.
Key Bible Verse: Jeremiah 31:35-36
“Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order (chukkot) of the moon and the stars for light by night: 'If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.'”
What Is the Root of Chok in Hebrew?
Chok comes from the root ח-ק-ק (chet-qof-qof), meaning 'to engrave, inscribe, decree.' A chok is literally something carved in stone — an irrevocable decree that cannot be altered.
What Does Chok Mean in the Bible?
Chok and its feminine form chukkah appear over 125 times in the Hebrew Bible. They describe God's decrees for nature (Jeremiah 33:25), Torah regulations (Leviticus 18:4), prescribed portions (Genesis 47:22), and the unbreakable ordinances governing creation.
How Is Chok Used in Modern Hebrew?
The Israeli Declaration of Independence uses 'chukei ha'am' (laws of the nation), connecting modern statehood to the ancient biblical vocabulary of divine decree. Inscribed, inalienable law runs deep in Jewish civilization.
How to Use Chok in Prayer & Worship
Trust God's chukim — His inscribed boundaries — even when you cannot see the reason. The God who set the stars in their courses has set boundaries for your life that lead to flourishing. Obedience is an act of trust.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chok
How do you say “Statute” in Hebrew?
“Statute” in Hebrew is Chok (חֹק), pronounced “KHOK.” Chok comes from the root ח-ק-ק (chet-qof-qof), meaning 'to engrave, inscribe, decree.' A chok is literally something carved in stone — an irrevocable decree that cannot be altered.
What does Chok mean in the Bible?
Chok (חֹק) means “Statute, decree, ordinance, prescribed limit” in Biblical Hebrew. Chok and its feminine form chukkah appear over 125 times in the Hebrew Bible. They describe God's decrees for nature (Jeremiah 33:25), Torah regulations (Leviticus 18:4), prescribed portions (Genesis 47:22), and the unbreakable ordinances governing creation.
How do you pronounce Chok?
Chok is pronounced “KHOK.” The word comes from the Hebrew root ח-ק-ק.
What is the difference between chok, mitzvah, and mishpat?
A mitzvah is a direct commandment. A mishpat is an ordinance whose justice is self-evident (e.g., 'don't steal'). A chok is a statute whose reason is not apparent to human logic (e.g., dietary laws). Obeying chukim is the highest expression of trust — following God even when you don't understand why.
Why does God give laws we cannot understand?
The chukim test and develop faith. Solomon said, 'I thought I could fathom it, but it is far from me' (Ecclesiastes 7:23). Obeying what we don't fully understand cultivates humility. It acknowledges God's wisdom surpasses ours and that obedience is rooted in relationship, not comprehension.
How does chok connect natural law and moral law?
The same Hebrew word describes the cosmic 'fixed order' (Jeremiah 31:35) and God's moral commandments (Leviticus 18:4). One God authored both physics and ethics. Violating either has consequences. Both are inscribed into the fabric of reality.
Sources & Further Study
- Blue Letter Bible — H2706: Chok
- Bible Gateway — Jeremiah 31:35-36 (ESV)
- Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB) — entry for ח-ק-ק
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