Ḥ-Y-B means to owe or be liable. A ḥayyaba is one in debt, the person bound to repay (17 times), while the debt itself is ḥawba, from the related root Ḥ-W-B. The Qala says "those in debt to us" where most translations say debtors, because the word is about owing.
| Form | Pattern | Translit | Script | Standard | Qala rendering |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ḥayyab | adjective, qaṭṭāl pattern | ḥayyāb | דחיב ܕ݁ܚܰܝܳܒ݂ (as written: d-ḥayyab) | owing, liable | owed, in debt (Matthew 18:24) |
| ḥayyaba | noun | ḥayyābā | חיבא ܚܝܒܐ | debtor | one in debt: 17 occurrences |
| ḥayyeb | verb (Pael) | ḥayyeb | ונחיבונה ܘܢܚܝܒܘܢܗ (as written: wa-nḥaybunah) | to condemn | condemn: literally "declare liable" (Matthew 12:41) |
The Peal sense, to owe, appears in the Gospels as the adjective ḥayyab, owing (Matthew 18:24; Luke 7:41), and the Pael, ḥayyeb, means to declare liable or condemn (wa-nḥaybunah, and condemn it, Matthew 12:41).
Name one thing you believe someone owes you, an apology, a sum of money, or thanks. Release that one debt today, then say ḥawba, the debt, and ḥayyaba, the one who owes.