כָלֵב֙
𐤊𐤋𐤁
khalev
Caleb
perhaps a form of כֶּלֶב, or else from the same root in the sense of forcible; Caleb, the name of three Israelites; Caleb.
H3612
1 Chronicles 2:19 · Word #5
Lexicon H3612
| Lemma | כָּלֵב |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤊𐤋𐤁 |
| Transliteration | Kâlêb |
| Strong's | H3612 |
| In-context | Caleb |
Morphology HNp
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | p — Proper Name — Proper name |
SIBI-P1 H3612-02
Dog (masculine personal name)
| Root | כלב (k-l-b) |
| Core Meanings | dog, cur, one characterized by canine traits (boldness, tenacity, lowliness) |
| Semantic Range | Literal: dog. As a proper name: Caleb, an Israelite man. Connotations may include tenacity, boldness, or lowly status transformed into honor. |
| Conceptual Significance | Caleb, especially Caleb son of Jephunneh, is remembered for wholehearted loyalty to YHWH (Numbers 14; Joshua 14). The juxtaposition of a name meaning "Dog"—an animal often viewed negatively in ancient Israel—with exemplary faithfulness highlights a reversal motif: humble or despised origins associated with covenantal courage and steadfast trust. |
| Morphological Notes | Proper noun, masculine singular absolute. Occurs as the personal name of several Israelite men, most prominently the son of Jephunneh. |
| Rendering Rationale | The form is a masculine singular proper noun (HNp), so it is rendered as a masculine personal name. By translating the name according to its likely root meaning, "Dog," the rendering preserves the lexical connection to כלב (dog) while reflecting its use as an individual male name. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root כלב (dog, cur, one characterized by canine traits (boldness, tenacity, lowliness))
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
H3611-01 |
hakelavim | the yelping dogs |
H3611-02 |
hakelev | the yelping dog |
H3612-01 |
kalev | Dog-like One |
H3611-03 |
kekhelev | like a snarling dog |
H3611-04 |
kelavim | dogs |
H3611-05 |
kelev | a yelping dog |
H3619-01 |
keluv | cage-of |
H3621-01 |
keluvay | Dog-like One |
H3611-06 |
khakalev | like the dog |
H3612-03 |
lekhalev | to Kalev ("Dog-like" or "Whole-hearted one") |
|
ulekhalev | and to Kâlēv (Dog-like One) |
H3612-04 |
vekhalev | and Caleb ("Dog") |
Word Usage (35 occurrences of H3612)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numbers 13:6 | כָּלֵ֖ב | kalev | Caleb |
| Numbers 13:30 | כָּלֵ֛ב | kalev | Caleb |
| Numbers 14:6 | וְ/כָלֵב֙ | vekhalev | and Caleb |