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חֵיל

𐤇𐤉𐤋

chêyl

H2426 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A collective noun primarily denoting a physical barrier or fortification, such as a wall, rampart, or defensive ditch constructed for protection of a city or settlement. By extension, it can also refer to the area enclosed by such a fortification, or metaphorically to a line or force of defense. In poetry or parallel usage, it can also signify military forces (host, army) or, in a transferred sense, 'wealth' or 'resources,' though this overlap is more characteristic of the related noun חַיִל (chayil).

Semantic Range

defensive work, rampart, embankment, fortification, wall (esp. earthwork or perimeter defense); area enclosed by such a barrier; (poetically/rarely) army, host, line of defense, wealth, resources

Root / Etymology

From the root חוּל or חֵיל (root חו"ל), meaning 'to encircle, surround, whirl.' This root gives rise to terms relating to movement around, enclosure, or forming a circle, from which the noun חֵיל (cheyl) takes on the sense of a surrounding wall or rampart. Distinguished from חַיִל (chayil), rooted in the idea of strength or force, though the two words are closely related both phonetically and semantically in biblical texts.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, חֵיל occurs primarily in reference to the physical fortifications around cities, especially Jerusalem (e.g., Psalms 48:14; Nehemiah 2:8). The term is distinct from חוֹמָה (chomah), 'wall,' in that it often specifically denotes an embankment, rampart, or defensive earthwork in contrast to a vertical stone wall. In poetic parallelism, חֵיל is sometimes paired with חַיִל (army, strength), but the wider semantic domain of 'military host' or 'resources' properly belongs to חַיִל; confusion is augmented by the nearly identical spelling and occasional overlap in forms and usage. The later use of חֵיל to mean 'army' or 'resources' is best understood as either poetic extension or textual confusion. Modern translations that render חֵיל primarily as 'army' do not always convey the architectural and defensive nuances of the term as used in most biblical passages.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (shortened) חֵל; a collateral form of חַיִל; an army; also (by analogy,) an intrenchment; army, bulwark, host, [phrase] poor, rampart, trench, wall.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חול (ḥ-w-l) — to encircle, to surround, to form a circle, to whirl

Root חול to encircle, to surround, to form a circle, to whirl
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2341 חֲוִילָה Whirling Region
H2342 חוּל we writhed
H2343 חוּל and Whirl
H2344 חוֹל in whirling sand
H2427 חִיל writhing throe

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2426-06 חֵ֥יל cheyl HNcmsc army rampart of army of 9
H2426-03 בְּ/חֵ֥יל becheyl HR/Ncmsc with army in encircling rampart of in force of 2
H2426-08 הַֽ/חֵל hachel HTd/Ncmsa of the host Begin! the enclosure 1
H2426-07 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his army his strength his army 1
H2426-01 בַּ/חֵ֑ל bachel HRd/Ncmsa against the rampart encircling rampart by the rampart 1
H2426-04 בְּ/חֵילֵ֑/ךְ becheylekhe HR/Ncmsc/Sp2fs within your walls in your encircling rampart in your encircling rampart 1
H2426-02 בְּ/חֵ֥ל bechel HR/Ncmsc in the plot of in rampart of in the plot of 1
H2426-10 וְ/חֵיל֙ vecheyl HC/Ncmsc and army and rampart of and the rampart 1
H2426-05 חֵ֥ל chel HNcmsa rampart encircling rampart encircling rampart 1
H2426-09 וָ/חֵֽל vachel HC/Ncmsa and ramparts encircling rampart and rampart 1

Occurrences in Scripture

19 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2426-06 2 Samuel 8:9 חֵ֥יל cheyl HNcmsc army rampart of army of
H2426-01 2 Samuel 20:15 בַּ/חֵ֑ל bachel HRd/Ncmsa against the rampart encircling rampart by the rampart
H2426-02 1 Kings 21:23 בְּ/חֵ֥ל bechel HR/Ncmsc in the plot of in rampart of in the plot of
H2426-03 2 Kings 18:17 בְּ/חֵ֥יל becheyl HR/Ncmsc with army in encircling rampart of with army
H2426-09 Isaiah 26:1 וָ/חֵֽל vachel HC/Ncmsa and ramparts encircling rampart and rampart
H2426-03 Isaiah 36:2 בְּ/חֵ֣יל becheyl HR/Ncmsc with army in encircling rampart of in force of
H2426-07 Joel 2:11 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his army his strength his army
H2426-08 Obadiah 1:20 הַֽ/חֵל hachel HTd/Ncmsa of the host Begin! the enclosure
H2426-06 Nahum 3:8 חֵ֣יל cheyl HNcmsc rampart rampart of rampart of
H2426-06 Psalms 10:10 חֵ֣יל cheyl HNcmsc strength rampart of strength
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