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חַיִל

𐤇𐤉𐤋

Chayil

H2428 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חיל to be strong, to have strength, to be capable

Definition

The primary lexical meaning of חַיִל (chayil) is 'strength' or 'capacity,' often manifested in contexts of military power, competence, or material resources. It denotes the quality or state of being strong, effective, or capable, whether in physical, social, or economic domains. In specific contexts, it can refer to military forces (army, host), personal valor or heroism, moral worthiness, or material wealth and substance.

Semantic Range

strength, might, power, military force, army, host, resources, wealth, capability, valor, worthiness, competence, moral excellence, property, goods

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root חָיַל (ח-י-ל), which carries the core idea of strength, capability, or power. The noun חַיִל develops from the verbal root meaning 'to be strong' or 'to have power,' but in its nominal form it can denote both the abstract quality of strength and its concrete manifestations such as force (military), means (wealth), and personal valor. Some etymological connections have been suggested to other Semitic roots with the sense of 'writhing' or 'dancing in strength,' but in Biblical Hebrew the association is primarily with strength and capability.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, חַיִל appears in diverse contexts: most often as a term for military power (e.g., a host or army of Israelite or foreign forces), social or political competence (e.g., a 'worthy' or 'capable' man or woman), and material resources (wealth, assets). Its use to describe both men and women (e.g., Eshet Chayil/Proverbs 31) indicates the word encompasses moral worth, resourcefulness, and effective capacity, not merely martial valor. In later Biblical and post-biblical periods, its association with personal virtue and social status becomes more pronounced. In the translation tradition, 'virtuous' or 'valor' for women (e.g., Ruth, Proverbs 31) reflects this broadened range, though the emphasis on martial or economic prowess is less explicit. Standard English translations vary, often required to use multiple terms (strength, army, wealth, valor, resources) to capture the word's breadth. חַיִל should be distinguished from עֹשֶׁר (wealth) when purely economic contexts are in view, and from גְּבוּרָה (might), which stresses raw power or bravery, though there is overlap in usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חוּל; probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength; able, activity, ([phrase]) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, ([phrase]) valiant(-ly), valour, virtuous(-ly), war, worthy(-ily).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חיל (ḥ-y-l) — strength, capability, power

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1134 בֶּן־חַיִל strength-capacity
H2426 חֵיל his strength
H2429 חַיִל in strength
H2430 חֵילָה to her rampart
H2431 חֵילָם toward Strength-Place

Word Forms

30 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2428-04 חַ֔יִל chayil HNcmsa of valor strength 100
H2428-05 חֵ֣יל cheyl HNcmsc army strength-of 25
H2428-12 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his army his strength 15
H2428-14 הַ/חַ֥יִל hachayil HTd/Ncmsa the army the strength 14
H2428-13 הַ/חֲיָלִ֤ים hachayalim HTd/Ncmpa of the forces the strength-forces 14
H2428-15 הֶ/חָ֑יִל hechayil HTd/Ncmsa of the army the strength 7
H2428-01 בְּ/חַיִל֮ bechayil HR/Ncmsa with army in strength 7
H2428-07 חֵילָ֤/ם cheylam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their wealth their strength-capacity 7
H2428-09 חֵילְ/ךָ֧ cheylekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your wealth your strength 6
H2428-24 וְ/חַ֣יִל vechayil HC/Ncmsa and-army strength 5

Occurrences in Scripture

234 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2428-07 Genesis 34:29 חֵילָ֤/ם cheylam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their wealth their strength-capacity
H2428-04 Genesis 47:6 חַ֔יִל chayil HNcmsa ability strength
H2428-12 Exodus 14:4 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his army his strength
H2428-29 Exodus 14:9 וְ/חֵיל֑/וֹ vecheylo HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and his army his strength
H2428-12 Exodus 14:17 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his army his strength
H2428-05 Exodus 14:28 חֵ֣יל cheyl HNcmsc army strength-of
H2428-29 Exodus 15:4 וְ/חֵיל֖/וֹ vecheylo HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and his army his strength
H2428-04 Exodus 18:21 חַ֜יִל chayil HNcmsa ability strength
H2428-04 Exodus 18:25 חַ֨יִל֙ chayil HNcmsa ability strength
H2428-04 Numbers 24:18 חָֽיִל chayil HNcmsa valiantly strength
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