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חַיִל

𐤇𐤉𐤋

Chayil

H2428 noun

SILEX Entry

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

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Chokwe kayila strength, ability
Kimbundu kayila strength, power
Lunda kayila strength, power, ability
Umbundu kayila strength, power

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Root Family

חיל (Chayil) — to be strong, to have strength, to be capable

Root חיל to be strong, to have strength, to be capable
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2429 חַיִל in strength
H2430 חֵילָה to her rampart
H2431 חֵילָם toward Strength-Place
H2432 חִילֵן Strength-Place
H2497 חֵלֹן Chelon

Word Forms

30 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2428-04 חַיִל֒ chayil HNcmsa of valor strength strength 100
H2428-05 חֵ֔יל cheyl HNcmsc army strength-of army of 25
H2428-12 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his army his strength his army 15
H2428-13 הַ/חֲיָלִ֑ים hachayalim HTd/Ncmpa of the forces the strength-forces the forces 14
H2428-14 הַ/חַ֗יִל hachayil HTd/Ncmsa the army the strength the strength 14
H2428-01 בְּ/חַיִל֮ bechayil HR/Ncmsa with army in strength with strength 7
H2428-07 חֵילָ֤/ם cheylam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their wealth their strength-capacity their wealth 7
H2428-15 הֶ/חָ֑יִל hechayil HTd/Ncmsa of the army the strength the army 7
H2428-09 חֵילֶ֑/ךָ cheylekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your wealth your strength your wealth 6
H2428-03 חֲיָלִ֑ים chayalim HNcmpa of valor mighty forces valor 5

Occurrences in Scripture

234 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2428-07 Genesis 34:29 חֵילָ֤/ם cheylam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their wealth their strength-capacity their strength-capacity
H2428-04 Genesis 47:6 חַ֔יִל chayil HNcmsa ability strength ability
H2428-12 Exodus 14:4 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his army his strength his army
H2428-29 Exodus 14:9 וְ/חֵיל֑/וֹ vecheylo HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and his army his strength and his army
H2428-12 Exodus 14:17 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his army his strength his strength
H2428-05 Exodus 14:28 חֵ֣יל cheyl HNcmsc army strength-of army
H2428-29 Exodus 15:4 וְ/חֵיל֖/וֹ vecheylo HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and his army his strength and his army
H2428-04 Exodus 18:21 חַ֜יִל chayil HNcmsa ability strength strength
H2428-04 Exodus 18:25 חַ֨יִל֙ chayil HNcmsa ability strength strength
H2428-04 Numbers 24:18 חָֽיִל chayil HNcmsa valiantly strength strength
H2428-07 Numbers 31:9 חֵילָ֖/ם cheylam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their goods their strength-capacity their wealth
H2428-15 Numbers 31:14 הֶ/חָ֑יִל hechayil HTd/Ncmsa of the army the strength the army
H2428-04 Deuteronomy 3:18 חָֽיִל chayil HNcmsa valor strength strength
H2428-14 Deuteronomy 8:17 הַ/חַ֥יִל hachayil HTd/Ncmsa the-wealth the strength the strength
H2428-04 Deuteronomy 8:18 חָ֑יִל chayil HNcmsa wealth strength wealth
H2428-19 Deuteronomy 11:4 לְ/חֵ֨יל lecheyl HR/Ncmsc to the army to strength-of to the army
H2428-12 Deuteronomy 33:11 חֵיל֔/וֹ cheylo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his strength his strength his strength
H2428-14 Joshua 1:14 הַ/חַ֔יִל hachayil HTd/Ncmsa of valor the strength valor
H2428-15 Joshua 6:2 הֶ/חָֽיִל hechayil HTd/Ncmsa of the valor the strength the valor
H2428-14 Joshua 8:3 הַ/חַ֔יִל hachayil HTd/Ncmsa of valor the strength valor
H2428-15 Joshua 10:7 הֶ/חָֽיִל hechayil HTd/Ncmsa of valor the strength the valor
H2428-04 Judges 3:29 חָ֑יִל chayil HNcmsa of valor strength of valor
H2428-15 Judges 6:12 הֶ/חָֽיִל hechayil HTd/Ncmsa of valor the strength of valor
H2428-04 Judges 11:1 חַ֔יִל chayil HNcmsa man of valor strength of strength
H2428-04 Judges 18:2 חַ֜יִל chayil HNcmsa valor strength strength
H2428-04 Judges 20:44 חָֽיִל chayil HNcmsa valour strength strength
H2428-04 Judges 20:46 חָֽיִל chayil HNcmsa valor strength strength
H2428-15 Judges 21:10 הֶ/חָ֑יִל hechayil HTd/Ncmsa the valiant the strength the valiant
H2428-04 1 Samuel 2:4 חָֽיִל chayil HNcmsa with strength strength with strength
H2428-04 1 Samuel 9:1 חָֽיִל chayil HNcmsa man of power strength of valor
H2428-14 1 Samuel 10:26 הַ/חַ֕יִל hachayil HTd/Ncmsa the valiant men the strength the valiant men
H2428-04 1 Samuel 14:48 חַ֔יִל chayil HNcmsa valiantly strength valor
H2428-04 1 Samuel 14:52 חַ֔יִל chayil HNcmsa valor strength of valor
H2428-04 1 Samuel 16:18 חַ֜יִל chayil HNcmsa man of valor strength strength
H2428-30 1 Samuel 17:20 וְ/הַ/חַ֗יִל vehachayil HC/Td/Ncmsa and the army and the strength and the army
H2428-04 1 Samuel 18:17 חַ֔יִל chayil HNcmsa of valor strength of valor
H2428-04 1 Samuel 31:12 חַיִל֮ chayil HNcmsa valiant strength valiant
H2428-04 2 Samuel 2:7 חַ֔יִל chayil HNcmsa valor strength strength
H2428-04 2 Samuel 11:16 חַ֖יִל chayil HNcmsa valor strength valor
H2428-04 2 Samuel 13:28 חָֽיִל chayil HNcmsa of valor strength valor
H2428-04 2 Samuel 17:10 חַ֗יִל chayil HNcmsa valor strength of strength
H2428-04 2 Samuel 17:10 חַ֖יִל chayil-2 HNcmsa valor strength of strength
H2428-04 2 Samuel 22:33 חָ֑יִל chayil HNcmsa power strength strength
H2428-04 2 Samuel 22:40 חַ֖יִל chayil HNcmsa strength strength with strength
H2428-04 2 Samuel 23:20 חַ֛יִל chayil HNcmsa of valor strength strength
H2428-14 2 Samuel 24:2 הַ/חַ֣יִל hachayil HTd/Ncmsa of the army the strength the army
H2428-15 2 Samuel 24:4 הֶ/חָ֑יִל hechayil HTd/Ncmsa of the army the strength the army
H2428-14 2 Samuel 24:4 הַ/חַ֨יִל֙ hachayil HTd/Ncmsa of the army the strength the army
H2428-04 2 Samuel 24:9 חַ֨יִל֙ chayil HNcmsa valiant strength strength
H2428-04 1 Kings 1:42 חַ֛יִל chayil HNcmsa worthy strength of strength
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