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חֵילָה

𐤇𐤉𐤋𐤄

chêylâh

H2430 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חיל to be strong, prevail, have strength, produce valor

Definition

A fortification or defensive structure, typically referring to an earthwork, rampart, or stronghold. In biblical contexts, 'חֵילָה' most often denotes a fortified embankment or outer wall constructed for defensive purposes around a city or encampment.

Semantic Range

rampart, entrenchment, fortification, bulwark, defensive embankment, outer defensive work

Root / Etymology

From the root חֵיל (ח-י-ל), which primarily means 'strength' or 'power' and, by extension, 'military force' or 'valor.' חֵילָה is the feminine form and refers to a physical manifestation of strength—specifically, a fortification such as a rampart or entrenchment. The morphology suggests a nominal derivative in the feminine pattern, indicating something characterized by 'strength.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֵילָה appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible and is typically used in military or architectural descriptions. In earlier periods (monarchic), the term likely referred to the raised earthworks or outer defensive structures built to protect cities or encampments, distinguishing them from the main city wall (חוֹמָה). The masculine noun חַיִל commonly means 'army,' 'strength,' or 'wealth,' but in architectural contexts can also mean 'fortification.' The feminine form חֵילָה, while derived from the same root, is narrowly focused on the physical structure rather than the abstract concept of strength or might. English translations often render the word as 'bulwark,' 'entrenchment,' or 'rampart,' but these terms may obscure the fact that the original refers to a specific kind of defensive construction used in ancient Israelite urban and military planning. Later, during the post-exilic and Second Temple periods, similar terms continued to denote defenses, but חֵילָה itself is largely confined to earlier texts. The use of 'bulwark' or 'entrenchment' in English Bibles captures part of the meaning but does not fully convey the original nuance related to the technology and military strategies of the time.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of חַיִל; an intrenchment; bulwark.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חיל (ḥ-y-l) — strength, power, valor, prevailing force

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1134 בֶּן־חַיִל strength-capacity
H2426 חֵיל his strength
H2428 חַיִל in strength
H2429 חַיִל in strength
H2431 חֵילָם toward Strength-Place

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2430-01 לְֽ/חֵילָ֗/ה lecheylah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs to her fortress to her rampart 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2430-01 Psalms 48:14 לְֽ/חֵילָ֗/ה lecheylah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs to her fortress to her rampart
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