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חִילֵן

𐤇𐤉𐤋𐤍

Chilen

H2432 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חיל to be strong, to have might, to be capable, to achieve a force or wealth

Definition

Proper noun denoting the name of a town located in the hill country of Judah. The primary lexical meaning is the settlement known as Chilen (more commonly rendered as Hilen), likely referencing a specific fortified locality during the period of Judahite settlement.

Semantic Range

place of strength, fortified town, Chilen as a specific Judahite locality; proper noun designating a town

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חַיִל (ḥ-y-l), which conveys concepts of strength, might, or capability, often applied to both individuals (valor, ability) and constructs (fortification, military forces). The name חִילֵן is formed as a toponym, probably with an adjectival or substantive form indicating 'fortification' or association with strength. Thus, the toponym may be understood as 'place of strength' or 'fortress place.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

חִילֵן appears in the Hebrew Bible only in Joshua 15:51, within the list of cities in the hill country allotted to the tribe of Judah. The settlement's name reflects a theme of strength or fortification, consistent with the root חַיִל. Chilen is identified with Hilen in some translations; the name Chilen reflects a less common vocalization and may be a variant spelling. Contextually, the place name is likely to have been associated with a fortified site or an area of strategic importance, but extant archaeological or historical evidence about the site is limited. In post-biblical contexts and translations, Hilen tends to be preferred as the standard form. There is no direct evidence for continued settlement, and the geographic location remains debated among scholars. The term is strictly a proper noun; it is not used as a common noun for 'fortress' elsewhere.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חַיִל; fortress; Chilen, a place in Palestine; Hilen.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חיל (ḥ-y-l) — strength, might, capability, force, wealth

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1134 בֶּן־חַיִל strength-capacity
H2426 חֵיל his strength
H2428 חַיִל in strength
H2429 חַיִל in strength
H2430 חֵילָה to her rampart

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2432-01 חִילֵז֙ chilez HNp Chilzah Strength-Place 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2432-01 1 Chronicles 6:43 חִילֵז֙ chilez HNp Chilzah Strength-Place
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