חֲכַלְיָה
𐤇𐤊𐤋𐤉𐤄
Chakhaleyah
H2446 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name; likely meaning 'Yahweh has grown dark' or 'Yahweh is darkness,' derived from Hebrew roots associated with darkness and the theophoric element referring to Yahweh. Used specifically as the name of a male individual, Hacaliah, named as the father of Nehemiah.
Semantic Range
personal name; possible sense of 'Yahweh is dark/darkness,' 'darkened by Yahweh,' 'Yahweh brings darkness'
Root / Etymology
Composite form from חַכְלִיל (ḥaklil, 'dark, darker hue, perhaps coppery or dusky') and the theophoric suffix יָהּ (representing 'Yah' or 'Yahweh'). The precise sense of חַכְלִיל is somewhat debated, but it refers to a dark/dusky hue or brilliancy associated with metals, while יָהּ indicates association with Yahweh. Thus, the name literally carries the sense 'Yahweh is darkness/dark-hued.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲכַלְיָה (Chăkalyâh) occurs only as a personal name, notably in Nehemiah 1:1 and 10:1, where Hacaliah is given as the father of Nehemiah, a prominent Persian-era Israelite and cupbearer to the king of Persia. The name's meaning, drawing on a root for 'dark' and the divine name, is unusual among Israelite theophoric names, which more often emphasize Yahweh's positive or saving actions. Its precise nuance—whether 'dark' refers to literal color, metaphoric obscurity, or something else—is not entirely clear. No evidence suggests the name had pejorative connotation; rather, it reflects the ancient Semitic practice of composing personal names from descriptive traits and the name of a deity. Standard English translations simply transliterate the name as 'Hacaliah,' providing no semantic information, which avoids the ambiguous or potentially misleading implications of literal rendering. There is no indication that this name became widespread or acquired significant additional meanings in exilic or post-exilic periods. Distinguish here from similar names like חֲזַקְיָה (Hezekiah), which emphasize Yahweh's strength.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the base of חַכְלִיל and יָהּ; darkness of Jah; Chakaljah, an Israelite; Hachaliah.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חכל (ḥ-k-l) — to be dark, to grow dark, to have a dark hue
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2446-01 |
חֲכַלְיָ֑ה | chakhaleyah | HNp |
Hacaliah | Yah Is Dark | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2446-01 |
Nehemiah 1:1 | חֲכַלְיָ֑ה | chakhaleyah | HNp |
Hacaliah | Yah Is Dark |
H2446-01 |
Nehemiah 10:2 | חֲכַלְיָ֖ה | chakhaleyah | HNp |
Hacaliah | Yah Is Dark |