חֶלְאָה
𐤇𐤋𐤀𐤄
Cheleah
H2458 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: Helah (Chelah). A female given name appearing in genealogical lists, without additional lexical usage beyond its function as a proper noun. The semantic range is limited to use as a personal name, specifically designating an Israelite woman.
Semantic Range
female proper name (Israelite), possibly referencing 'weakness' or 'sickness' as a nominal basis
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root חלא (ḥ-l-ʾ), which carries the meaning 'to be weak, sick, diseased.' The personal name likely derives from this root, but may reflect a wish, description, or traditional name pattern—its exact intention as a name is unclear.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֶלְאָה (Helah) appears only in 1 Chronicles 4:5–7 as one of the wives of Ashhur, related to the genealogy of the tribe of Judah. As a female proper name, it is unique in biblical Hebrew and does not appear to serve as a common noun elsewhere. The use of personal names derived from terms related to health (including sickness or weakness) is attested elsewhere in the region and period, though the motivation or meaning in this context remains uncertain. English translations often simply transliterate the name as 'Helah.' It should be noted that this name originates before the period commonly identified with Judean or Jewish identity and specifically refers to an Israelite woman in the genealogical narrative of the monarchy and post-exilic periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as חֶלְאָה; Chelah, an Israelitess; Helah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חלא (ḥ-l-ʾ) — to be weak, to be sick, to be diseased
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2456 | חָלָא | and he became sick |
| H2457 | חֶלְאָה | her sickness |
| H8463 | תַּחֲלוּא | in bodily diseases |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2458-01 |
חֶלְאָ֖ה | cheleah | HNp |
Helah | Chelah | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2458-01 |
1 Chronicles 4:5 | חֶלְאָ֖ה | cheleah | HNp |
Helah | Chelah |
H2458-01 |
1 Chronicles 4:7 | חֶלְאָ֑ה | cheleah | HNp |
Helah | Chelah |