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חֹלוֹן

𐤇𐤋𐤅𐤍

Cholon

H2473 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חול to be sandy, to make sand, to whirl, to dance

Definition

Proper noun designating the name of at least two distinct settlements mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, belonging to different tribal allotments. The underlying sense references a location, likely related to sandy terrain, but the word itself functions exclusively as a toponym and does not carry generic descriptive meaning outside of place-naming contexts.

Semantic Range

proper name of a place, location described as sandy; toponym connected to tribal allotments

Root / Etymology

Derived from the Hebrew root חול (ḥ-w-l), meaning 'sand,' with a likely diminutive or place-indicating formation, suggesting 'sandy (place)' or 'sandy area.' The word חֹלוֹן is a proper noun formed from this root and functions only as a place name.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֹלוֹן appears as the name of at least two locations in the Hebrew Bible: one in the southern territory allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:51), and another in the territory of the tribe of Asher's allotted cities (Joshua 21:15; 1 Chronicles 6:58). In all cases, the context is geographic and refers specifically to Israelite town lists. The term does not appear with any religious or ethnic connotation. Later English translations sometimes render the name as 'Holon'; the association with the English word 'Jew' or the later region 'Palestine' is anachronistic. The form חֹלוֹן (Cholon) is likely related to the Hebrew חול (ḥol, "sand")—either referencing actual terrain or functioning as a conventional name formation. The shortened form חֹלֹן appears in some manuscript traditions but carries the same referent. The Hebrew conventions for place naming frequently use roots describing the environment or perceived features. There is no evidence of the term conveying symbolic, religious, or broader conceptual meaning outside of its toponymic role.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (shortened) חֹלֹן; probably from חוֹל; sandy; Cholon, the name of two places in Palestine; Holon.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חול (ḥ-w-l) — to be sandy, sand, whirl, dance

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2341 חֲוִילָה Whirling Region
H2342 חוּל we writhed
H2343 חוּל and Whirl
H2344 חוֹל in whirling sand
H2426 חֵיל encircling rampart

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2473-01 חֹלֹן֙ cholon HNp Holon Sandy-Place 2
H2473-02 וְ/חֹלֹ֖ן vecholon HC/Np and Holon and Holon 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2473-02 Joshua 15:51 וְ/חֹלֹ֖ן vecholon HC/Np and Holon and Holon
H2473-01 Joshua 21:15 חֹלֹן֙ cholon HNp Holon Sandy-Place
H2473-01 Jeremiah 48:21 חֹל֥וֹן cholon HNp Holon Sandy-Place
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