חֵלְכָא
𐤇𐤋𐤊𐤀
chêlᵉkâʼ
H2489 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person who is in a state of hardship, poverty, or misfortune; specifically, one described as poor or wretched in a social or economic sense. The word encompasses both literal material deprivation and metaphorical unhappiness or affliction.
Semantic Range
poor, wretched, unfortunate, in a state of misfortune; afflicted, materially deprived, destitute
Root / Etymology
Root/Etymology: Uncertain; possibly from an unused Hebrew root related to darkness or misfortune, perhaps connected semantically to the root חָלַךְ (unattested), which may imply a state of gloom or misery. The precise etymology remains unclear due to sparse attestation and the absence of a cognate root in biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Historical & Contextual Notes: The term חֵלְכָא appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, with its primary attestation in poetic or wisdom literature. The word denotes a person experiencing significant adversity, primarily in the sense of poverty or social marginalization. While the English term "wretch" is sometimes used in translations, this can carry theological or moral connotations not inherent in the Hebrew term; the biblical usage is focused on the socio-economic condition of the individual. In later Hebrew and rabbinic tradition, related forms can acquire broader meanings related to misfortune or worthlessness. The term should be distinguished from other Hebrew words translated as "poor" (such as עָנִי or אֶבְיוֹן), which may emphasize humility, oppression, or destitution in different ways. The word is not used as an identity label but rather as a descriptive designation for one's state at a particular time.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or חֵלְכָה; apparently from an unused root probably meaning to be dark or (figuratively) unhappy; a wretch, i.e. unfortunate; poor.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חלך (ḥ-l-k) — darkness, gloom, misfortune, wretchedness
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2489-03 |
לְֽ/חֵלְכָ֥ה | lechelekhah | HR/Ncfsa |
for the helpless | wretched woman | 1 |
H2489-01 |
חֵלֶ֑כָה | chelekhah | HNcfsa |
the helpless | wretched woman | 1 |
H2489-02 |
חלכאים | chlkhym | HNcfpa |
wicked-ones | wretched women | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2489-03 |
Psalms 10:8 | לְֽ/חֵלְכָ֥ה | lechelekhah | HR/Ncfsa |
for the helpless | wretched woman |
H2489-02 |
Psalms 10:10 | חלכאים | chlkhym | HNcfpa |
wicked-ones | wretched women |
H2489-01 |
Psalms 10:14 | חֵלֶ֑כָה | chelekhah | HNcfsa |
the helpless | wretched woman |