חָלַף (H2498) — Hebrew Lexicon

חָלַף

𐤇𐤋𐤐

châlaph

H2498 verb

SILEX Entry

Root ח־ל־ף to pass, to change, to exchange, to succeed, to renew

Definition

To pass, move, or go through; to change, exchange, or be renewed. חָלַף (châlaph) refers primarily to the action of passing by or through, whether of persons, times, or states. It is frequently used in descriptions of temporal progression, physical movement (e.g., passing by a location), the changing of garments or states, the renewal of something previously lost, or the replacement or succession of persons or things.

Semantic Range

to pass by, to go through, to move past, to slip away, to elapse (of time), to change or alter, to be exchanged, to be renewed, to succeed (in place), to sprout (as new growth), to cut off or pierce through

Root / Etymology

From the root ח-ל-ף (חָלַף), meaning 'to pass, change.' The root conveys the idea of slipping past, exchanging, or succeeding. The derived verb חָלַף carries these fundamental notions of passage or transition, with a lexical focus on movement (literal or figurative) and alteration.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָלַף appears in various periods of the Hebrew Bible, including narrative, poetic, and prophetic texts. In earlier contexts, it often describes physical movement, as in passing through a space or slipping away from danger (e.g., Genesis 8:3 – the waters receded). Over time, it also acquires more abstract meanings, such as temporal change (days or years passing) or personal renewal (Isaiah 40:31 – 'renew their strength'). In some contexts, it expresses change or exchange (e.g., changing clothes, Genesis 41:14), and in others, it refers to succession (Job 8:19 – 'another sprouts from the ground'). The sense of 'renewal' or 'exchange' often involves the restoration or replacement of something lost or altered, rather than a simple return to a former state. English translations sometimes flatten this semantic range, translating חָלַף as 'pass away' (with potentially misleading connotations of death or nonexistence), whereas the verb in context may simply denote transition or transformation. Differentiated from related verbs such as עָבַר ('to cross, pass over') or שָׁנָה ('to change, repeat'), חָלַף emphasizes the process or moment of transition and often includes the idea of coming after or replacing.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to slide by, i.e. (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change; abolish, alter, change, cut off, go on forward, grow up, be over, pass (away, on, through), renew, sprout, strike through.

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Root Family

חלף (ḥ-l-p̄) — to pass, to change, to exchange, to succeed, to renew

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2475	חֲלוֹף	survivor
H2487	חֲלִיפָה	my change
H2499	חֲלַף	they will pass on
H2500	חֵלֶף	in place of
H2501	חֶלֶף	from Cheleph
H4252	מַחֲלָף	sacrificial knives
H4253	מַחְלָפָה	braided tresses of

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H2498-20`	יַחֲלֹֽף	yachalof	`HVqi3ms`	he passes by	he passes on	4
`H2498-01`	חָלַ֥ף	chalaf	`HVqp3ms`	is over	he passed	2
`H2498-09`	וַ/יְחַלֵּ֣ף	vayechalef	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and changed	and he exchanged	2
`H2498-02`	חָ֣לְפוּ	chalefu	`HVqp3cp`	they-have-changed	they passed by	2
`H2498-19`	יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ	yachalifu	`HVhi3mp`	renew their strength	they will renew	2
`H2498-10`	וְ/חָלַ֤ף	vechalaf	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and it will pass	and he passed on	2
`H2498-17`	יַחֲלִ֑יף	yachalif	`HVhi3ms`	it will sprout	he will cause to change	1
`H2498-12`	וְ/חָלְפָ֖ה	vechalefah	`HC/Vqp3fs`	and she pierced	and she passed on	1
`H2498-11`	וְ/חָלַפְתָּ֨	vechalafeta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you will pass on	and you passed	1
`H2498-06`	תַּחֲלִיפֵ֣/ם	tachalifem	`HVhi2ms/Sp3mp`	You will change them	you will cause them to change	1
`H2498-14`	וְ/הֶחֱלִ֥ף	vehechelif	`HC/Vhp3ms`	and changed	and he caused to change	1
`H2498-13`	וְ/הַחֲלִ֖יפוּ	vehachalifu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and change	and exchange	1
`H2498-08`	וַ/תַּחֲלֵ֥ף	vatachalef	`HC/Vhw2ms`	and you changed	you caused to pass	1
`H2498-15`	וְ֝/יַחֲלֹ֗ף	veyachalof	`HC/Vqi3ms`	and he passes	and he passes on	1
`H2498-18`	יַחֲלִיפֶ֗/נּוּ	yachalifenu	`HVhi3ms/Sp3ms`	shall he exchange it	he will replace him	1
`H2498-07`	תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗/הוּ	tachelefehu	`HVqi3fs/Sp3ms`	will overtake him	she will pass him by	1
`H2498-04`	נַחֲלִֽיף	nachalif	`HVhi1cp`	we will replace	we will cause to change	1
`H2498-16`	וְֽ/יַחֲלֹֽפוּ	veyachalofu	`HC/Vqi3mp`	and they will pass away	and they will pass on	1
`H2498-05`	תַחֲלִֽיף	tachalif	`HVhi3fs`	is renewed	she will cause to change	1
`H2498-03`	לַֽ/חֲלֹ֔ף	lachalof	`HR/Vqc`	pass through	to pass through	1

Occurrences in Scripture

28 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H2498-14`	Genesis 31:7	וְ/הֶחֱלִ֥ף	vehechelif	`HC/Vhp3ms`	and changed	and he caused to change
`H2498-08`	Genesis 31:41	וַ/תַּחֲלֵ֥ף	vatachalef	`HC/Vhw2ms`	and you changed	you caused to pass
`H2498-13`	Genesis 35:2	וְ/הַחֲלִ֖יפוּ	vehachalifu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and change	and exchange
`H2498-09`	Genesis 41:14	וַ/יְחַלֵּ֣ף	vayechalef	`HC/Vpw3ms`	changed	and he exchanged
`H2498-18`	Leviticus 27:10	יַחֲלִיפֶ֗/נּוּ	yachalifenu	`HVhi3ms/Sp3ms`	shall he exchange it	he will replace him
`H2498-12`	Judges 5:26	וְ/חָלְפָ֖ה	vechalefah	`HC/Vqp3fs`	and she pierced	and she passed on
`H2498-11`	1 Samuel 10:3	וְ/חָלַפְתָּ֨	vechalafeta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you will pass on	and you passed
`H2498-09`	2 Samuel 12:20	וַ/יְחַלֵּף֙	vayechalef	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and changed	and he exchanged
`H2498-20`	Isaiah 2:18	יַחֲלֹֽף	yachalof	`HVqi3ms`	will pass away	he passes on
`H2498-10`	Isaiah 8:8	וְ/חָלַ֤ף	vechalaf	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and it will pass	and he passed on
`H2498-04`	Isaiah 9:9	נַחֲלִֽיף	nachalif	`HVhi1cp`	we will replace	we will cause to change
`H2498-03`	Isaiah 21:1	לַֽ/חֲלֹ֔ף	lachalof	`HR/Vqc`	pass through	to pass through
`H2498-02`	Isaiah 24:5	חָ֣לְפוּ	chalefu	`HVqp3cp`	they-have-changed	they passed by
`H2498-19`	Isaiah 40:31	יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ	yachalifu	`HVhi3mp`	shall renew	they will renew
`H2498-19`	Isaiah 41:1	יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ	yachalifu	`HVhi3mp`	renew their strength	they will renew
`H2498-01`	Habakkuk 1:11	חָלַ֥ף	chalaf	`HVqp3ms`	sweep by	he passed
`H2498-20`	Psalms 90:5	יַחֲלֹֽף	yachalof	`HVqi3ms`	that renews	he passes on
`H2498-10`	Psalms 90:6	וְ/חָלָ֑ף	vechalaf	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and passes away	and he passed on
`H2498-06`	Psalms 102:27	תַּחֲלִיפֵ֣/ם	tachalifem	`HVhi2ms/Sp3mp`	You will change them	you will cause them to change
`H2498-16`	Psalms 102:27	וְֽ/יַחֲלֹֽפוּ	veyachalofu	`HC/Vqi3mp`	and they will pass away	and they will pass on
`H2498-20`	Job 4:15	יַחֲלֹ֑ף	yachalof	`HVqi3ms`	passed	he passes on
`H2498-15`	Job 9:11	וְ֝/יַחֲלֹ֗ף	veyachalof	`HC/Vqi3ms`	and he passes	and he passes on
`H2498-02`	Job 9:26	חָ֭לְפוּ	chalefu	`HVqp3cp`	They passed	they passed by
`H2498-20`	Job 11:10	יַחֲלֹ֥ף	yachalof	`HVqi3ms`	he passes by	he passes on
`H2498-17`	Job 14:7	יַחֲלִ֑יף	yachalif	`HVhi3ms`	it will sprout	he will cause to change
`H2498-07`	Job 20:24	תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗/הוּ	tachelefehu	`HVqi3fs/Sp3ms`	will overtake him	she will pass him by
`H2498-05`	Job 29:20	תַחֲלִֽיף	tachalif	`HVhi3fs`	is renewed	she will cause to change
`H2498-01`	Song of Songs 2:11	חָלַ֖ף	chalaf	`HVqp3ms`	is over	he passed

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