← H2504 H2506 →

חָלַק

𐤇𐤋𐤒

châlaq

H2505 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To divide, distribute, or apportion something (especially land, possessions, or inheritance); to make a separation; in extended use, to share with, assign, or allot. In a less common and derived sense, to use smooth speech, flatter, or speak with duplicity (from the figurative sense of 'being smooth'). The word can thus refer both to practical acts of allocation and to insincere, smooth words.

Semantic Range

to divide, to apportion, to allocate, to share (something tangible or intangible); to separate or take away a portion; to receive a portion; to flatter, to speak or act with duplicity; to be smooth (of surface or speech)

Root / Etymology

From the root חלק, which fundamentally denotes 'to be smooth' (literally referring to a polished or slippery surface). This physical sense gives rise metaphorically to the idea of smooth or slippery behavior (flattery, duplicity) and, by extension, to the decisive act of dividing or allocating (as smooth stones were used for casting lots in apportioning divisions). The verb's primary lexical meaning is derived from the act of dividing or allocating, but also carries secondary connotations of smoothness or flattery.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָלַק occurs frequently in contexts relating to the division of land or inheritance among Israelite clans and families, e.g., the distribution of the land of Canaan among the tribes (Joshua, Numbers). The related noun חֵלֶק 'portion, share' is derived from the same root. In poetic and wisdom literature, the root is used metaphorically to describe flattering or duplicitous speech (e.g., Proverbs, Psalms), contrasting honest speech with language that is 'smooth' but deceptive. The notion of 'smoothness' is thus ambivalent— denoting both a literal surface property and, by metaphor, a character of speech or action that lacks integrity. English translations often render חָלַק as 'divide,' 'share,' or 'apportion,' but sometimes use 'flatter' in these figurative contexts. In later Hebrew and post-biblical usage, the distinction between physical division and flattery becomes sharper, but in the Hebrew Bible both senses are present. The term does not denote a strict legal partitioning as might be implied by modern words like 'distribute,' but can carry communal, familial, or insincere-social overtones depending on context.

Translation Consistency

primary "divide" 37 occurrences

The primary and most natural sense of חָלַק in the HB is to divide, apportion, or distribute (land, portions, inheritance). "Divide" is a simple, common English verb that covers allocation, sharing, and separation while remaining natural-sounding; the rare figurative sense "to flatter/smooth-talk" is secondary and will be handled as an exception.

Alternatives (28 occurrences):
"apportioned" (9x) "apportion" (5x) "who flatters" (3x) "distributed" (2x) "apportion out" (1x) "apportioning" (1x) "who smooths" (1x) "flatter" (1x) "flatters" (1x) "flattered" (1x) "made smooth" (1x) "partner" (1x) "allotted" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate; deal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have, im-) part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self, (be) smooth(-er).

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Bemba gaba to distribute, to share out
Chewa/Chichewa gawa to share, to distribute, to divide
Ganda (Luganda) gaba to divide, distribute, give out
Kikuyu gawa to divide, to share
Kinyarwanda gaba to give out, distribute, apportion
Kirundi gaba to distribute, to apportion, share
Lozi gaba to give, distribute, apportion
Luganda gaba to give out, distribute, apportion
Shona gova to apportion, to share, divide
Soga gaba to give out, distribute
Swahili gawa to divide, apportion, share out
Tonga (Zambia) gaba to divide, share out, distribute
+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

חלק (ḥ-l-q) — smoothness, division, allotment, sharing

Root חלק to be smooth, to divide, to allot, to share
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2506 חֵלֶק in allotted portion of
H2507 חֵלֶק allotted portion
H2508 חֲלָק smooth
H2509 חָלָק smooth
H2510 חָלָק Halak

Word Forms

37 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2505-36 יְחַלֵּ֥ק yechaleq HVpi3ms he will divide he will apportion out he will divide 8
H2505-05 חָלַ֜ק chalaq HVqp3ms given smooth divided 6
H2505-26 וַ/יֵּחָלֵ֨ק vayechaleq HC/VNw3ms and distributed and he was divided and he distributed 4
H2505-21 תֵּחָלֵ֥ק techaleq HVNi3fs shall be divided she will be apportioned it will be divided 3
H2505-37 יְחַלְּק֣וּ yechalequ HVpi3mp dividing they will apportion out they will divide 2
H2505-17 מַחֲלִ֥יק machaliq HVhrmsc he who smooths the allotting one he who smooths 2
H2505-14 הֶחֱלִֽיקָה hecheliqah HVhp3fs she has made smooth she apportioned she has made smooth 2
H2505-07 חָלְק֖וּ chalequ HVqp3cp had divided they apportioned apportioned 2
H2505-27 וַ/יֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥/ם vayechaleqem HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3mp and divided them and he apportioned them and he divided them 2
H2505-25 וַֽ/יַּחְלְק֑וּ/ם vayachelequm HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3mp and they divided them and they apportioned them and they apportioned them 2

Occurrences in Scripture

65 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2505-26 Genesis 14:15 וַ/יֵּחָלֵ֨ק vayechaleq HC/VNw3ms he divided and he was divided and he divided
H2505-03 Genesis 49:7 אֲחַלְּקֵ֣/ם achaleqem HVpi1cs/Sp3mp I will divide them I will apportion them I will divide them
H2505-36 Genesis 49:27 יְחַלֵּ֥ק yechaleq HVpi3ms he divides he will apportion out he will divide
H2505-01 Exodus 15:9 אֲחַלֵּ֣ק achaleq HVpi1cs I will divide I will apportion I will apportion
H2505-21 Numbers 26:53 תֵּחָלֵ֥ק techaleq HVNi3fs shall be divided she will be apportioned it will be divided
H2505-36 Numbers 26:55 יֵחָלֵ֖ק yechaleq HVNi3ms shall be divided he will apportion out it will be apportioned
H2505-21 Numbers 26:56 תֵּחָלֵ֖ק techaleq HVNi3fs shall be divided she will be apportioned it will be divided
H2505-05 Deuteronomy 4:19 חָלַ֜ק chalaq HVqp3ms has allotted smooth divided
H2505-05 Deuteronomy 29:25 חָלַ֖ק chalaq HVqp3ms he allotted smooth divided
H2505-06 Joshua 13:7 חַלֵּ֞ק chaleq HVpv2ms divide Apportion out! Apportion out
← H2504 Hebrew Lexicon H2506 →