לוֹחֵשׁ
𐤋𐤅𐤇𐤔
Lochesh
H3873 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: 'Lochesh' (Lôwchêsh), meaning 'enchanter' or 'whisperer', likely derived from the participle form of the verb 'to whisper, to charm by incantation'. Used solely as a personal name in biblical narratives.
Semantic Range
enchanter, whisperer, one who uses incantations; as a proper name, Lochesh/Hallohesh
Root / Etymology
From the root לחש (lamed-chet-shin), meaning 'to whisper, to enchant, to use incantations'; the form לוֹחֵשׁ (Lôwchêsh) is the masculine singular active participle meaning 'one who whispers' or 'enchanter'. As a proper name, its etymology reflects a descriptive designation, perhaps characteristic or aspirational.
Historical & Contextual Notes
לוֹחֵשׁ (Lôwchêsh) appears in Nehemiah 3:12 as the proper name of an Israelite returned from exile, who holds a position of local leadership in post-exilic Jerusalem. The name is derived from a verb otherwise associated with enchantment, incantation, or magical whispering, but as used here, it serves as an individual's name rather than a title or description. The form Hallohesh or Haloshesh, seen in some transliterations, reflects the article ('the') prefixed in the Hebrew, but this does not indicate a title in this context. In English Bibles, the name is sometimes rendered as Hallohesh; however, the underlying meaning ('enchanter, whisperer') is not preserved in translation, and there is no evidence that the biblical figure practiced enchantment. The use of common participial forms as proper names is attested elsewhere in biblical Hebrew. There is no indication that later religious associations (with 'Jews' or 'Judaism') properly describe the period or person referenced here.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
active participle of לָחַשׁ; (the) enchanter; Lochesh, an Israelite; Hallohesh, Haloshesh (includ. the article).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לחש (l-ḥ-sh) — to whisper, to enchant, to mutter incantations
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3873-01 |
הַלּוֹחֵ֔שׁ | halochesh | HNp |
Hallohesh | the Whisperer | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3873-01 |
Nehemiah 3:12 | הַלּוֹחֵ֔שׁ | halochesh | HNp |
Hallohesh | the Whisperer |
H3873-01 |
Nehemiah 10:25 | הַלּוֹחֵ֥שׁ | halochesh | HNp |
Hallohesh | the Whisperer |