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מָחוֹל

𐤌𐤇𐤅𐤋

mâchôwl

H4234 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A round dance, especially one performed during communal celebrations or religious festivals; also refers more generally to the act of dancing. The term emphasizes the physical and often circular nature of such dances, typically involving group participation. In biblical contexts, it is associated with expressions of joy, festivity, or religious celebration.

Semantic Range

round dance, communal dance, dancing as celebration or worship, processional dance involving circular movement

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חוּל (חו"ל), which conveys the basic sense 'to whirl, to turn, to twist, to writhe in motion.' The nominal form מָחוֹל characteristically arises from this root and concretizes the idea of whirling or circular movement into an organized communal dance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מָחוֹל appears primarily in poetic or festive contexts, such as celebrations of victory, religious festivals, or communal rejoicing. The term often implies group involvement rather than solo performance, with a strong visual of circular motion—distinguishing מָחוֹל from other Hebrew words for dance such as רָקַד (rakad, 'to skip, leap, dance') which may refer to individual or less structured forms of movement. In the historical context, dances such as the מָחוֹל are especially linked to moments of public joy (e.g., following military deliverance) and are often mentioned alongside instruments like the timbrel (תֹּף, tof). English translations frequently simplify מָחוֹל to 'dance,' but this can obscure its specifically communal and sometimes ritual character. In later Hebrew (Second Temple and beyond), מָחוֹל's meaning continued to be associated with communal festive dance, as attested in post-biblical literature.

Translation Consistency

primary "dance" 4 occurrences

mâchôwl refers to dancing, typically a communal or round dance. "Dance" is the most natural, widely understood English term that covers the typical semantic range (round/communal/processional dance) and works smoothly as a base form for all inflected occurrences. "Round-dance" is more specific but less natural and harder to inflect consistently; "round" alone is ambiguous.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"round-dance" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חוּל; a (round) dance; dance(-cing).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

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Root Family

חול (ḥ-w-l) — to whirl, to writhe, to twist, to dance in a circular motion

Root חול to whirl, to writhe, to twist, to dance (in a circular motion)
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

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4234-02 בִּ/מְח֥וֹל bimechol HR/Ncmsc in dances in round-dance of in the dance of 1
H4234-06 בְ/מָח֑וֹל vemachol HR/Ncmsa with dancing in round-dance with round-dance 1
H4234-01 בְּ/מָח֔וֹל bemachol HR/Ncmsa in the dance in a round-dance in a round-dance 1
H4234-05 וּ/מָח֑וֹל umachol HC/Ncmsa and dance and round dance and round dance 1
H4234-04 מְחֹלֵֽ/נוּ mecholenu HNcmsc/Sp1cp our dance our round dance our dance 1
H4234-03 לְ/מָח֪וֹל lemachol HR/Ncmsa into dancing round dance into round dance 1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4234-02 Jeremiah 31:4 בִּ/מְח֥וֹל bimechol HR/Ncmsc in dances in round-dance of in the dance of
H4234-01 Jeremiah 31:13 בְּ/מָח֔וֹל bemachol HR/Ncmsa in the dance in a round-dance in a round-dance
H4234-03 Psalms 30:12 לְ/מָח֪וֹל lemachol HR/Ncmsa into dancing round dance into round dance
H4234-06 Psalms 149:3 בְ/מָח֑וֹל vemachol HR/Ncmsa with dancing in round-dance with round-dance
H4234-05 Psalms 150:4 וּ/מָח֑וֹל umachol HC/Ncmsa and dance and round dance and round dance
H4234-04 Lamentations 5:15 מְחֹלֵֽ/נוּ mecholenu HNcmsc/Sp1cp our dance our round dance our dance
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