חָלַף
châlaph · H2498 · Hebrew · 28 occurrences
Meanings
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to come up, to be renewed
Process by which an object appears in a certain location
ExamplesJob 14:7 “For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail.
Job 29:20 ‘My glory is ever new with me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.’
Psalm 90:5 You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; In the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew.
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to pass through, to sweep through
Process by which an object or substance passs through a certain location with strength
ExamplesJudges 5:26 “She reached out her hand for the tent peg, And her right hand for the workmen’s hammer. Then she struck Sisera, she smashed his head; And she shattered and pierced his temple.
Job 20:24 “He may flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will pierce him.
Isaiah 8:8 “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach as far as the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the expanse of your land, Immanuel.
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to go, to go on, to pass by
Action by which deities or humans move from one location to another
Examples1 Samuel 10:3 “Then you will go on farther from there, and you will come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you: one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine.
Job 4:15 “Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.
Job 9:11 “If He were to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
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to disappear, to pass away
To stop existing
ExamplesPsalm 102:26 “Even they will perish, but You endure; All of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them and they will pass away.
Isaiah 2:18 And the idols will completely vanish.
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to pass, to be over
Process by which an event runs its course and comes to an end
ExamplesJob 9:26 “They slip by like reed boats, Like an eagle that swoops on its prey.
Song of Solomon 2:11 ‘For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.
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to break
Action by which humans intentionally do not perform an event that they were bound by law to perform
ExamplesIsaiah 24:5 The earth is also defiled by its inhabitants, for they violated laws, altered statutes, and broke the everlasting covenant.
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to change, to replace
To replace one object by another
ExamplesGenesis 35:2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Remove the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments;
Genesis 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent word and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.
Leviticus 27:10 ‘He shall not replace it nor exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good; yet if he does exchange animal for animal, then both it and its substitute shall become holy.
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Literally: to replace (one's) strength; hence: action by which humans receive new strength (to renew (one's) strength)
ExamplesIsaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 41:1 “Listen to Me in silence, you coastlands, And let the peoples gain new strength; Let them come forward, then let them speak; Let’s come together for judgment.
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to change
Causative action by which humans change a condition
ExamplesGenesis 31:7 “Yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to do me harm.
Genesis 31:41 “For these twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times.
How it’s used In 4 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Who or what does itSubject
28 occurrences in 12 groups
- Not stated: he, she or it 12
- Not stated: you (one person) 3
- Not stated: they 3
- Other words · 9 groups that occur once or twice (10) 10
What it acts on, or what is saidObject
12 occurrences in 7 groups
- שִׂמְלָהclothes, garment, cloak 3
- כֹּחַstrength 2
- מַשְׂכֹּרֶתhire 2
- וֹhim 2
- חֹקstatute, decree, portion 1
- רַקָּהtemple 1
With prepositionsPrepositional phrases
7 occurrences in 7 groups
- בin/on/with+ בֹּקֶרmorning 2
- מִןfrom+ שָׁםthere 1
- עַלon, upon, over, against+ פָּנִיםface, presence, before 1
- בin/on/with+ יָדhand, power 1
- בin/on/with+ יְהוּדָהJudah 1
- כlike/as+ חָצִירleek 1
With adverbsAdverbs
4 occurrences in 4 groups
- אָזat that time 1
- כָּלִילperfect 1
- לֹאnot 1
- עוֹדstill, again, yet 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Near synonyms 3 words
- מוּר mûwr · H4171 · to change
- Both words denote change, alteration and exchange as their core action.
- הָפַךְ hâphak · H2015 · to turn, to turn around, to turn back
- Both lexemes genuinely denote change/alteration as a core sense and could plausibly substitute in contexts of transformation or substitution.
- שָׁנָה shânâh · H8138 · to be different, to change, to be affected
- חָלַף (châlaph, H2498) often emphasizes transition or passing through/away (spatial or temporal change), while שָׁנָה (shânâh, H8138) often emphasizes transformation, repetition, or making different.
In the other Testament 1 word
- ἀλλάσσω allássō · G236 · to change, to alter, to make different
- Greek ἀλλάσσω renders the change/alteration semantic component of Hebrew חָלַף, particularly in contexts of transformation or replacement, while the Hebrew term's broader range includes passing motion (pass away/through) and organic development (sprout, grow up) that Greek ἀλλάσσω does not cover.
Semantic domains 8 entries
- Space002002001017
- This entry carries no independent "Space" sense of its own; its genuine tagged occurrences describe passing by, changing, or sprouting anew (Job 4:15, 9:11, Song of Solomon 2:11), not spatial extent. The domain is bundle-shared with a related sense of passing through space.
- Move002002001012
- חָלַף denotes passing by or moving past, illustrated at Job 4:15 ("a spirit passed by my face") and 9:11 ("were He to move past me"), a genuine sense of physical passage or movement.
- Non-Exist002002002006
- The same verb is used of something ceasing to exist or vanishing, as at Isaiah 2:18, "the idols will completely vanish," and Song of Solomon 2:11, "the winter is past."
- End002003003010
- The same verb also denotes something coming to an end or passing away, as at Isaiah 2:18 and Psalm 102:27's contrastive "Your years will not come to an end."
- Non-Engage002003003012
- This entry carries no independent "Non-Engage" sense of its own; its genuine tagged occurrences (passing by, changing, ceasing, sprouting anew) do not concern withdrawal from engagement. The domain is bundle-shared with a related root.
- Exchange002003002010
- The verb describes substituting one thing for another, as Laban repeatedly "changed" Jacob's wages ten times (Genesis 31:7, 31:41).
- Strong002001001063
- The same verb is used of renewed vigor or strength, as at Isaiah 40:31 and 41:1, "they will renew their strength" — a genuine sense of gaining fresh strength or vitality.
- Change002001003002
- The verb's core sense of altering or renewing something, as Jacob tells his household to purify themselves and "change" their garments (Genesis 35:2).
Word family 7 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H2498. chalaph חָלַף verb pass on or away, pass through (mostly in poetry) (Late Hebrew…
חָלַף verb pass on or away, pass through (mostly in poetry) (Late Hebrew id., pass by or away, change; Phoenician חלפת equivalent, ReinachRŠJ 1888, 276; HoffmG. G. Abh. xxxvi. 1890, 20; Aramaic חֲלֵף pass away, change; change, substitute; Nabataean חלף change (?) Eutp. 53; Arabic come after, succeed, replace [compare 'Caliph' i.e. successor (of Mohammed)] and many derivatives Lane792-799; so also ויחלפה MI6 and his son succeeded him; Ethiopic pass by, across, through) —
Qal Perfect חָלַף Son 2:11; Hab 1:11 etc.; Imperfect יַחֲלֹף Job 4:15 Job 4:4t.; 3 feminine singular suffix תַּחְלְפֵ֑הוּ Job 20:24; יַחֲלֹ֑פוּ Psa 102:27; Infinitive construct לַחֲלוֺף Isa 21:1; —
1. a. pass on quickly 1Sa 10:3; elsewhere only in poetry, move or sweep on, of a flood Isa 8:8, or wind Isa 21:1; Job 4:15; Hab 1:11, of God Job 9:11; Job 11:10.
b. pass away (vanish) Job 9:26 (of days); Son 2:11 (of rain || עבר), of the heavens Psa 102:27, of idols Isa 2:18, (but perhaps gloss JBLix. 1890, 86).
2 of grass, come on anew, i. e. sprout again (compare Hiph`il 2) Psa 90:5; Psa 90:6, so Thes AV De Hi Che Bae and others; less suitably in context, ᵑ9 ᵐ5 Ew pass away, above 1b. 3. transitive
a. pass through, i.e. pierce, followed by accusative Jdg 5:26; Job 20:24.
b. overstep, transgress Isa 24:5 (|| עבר), (compare Arabic IV. to break a promise).
Pi`el Imperfect וַיְחַלֵּף (cause to pass) change, followed by accusative garment Gen 41:14 (E) 2Sa 12:20.
Hiph`il Perfect חֶחֱלִף Gen 31:7; Imperfect יַחֲלִיף Job 14:7; suffix יַחֲלִיפֶנּוּ Lev 27:10; Lev 27:3feminine singular תַּחֲלִיף Job 29:20; Job 29:2masculine singular וַתַּחֲלֵף Gen 31:41; suffix תַּחֲלִיפֵם; יַחֲלִ֑יפוּ Isa 40:31; Isa 41:1; נַחֲלִיף Isa 9:9; —
1 change (transitive) garments Gen 35:2 (E) Psa 102:27, wages Gen 31:7, Gen 31:41 (both E); no object expressed Lev 27:10 (H); substitute i. e. cause to succeed Isa 9:9; change for better, renew, object כֹּחַ Isa 40:31; Isa 41:1.
2 shew newness, of tree, putting forth fresh shoots Job 14:7, of bow Job 29:20.
[חֲלַף] verb pass (over) (see Biblical Hebrew); —
Pe`al with יַל person pass over one (of time): Imperfect3masculine plural יִחְלְפוּן Dan 4:13, Dan 4:20, Dan 4:22, Dan 4:29.
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 8 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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