Hebrew verb · H2505
חָלַק
chalaqkhaw-lak'
to divide; to smooth
65 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key
Concordance spelling: châlaq
Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H2505is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.
- 25 of 39Old Testament books
- 60spellings
- 2meanings
The definition in full
Strong's key (1890) · H2505
to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate
The King James renders it: deal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have, im-) part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self, (be) smooth(-er).
James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.
Summary
chalaq is rendered "to divide; to smooth". It stands 65 times in the Hebrew text, across twenty-five books.
- Seven of the uses stand in Joshua, more than in any other book.
- The lexicon lists two meanings for it, beginning with "to divide".
- Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Genesis 14:15During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
- The Greek text spells it sixty different ways.
The first use
During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
Genesis 14:15וַיֵּחָלֵ֨ק
The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.
Where the word stands
The word stands in twenty-five of the 39 Old Testament books.
What the word means
The word carries two meanings: to divide, and to smooth.
Each meaning, and the words it is translated by
| Meaning | Tagged as | Where |
|---|---|---|
| to divideStrong's entry A | Tagged aslisted under the table | WhereGenesis 14:15During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army… |
| to smoothStrong's entry B | Tagged aslisted under the table | Wherein the ledger below |
How the Greek text is glossed, word by word
- it will be divided5
- and he distributed2
- and he divided them2
- and they divided them2
- he had assigned2
- he will divide up2
- I will divide up2
- she makes smooth2
- a smoother of1
- and divided himself1
- and he apportioned1
- and it will be divided1
and 42 more, 65 uses in all
The words built on the same word-part
Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.
All 65, in canonical order
Every use, in order
Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.
60 spellings and their grammar
STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.
How it is spelled
- יְחַלֵּ֥ק3
- אֲחַלְּקָ֥ה2
- הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃2
- יְחַלְּק֣וּ2
- אֲחַלֵּ֣ק1
- אֲחַלֶּק־1
- אֲחַלְּקֵ֣ם1
- בְּחַלְּקָ֥ם1
- הֶחֱלִ֣יק1
- וְהִֽתְחַלְּק֥וּ1
- וְחֻלַּ֥ק1
- וְחִלַּקְתֶּ֞ם1
and 48 more spellings in the ledger below.
The grammar of each form
- verb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singular6HVqp3ms
- verb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singular5HVpi3ms
- Hc/Vpw3ms3Hc/Vpw3ms
- verb · passive or reflexive (niphal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singular3HVNi3ms
- Hc/Vqw3mp/Sp3mp2Hc/Vqw3mp/Sp3mp
- Hc/Vqw3ms/Sp3mp2Hc/Vqw3ms/Sp3mp
- preposition + verb · intensive (piel), infinitive (“to…”)2HR/Vpcc
- verb · causative (hiphil), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person feminine singular2HVhp3fs
- verb · passive or reflexive (niphal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine singular2HVNi3fs
- verb · intensive (piel), infinitive (“to…”) · 1st person common singular2HVpc1cs
- verb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 1st person common singular2HVpi1cs
- verb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine singular2HVpi3fs
Genesis
three uses
During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
- וַיֵּחָלֵ֨קvaiyechalekHc/VNw3mstagged: and divided himself
Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
- אֲחַלְּקֵ֣םʾachalekemverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 1st person common singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: I will divide them
Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”
- יְחַלֵּ֥קyechalekverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he divides
Exodus
one use
The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’
- אֲחַלֵּ֣קʾachalekverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 1st person common singulartagged: I will divide
Numbers
three uses
“The land is to be divided among the tribes as an inheritance, according to the number of names.
- תֵּחָלֵ֥קtechalekverb · passive or reflexive (niphal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: it will be divided
Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
- יֵחָלֵ֖קyechalekverb · passive or reflexive (niphal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it will be divided
Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.”
- תֵּחָלֵ֖קtechalekverb · passive or reflexive (niphal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: it will be divided
Deuteronomy
two uses
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
- חָלַ֜קchalakverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he has assigned
They went and served other gods, and they worshiped gods they had not known—gods that the LORD had not given to them.
- חָלַ֖קchalakverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he had assigned
Joshua
seven uses
Now therefore divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
- חַלֵּ֞קchalekverb · intensive (piel), command · 2nd person masculine singulartagged: apportion
So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.
- וַֽיַּחְלְק֖וּvaiyachlekuHc/Vqw3mptagged: and they apportioned
there were still seven tribes of Israel who had not yet received their inheritance.
- חָלְק֖וּchalkuverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they had divided
and divide the land into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their territory in the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory in the north.
- וְהִֽתְחַלְּק֥וּvehitchalekuHc/Vtq3cptagged: and they will divide among themselves
And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.
- וַיְחַלֶּק־vaychalek-Hc/Vpw3mstagged: and he apportioned
These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families distributed by lot to the tribes of Israel at Shiloh before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.
- מֵֽחַלֵּ֖קmechalekpreposition + verb · intensive (piel), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: from apportioning
saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth, with immense herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes. Divide with your brothers the spoil of your enemies.”
- חִלְק֥וּchilkuverb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine pluraltagged: divide
Judges
one use
‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil—a girl or two for each warrior, a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera, the spoil of embroidered garments for the neck of the looter?’
- יְחַלְּק֣וּyechalekuverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: are they dividing up
1 Samuel
one use
Who will listen to your proposal? The share of the one who went to battle will match the share of the one who stayed with the supplies. They will share alike.”
- יַחֲלֹֽקוּ׃ סyachalokuverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: they will share
2 Samuel
two uses
Then he distributed to every man and woman among the multitude of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. And all the people departed, each for his own home.
- וַיְחַלֵּ֨קvaychalekHc/Vpw3mstagged: and he distributed
The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”
- תַּחְלְק֖וּtachlekuverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 2nd person masculine pluraltagged: you will divide
1 Kings
two uses
At that time the people of Israel were divided: Half of the people supported Tibni son of Ginath as king, and half supported Omri.
- יֵחָלֵ֛קyechalekverb · passive or reflexive (niphal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it was divided
So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
- וַֽיְחַלְּק֥וּvaychalekuHc/Vpw3mptagged: and they divided
1 Chronicles
five uses
Then he distributed to every man and woman of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.
- וַיְחַלֵּק֙vaychalekHc/Vpw3mstagged: and he distributed
Then David divided the Levites into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
- וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֥םvaiyechalkemHc/Vqw3ms/Sp3mptagged: and he divided them
With the help of Eleazar’s descendant Zadok and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech, David divided them according to the offices of their service.
- וַיֶּֽחָלְקֵ֣םvaiyechalkemHc/Vqw3ms/Sp3mptagged: and he divided them
Since more leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than those of Ithamar, they were divided accordingly. There were sixteen heads of families from the descendants of Eleazar and eight from the descendants of Ithamar.
- וַֽיַּחְלְק֑וּםvaiyachlekumHc/Vqw3mp/Sp3mptagged: and they divided them
Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.
- וַיַּחְלְק֥וּםvaiyachlekumHc/Vqw3mp/Sp3mptagged: and they divided them
2 Chronicles
two uses
Moreover, Jehoiada put the oversight of the house of the LORD into the hands of the Levitical priests, whom David had appointed over the house of the LORD, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD as is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and song, as ordained by David.
- חָלַ֣קchalakverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he had assigned
Although Ahaz had taken a portion from the house of the LORD, from the royal palace, and from the princes and had presented it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.
- חָלַ֤קchalakverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he had plundered
Nehemiah
two uses
You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.
- וַֽתַּחְלְקֵ֖םvatachlekemHc/Vqw2ms/Sp3mptagged: and you apportioned them
I appointed as treasurers over the storerooms Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.
- לַחֲלֹ֥קlachalokpreposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to distribute
Job
four uses
How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?
- יְחַלֵּ֥קyechalekverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: does he apportion
what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.
- יַחֲלֹֽק׃yachalokverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he will divide up
In which direction is the lightning dispersed, or the east wind scattered over the earth?
- יֵחָ֣לֶקyechalekverb · passive or reflexive (niphal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it is divided
For God has deprived her of wisdom; He has not endowed her with understanding.
- חָ֥לַקchalakverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he gave a share
Psalms
seven uses
For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
- יַחֲלִֽיקוּן׃yachalikunverb · causative (hiphil), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine plural + paragogic nuntagged: they speak flattery
They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
- יְחַלְּק֣וּyechalekuverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: they distribute
For his eyes are too full of conceit to detect or hate his own sin.
- הֶחֱלִ֣יקhechelikverb · causative (hiphil), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he flatters
His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
- חָלְק֤וּ׀chalkuverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they were smooth
God has spoken from His sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem and apportion the Valley of Succoth.
- אֲחַלְּקָ֥הʾachalekahverb · intensive (piel), infinitive (“to…”) · 1st person common singulartagged: I will divide up
“Kings and their armies flee in haste; she who waits at home divides the plunder.
- תְּחַלֵּ֥קtechalekverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: she divides
God has spoken from His sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem and apportion the Valley of Succoth.
- אֲחַלְּקָ֥הʾachalekahverb · intensive (piel), infinitive (“to…”) · 1st person common singulartagged: I will divide up
Proverbs
seven uses
It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words
- הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃hechelikahverb · causative (hiphil), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: she makes smooth
that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
- הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃hechelikahverb · causative (hiphil), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: she makes smooth
It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.
- מֵֽחַלֵּ֥קmechalekpreposition + verb · intensive (piel), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: more than dividing
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
- יַחֲלֹ֥קyachalokverb · simple (qal), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he will share
He who rebukes a man will later find more favor than one who flatters with his tongue.
- מִֽמַּחֲלִ֥יקmimachalikpreposition + verb · causative (hiphil), participle · masculine singulartagged: more than makes smooth
A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- מַחֲלִ֣יקmachalikverb · causative (hiphil), participle · masculine singulartagged: flatters
A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but does not testify.
- חוֹלֵ֣קcholekverb · simple (qal), participle · masculine singulartagged: has shares
Isaiah
six uses
You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice in dividing the plunder.
- בְּחַלְּקָ֥םbechalekampreposition + verb · intensive (piel), infinitive (“to…”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: when divide they
Your ropes are slack; they cannot secure the mast or spread the sail. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided, and even the lame will carry off plunder.
- חֻלַּ֤קchulakverb · intensive passive (pual), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it will be divided
He has allotted their portion; His hand has distributed it by measure. They will possess it forever; they will dwell in it from generation to generation.
- חִלְּקַ֥תָּהchilekatahverb · intensive (piel), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person feminine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: it has distributed it
The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who wields the hammer cheers him who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding, “It is good.” He nails it down so it will not be toppled.
- מַחֲלִ֥יקmachalikverb · causative (hiphil), participle · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: a smoother of
Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
- אֲחַלֶּק־ʾachalek-verb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 1st person common singulartagged: I will allot a portion
- יְחַלֵּ֣קyechalekverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he will apportion
Jeremiah
one use
Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion there among the people.
- לַחֲלִ֥קlachalikpreposition + verb · causative (hiphil), infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to receive a portion
Lamentations
one use
The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor.
- חִלְּקָ֔םchilekamverb · intensive (piel), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: it scattered them
Ezekiel
two uses
“As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword, use it as a barber’s razor, and shave your head and beard. Then take a set of scales and divide the hair.
- וְחִלַּקְתָּֽם׃vechilaktamHc/Vpq2ms/Sp3mptagged: and you will divide them
You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.
- וְחִלַּקְתֶּ֞םvechilaktemHc/Vpq2mptagged: and you will divide
Daniel
one use
He will attack the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing the land for a price.
- יְחַלֵּ֥קyechalekverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he will divide up
Hosea
one use
Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.
- חָלַ֥קchalakverb · simple (qal), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: it is slippery
Joel
one use
I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning My people, My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations as they divided up My land.
- חִלֵּֽקוּ׃chilekuverb · intensive (piel), qatal (perfect) · 3rd person common pluraltagged: they have divided up
Amos
one use
Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be divided by a measuring line, and you yourself will die on pagan soil. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their homeland.’”
- תְּחֻלָּ֑קtechulakverb · intensive passive (pual), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: it will be divided
Micah
one use
In that day they will take up a proverb against you and taunt you with this bitter lamentation: ‘We are utterly ruined! He has changed the portion of my people. How He has removed it from me! He has allotted our fields to traitors.’”
- יְחַלֵּֽק׃yechalekverb · intensive (piel), yiqtol (imperfect) · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: he apportions
Zechariah
one use
Behold, a day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided in your presence.
- וְחֻלַּ֥קvechulakHc/VPq3mstagged: and it will be divided
Where it leads
How the numbers are counted
Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.
Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.
The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.
The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.