בֶּן־חַיִל
𐤁𐤍־𐤇𐤉𐤋
Ben Chayil
H1134 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ben-Chayil, a personal name meaning 'son of strength,' 'son of valor,' or 'son of capability.' The term expresses membership in or descent from a person characterized by ability or strength, whether in physical, social, or moral terms. The phrase can denote a person whose father was renowned for strength or capability, or may function as a collective or honorific designation.
Semantic Range
son of strength, son of valor, son of capability, personal name, descendant of a person of standing or might
Root / Etymology
Compound from the Hebrew noun בֵּן (ben, 'son') and חַיִל (chayil, 'strength, capability, valor'). The root of בֵּן is בנה ('to build, establish'), which by extension comes to designate 'son' or male descendant. חַיִל derives from the root חיל ('to be strong; to have capacity or wealth; to act efficiently'). Thus, the name literally signifies 'son of strength' or 'descendant of valor.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name Ben-Chayil appears in the context of Israelite genealogies and is attested as a personal name. The phrase 'son of strength/valor' echoes similar naming conventions in ancient Israelite culture, where 'chayil' is a term that can signify not only warrior prowess but also general ability, substance, or social standing. In late biblical and post-biblical Hebrew, 'chayil' may also mean wealth or achievement, but in the biblical context, it primarily conveys military, moral, or communal strength. In translation tradition, 'Ben-hail' is at times rendered simply as a personal name, without conveying the honorific or qualitative nature of the original Hebrew components.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בֵּן and חַיִל; son of might; Ben-Chail, an Israelite; Ben-hail.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חיל (ḥ-y-l) — strength, capability, power
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2426 | חֵיל | his strength |
| H2428 | חַיִל | in strength |
| H2429 | חַיִל | in strength |
| H2430 | חֵילָה | to her rampart |
| H2431 | חֵילָם | toward Strength-Place |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1134-01 |
חַ֨יִל֙ | chayil | HNp |
hail | strength-capacity | Ben Chayil | 1 |
H1134-02 |
לְ/בֶן | leven | HR/Np |
to Ben- | to a son of | to Ben Chayil | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1134-02 |
2 Chronicles 17:7 | לְ/בֶן | leven | HR/Np |
to Ben- | to a son of | to Ben Chayil |
H1134-01 |
2 Chronicles 17:7 | חַ֨יִל֙ | chayil | HNp |
hail | strength-capacity | Ben Chayil |