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חוּל

𐤇𐤅𐤋

Chul

H2343 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חול to whirl, to dance, to writhe, to encircle

Definition

Chul (also rendered Hul), a personal name referring to an individual named as a son of Aram in genealogical lists, as well as possibly the region settled or associated with his descendants. The term primarily functions as a proper noun denoting a specific figure within the Shem-Aramite genealogical framework, as well as a geographic or ethnological location tied to his legacy. Its lexical meaning as a common noun ('circle') is not directly active in these uses, but the form and root suggest that association.

Semantic Range

proper name of a person (descendant of Aram); name of a region or people associated with this person; (rarely) circle (in root usage)

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חוּל (chwl), which carries basic meanings such as 'to whirl, twist, writhe, dance,' and by extension, 'to form a circle.' The name's application to a person or region may metaphorically incorporate the notion of encircling, encompassing, or forming a distinct group or territory.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, חוּל appears in the genealogical record in Genesis 10:23 and 1 Chronicles 1:17 as one of the sons of Aram, establishing him as a figure within the broader table of nations. His name subsequently came to signify either the population descending from him or the territory associated with that lineage, although the location is not specified elsewhere in the biblical record and later traditions vary in placing it in different regions of northern Mesopotamia or Syria. The ambiguity reflects broader patterns in biblical genealogical names referring to both individuals and eponymous ancestors of peoples and lands. English translations sometimes render חוּל as 'Hul,' retaining the proper noun form, but occasionally conflate with later designations; there is no direct evidence for the application of terms such as 'Jew' or 'Judahite' to this figure. The root's common noun meaning ('circle') rarely, if ever, influences the narrative context, functioning as a mere etymological note rather than an active sense in the text.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חוּל; a circle; Chul, a son of Aram; also the region settled by him; Hul.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חול (ch-w-l) — to whirl, to writhe, to dance, to encircle

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2341 חֲוִילָה Whirling Region
H2342 חוּל we writhed
H2344 חוֹל in whirling sand
H2426 חֵיל encircling rampart
H2427 חִיל writhing throe

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2343-01 וְ/ח֖וּל vechul HC/Np and Hul and Whirl 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2343-01 Genesis 10:23 וְ/ח֖וּל vechul HC/Np and Hul and Whirl
H2343-01 1 Chronicles 1:17 וְ/ח֖וּל vechul HC/Np and Hul and Whirl
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