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חוֹל

𐤇𐤅𐤋

chôwl

H2344 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חול to whirl, twist, dance, writhe

Definition

Fine, loose granular material composed of tiny mineral particles, most often referring to sand as found on riverbanks, seashores, or desert areas. The term may be used for sand generically, but sometimes poetically denotes innumerable quantity or multitude, as in metaphors for abundance or the countless descendants of the patriarchs.

Semantic Range

sand, fine loose grains, whirling particles, metaphor for multitude or vastness, innumerable quantity

Root / Etymology

From the root חוּל (chul), which commonly means 'to whirl, twist, writhe.' The noun form חוֹל is likely derived from this root, referring to particles that are whirled, i.e., loose granular sand.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, חוֹל frequently appears in poetic or figurative contexts as a metaphor for an uncountable multitude, such as the population promised to the patriarchs (e.g., Genesis 22:17 'as the sand on the seashore'). It is used both for literal sand and for analogy, such as 'the sand of the sea.' The use of חוֹל as a metaphor for innumerability is paralleled by its ancient Near Eastern neighbors. The literal sense as sand appears less frequently but is often geographically tied to seashores, deserts, and riverbanks (e.g., Job 6:3, Jeremiah 5:22). In medieval and later translations, such as the Septuagint and Vulgate, the term was uniformly rendered as 'sand.' The word is distinct from other words for dust or earth (עָפָר, אֲדָמָה), with חוֹל specifically indicating loose, flowing, or innumerable grains. Later English Bibles often render this word 'sand,' but may not always capture the ancient metaphorical scope.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חוּל; sand (as round or whirling particles); sand.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חול (ḥ-w-l) — to whirl, twist, writhe

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2341 חֲוִילָה Whirling Region
H2342 חוּל we writhed
H2343 חוּל and Whirl
H2426 חֵיל encircling rampart
H2427 חִיל writhing throe

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2344-04 כַּ/ח֛וֹל kachol HRd/Ncmsa like the sand like whirled sand 7
H2344-05 כְּ/ח֣וֹל kechol HR/Ncmsc like the sand like whirling sand 4
H2344-07 מֵ/ח֣וֹל mechol HR/Ncmsc than the sand whirled sand 3
H2344-02 חֽוֹל chol HNcmsa sand whirling sand 3
H2344-09 וְ/כַ/ח֕וֹל vekhachol HC/Rd/Ncmsa and as the sand and like loose sand 2
H2344-08 וּֽ/כְ/ח֥וֹל ukhechol HC/R/Ncmsc and like sand and like whirling sand 1
H2344-03 הַ/ח֑וֹל hachol HTd/Ncmsa the sand the whirling sand 1
H2344-06 כַ/חוֹל֙ khachol HRd/Ncmsa like the sand whirling sand 1
H2344-01 בַּ/חֽוֹל bachol HRd/Ncmsa in the sand in whirling sand 1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2344-09 Genesis 22:17 וְ/כַ/ח֕וֹל vekhachol HC/Rd/Ncmsa and as the sand and like loose sand
H2344-05 Genesis 32:13 כְּ/ח֣וֹל kechol HR/Ncmsc like the sand like whirling sand
H2344-05 Genesis 41:49 כְּ/ח֥וֹל kechol HR/Ncmsc like the sand like whirling sand
H2344-01 Exodus 2:12 בַּ/חֽוֹל bachol HRd/Ncmsa in the sand in whirling sand
H2344-02 Deuteronomy 33:19 חֽוֹל chol HNcmsa sand whirling sand
H2344-04 Joshua 11:4 כַּ/ח֛וֹל kachol HRd/Ncmsa like the sand like whirled sand
H2344-04 Judges 7:12 כַּ/ח֛וֹל kachol HRd/Ncmsa like the sand like whirled sand
H2344-04 1 Samuel 13:5 כַּ/ח֛וֹל kachol HRd/Ncmsa like-the-sand like whirled sand
H2344-04 2 Samuel 17:11 כַּ/ח֥וֹל kachol HRd/Ncmsa like the sand like whirled sand
H2344-04 1 Kings 4:20 כַּ/ח֥וֹל kachol HRd/Ncmsa as the sand like whirled sand
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