חֶלֶד
𐤇𐤋𐤃
cheled
H2465 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
'Cheled' refers primarily to the span or course of (mortal) life, especially as characterized by its fleeting or transitory nature; by extension, it can indicate the world or age as the sphere of mortal existence, often with an emphasis on the impermanence of earthly life. The semantic range thus covers both the experiential duration of human life and the transient ordered world in which such life occurs.
Semantic Range
life (especially fleeting or mortal life), period of life, the world (as the sphere of transient life), age, temporary existence, human society (viewed as passing)
Root / Etymology
The word חֶלֶד (cheled) is traditionally associated with an unused Hebrew root likely meaning 'to glide swiftly,' reflecting a conceptual link between the idea of 'slipping away' and the fleeting nature of mortal existence. The root itself (ח־ל־ד) is not otherwise attested in Hebrew, though comparative evidence in related Semitic languages is ambiguous. Thus, the precise etymology remains uncertain, though the contextual meaning is grounded in the sense of temporality and brevity.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, חֶלֶד most often appears in poetic contexts (e.g., Psalms, Job) emphasizing the brevity or instability of human life contrasted with divine permanence. Occasionally, it refers not merely to individual lifespan but to the inhabited world or mortal human society as a whole, envisioned as a transient domain destined to pass away. Unlike more concrete terms for 'life' (e.g., חַיִּים, chayyim), 'cheled' is marked by a nuance of impermanence and the inevitability of death. In post-biblical Hebrew, its use becomes rare, replaced by other terms. English translations often render the word as 'world,' 'age,' or 'life,' but these do not always convey the original sense of fleetingness intrinsic to the term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root apparently meaning to glide swiftly; life (as a fleeting portion of time); hence, the world (as transient); age, short time, world.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חלד (ḥ-l-d) — to pass, glide, slip away, be transient
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2466 | חֵלֶד | Heled |
| H2467 | חֹלֶד | the slinking-weasel |
| H2468 | חֻלְדָּה | Huldah |
| H2469 | חֶלְדַּי | Cheldai |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2465-01 |
חָֽלֶד | chaled | HNcmsa |
life | fleeting life-span | 3 |
H2465-03 |
וְ/חֶלְדִּ֣/י | vecheledi | HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and my lifetime | my fleeting life-span | 1 |
H2465-02 |
מֵ/חֶ֗לֶד | mecheled | HR/Ncmsa |
of the world | fleeting mortal life | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2465-02 |
Psalms 17:14 | מֵ/חֶ֗לֶד | mecheled | HR/Ncmsa |
of the world | fleeting mortal life |
H2465-03 |
Psalms 39:6 | וְ/חֶלְדִּ֣/י | vecheledi | HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and my lifetime | my fleeting life-span |
H2465-01 |
Psalms 49:2 | חָֽלֶד | chaled | HNcmsa |
of the world | fleeting life-span |
H2465-01 |
Psalms 89:48 | חָ֑לֶד | chaled | HNcmsa |
my time | fleeting life-span |
H2465-01 |
Job 11:17 | חָ֑לֶד | chaled | HNcmsa |
life | fleeting life-span |