חָלָה (H2470) — Hebrew Lexicon

חָלָה

𐤇𐤋𐤄

châlâh

H2470 verb

SILEX Entry

Root חלה to be sick, to become weak, to grieve, to supplicate

Definition

To be or become weak, to fall ill, to be physically or emotionally afflicted. In extended senses, to become excruciatingly weak or frail (sometimes to the point of death), to suffer, to grieve deeply. In the piel and hiphil stems, to weaken or afflict another, to induce sickness or emotional distress; also to entreat, implore, or beg earnestly (especially with emphasis on humility or emotional intensity).

Semantic Range

to be sick, to fall ill, to become weak or frail, to grieve deeply, to be emotionally afflicted, to weaken or cause sickness, to inflict pain or distress, to entreat earnestly, to supplicate, to be wounded, to be in travail

Root / Etymology

Root: חלה (ḥ-l-h), primary root meaning: 'to be weak, to fall sick, to become frail.' Derived from the association with being physically worn down or feeble, with further semantic extension into emotional affliction and, by analogy, passionate pleading. Related to חוּל (ḥûl, to writhe, travail), but distinct in primary connotation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָלָה appears both in literal usage (physical illness or weakness) and figurative contexts (emotional distress, grief, or devastation). In earlier Israelite usage (e.g. narratives of patriarchs and monarchs), חָלָה commonly refers to physical ailments or the onset of mortal illness (e.g. a king or prophet becoming 'ill unto death'). Expressions of grief or suffering use the term metaphorically to describe internal or communal distress (e.g. mourning Jerusalem's fate). In the piel or hiphil stems, the verb often expresses causation—inflicting weakness, suffering, or grief—or the intensification of entreaty, as in begging or earnestly supplicating another, whether human or divine. Later prophetic and poetic writings expand its usage to encompass the anguish of communities, cities, or personifications (such as 'Zion' as a woman in travail and pain). English translations often restrict חָלָה to 'to be sick' or 'to grieve,' but this misses the nuances of profound frailty or passionate supplication found in some Hebrew contexts. Contrast with חוּל (ḥûl, to writhe, especially in childbirth or terror), which suggests physical agitation rather than progressive debilitation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root (compare חוּל, חָלָה, חָלַל); properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat; beseech, (be) diseased, (put to) grief, be grieved, (be) grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay to, put to pain, [idiom] pray, make prayer, be (fall, make) sick, sore, be sorry, make suit ([idiom] supplication), woman in travail, be (become) weak, be wounded.

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Root Family

חלה (ḥ-l-h) — weakness, sickness, affliction, supplication

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2342	חוּל	sickness
H2481	חֲלִי	delicate ornaments
H2482	חֲלִי	and Hali
H2483	חֳלִי	in sicknesses
H2484	חֶלְיָה	and her ornament
H4244	מַחְלָה	Mahlah
H4245	מַחֲלֶה	in sickness-of
H4248	מַחְלוֹן	Sickly-one
H4249	מַחְלִי	to Machli
H4251	מַחְלֻי	in diseases
H4257	מַחֲלַת	sickness
H4258	מַחֲלַת	Machalath

Word Forms

40 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H2470-04`	חָלָ֖ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	became sick	sickness	9
`H2470-14`	חֹלֶ֑ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	sick	sick one	8
`H2470-33`	וַ/יְחַ֣ל	vayechal	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and-he-entreated	and he earnestly pleaded	4
`H2470-28`	נַחְלָ֖ה	nachelah	`HVNrfsa`	incurable	sickness of	4
`H2470-06`	חָלִ֖יתִי	chaliti	`HVqp1cs`	I am sick	I became weak	3
`H2470-18`	הָחֳלֵֽיתִי	hacholeyti	`HVHp1cs`	I am wounded	I was made weak	3
`H2470-35`	וְ/חָלִ֥יתִי	vechaliti	`HC/Vqp1cs`	then I shall become weak	and I became weak	3
`H2470-12`	חוֹלָ֔ה	cholah	`HVqrfsa`		the sick woman	2
`H2470-24`	לְ/חַלּ֖וֹת	lechalot	`HR/Vpc`	to entreat	to earnestly entreat	2
`H2470-16`	הַ/חוֹלָ֣ה	hacholah	`HTd/Vqrfsa`	sick	the ailing woman	2
`H2470-11`	חִלִּ֑יתִי	chiliti	`HVpp1cs`	I entreated	I earnestly entreated	2
`H2470-40`	יְחַלּ֗וּ	yechalu	`HVpi3mp`	seek the favor	they earnestly entreat	2
`H2470-09`	חִלָּ֥ה	chilah	`HVpp3ms`	he-entreated	he earnestly supplicated	2
`H2470-19`	הַ/נַּחְלוֹת֩	hanachelot	`HTd/VNsfpa`	the weak	the weakened ones	2
`H2470-29`	נֶחְל֖וּ	nechelu	`HVNp3cp`	they are grieved	they became weak	2
`H2470-08`	חַלּוּ	chalu	`HVpv2mp`	entreat	they became weak	1
`H2470-02`	בַּ/חֲלֹת֕/וֹ	bachaloto	`HR/Vqc/Sp3ms`	when he had been sick	in his sickness	1
`H2470-38`	וְ/הִתְחָ֑ל	vehitechal	`HC/Vtv2ms`	and pretend to be ill	and make yourself weak	1
`H2470-39`	וְ/נֶֽחֱלֵ֨יתִי֙	venecheleyti	`HC/VNp1cs`	and was sick	and I became weakened	1
`H2470-31`	וּ/לְ/חַלּ֖וֹת	ulechalot	`HC/R/Vpc`	and-to-entreat	and to earnestly entreat	1
`H2470-30`	שֶׁ/חוֹלַ֥ת	shecholat	`HTr/Vqrfsc`	I am sick	weakening one	1
`H2470-26`	מַחֲלָה	machalah	`HVhrfsa`	sick	sickness	1
`H2470-03`	חַל	chal	`HVpv2ms`	appease	earnestly entreat	1
`H2470-13`	חוֹלַ֥ת	cholat	`HVqrfsc`	I am sick	sick woman of	1
`H2470-34`	וַ/יִּתְחָ֑ל	vayitechal	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and pretended to be ill	and he made himself weak	1
`H2470-07`	חַלּ֣וֹתִ/י	chaloti	`HVqc/Sp1cs`	my sicknesses	my becoming weak	1
`H2470-01`	בַּ/חֲלוֹתָ֡/ם	bachalotam	`HR/Vqc/Sp3mp`	when they were sick	in their becoming weak	1
`H2470-36`	וְ/חִלּ֖וּ	vechilu	`HC/Vpq3cp`	and they will entreat	and they earnestly implored	1
`H2470-21`	הֶֽחֱלִ֔י	hecheli	`HVhp3ms`	He-has-made-sick	he made weak	1
`H2470-32`	וַ/יָּ֑חַל	vayachal	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he became ill	and he became weak	1
`H2470-05`	חָלִֽית	chalit	`HVqp2fs`	you grew weak	you became weak	1
`H2470-20`	הֶחֱלֵ֣יתִי	hecheleyti	`HVhp1cs`	have made sick	I caused to weaken	1
`H2470-25`	לְ/הִתְחַלּ֗וֹת	lehitechalot	`HR/Vtc`	to become sick	to weaken oneself	1
`H2470-15`	חֻלֵּ֥יתָ	chuleyta	`HVPp2ms`	have become weak	you were made weak	1
`H2470-10`	חִלִּ֜ינוּ	chilinu	`HVpp1cp`	we have entreated	we earnestly implored	1
`H2470-17`	הַ֣/חוֹלֶ֔ה	hacholeh	`HTd/Vqrmsa`	the sick	the sick one	1
`H2470-37`	וְ/חֹלֶ֖ה	vecholeh	`HC/Vqrmsa`	and sick	one who is sick	1
`H2470-23`	כְּ/חוֹלָ֜ה	kecholah	`HR/Vqrfsa`	like a woman in labor	like a weakening-one	1
`H2470-27`	נַחֲלָ֖ה	nachalah	`HVNrfsa`	of inheritance	inherited allotment	1
`H2470-22`	הֶחֱל֥וּ	hechelu	`HVhp3cp`	made-sick	they caused to weaken	1

Occurrences in Scripture

75 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H2470-14`	Genesis 48:1	חֹלֶ֑ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	is sick	sick one
`H2470-33`	Exodus 32:11	וַ/יְחַ֣ל	vayechal	`HC/Vpw3ms`	And Moses entreated	and he earnestly pleaded
`H2470-09`	Deuteronomy 29:21	חִלָּ֥ה	chilah	`HVpp3ms`	YHWH has afflicted	he earnestly supplicated
`H2470-35`	Judges 16:7	וְ/חָלִ֥יתִי	vechaliti	`HC/Vqp1cs`	then I shall become weak	and I became weak
`H2470-35`	Judges 16:11	וְ/חָלִ֥יתִי	vechaliti	`HC/Vqp1cs`	then I shall become weak	and I became weak
`H2470-35`	Judges 16:17	וְ/חָלִ֥יתִי	vechaliti	`HC/Vqp1cs`	and I will become weak	and I became weak
`H2470-11`	1 Samuel 13:12	חִלִּ֑יתִי	chiliti	`HVpp1cs`	I-have-entreated	I earnestly entreated
`H2470-14`	1 Samuel 19:14	חֹלֶ֥ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	sick	sick one
`H2470-14`	1 Samuel 22:8	חֹלֶ֥ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	one sorry	sick one
`H2470-06`	1 Samuel 30:13	חָלִ֖יתִי	chaliti	`HVqp1cs`	I fell sick	I became weak
`H2470-25`	2 Samuel 13:2	לְ/הִתְחַלּ֗וֹת	lehitechalot	`HR/Vtc`	to become sick	to weaken oneself
`H2470-38`	2 Samuel 13:5	וְ/הִתְחָ֑ל	vehitechal	`HC/Vtv2ms`	and pretend to be ill	and make yourself weak
`H2470-34`	2 Samuel 13:6	וַ/יִּתְחָ֑ל	vayitechal	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and pretended to be ill	and he made himself weak
`H2470-03`	1 Kings 13:6	חַל	chal	`HVpv2ms`	appease	earnestly entreat
`H2470-33`	1 Kings 13:6	וַ/יְחַ֤ל	vayechal	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and-he-entreated	and he earnestly pleaded
`H2470-04`	1 Kings 14:1	חָלָ֖ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	became sick	sickness
`H2470-14`	1 Kings 14:5	חֹלֶ֣ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	he-is-sick	sick one
`H2470-04`	1 Kings 15:23	חָלָ֖ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	he was diseased	sickness
`H2470-04`	1 Kings 17:17	חָלָ֕ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	became sick	sickness
`H2470-18`	1 Kings 22:34	הָחֳלֵֽיתִי	hacholeyti	`HVHp1cs`	I am wounded	I was made weak
`H2470-32`	2 Kings 1:2	וַ/יָּ֑חַל	vayachal	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he became ill	and he became weak
`H2470-14`	2 Kings 8:7	חֹלֶ֑ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	was sick	sick one
`H2470-14`	2 Kings 8:29	חֹלֶ֥ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	he was sick	sick one
`H2470-33`	2 Kings 13:4	וַ/יְחַ֥ל	vayechal	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and sought	and he earnestly pleaded
`H2470-04`	2 Kings 13:14	חָלָ֣ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	was sick	sickness
`H2470-04`	2 Kings 20:1	חָלָ֥ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	became sick	sickness
`H2470-04`	2 Kings 20:12	חָלָ֖ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	had been sick	sickness
`H2470-15`	Isaiah 14:10	חֻלֵּ֥יתָ	chuleyta	`HVPp2ms`	have become weak	you were made weak
`H2470-27`	Isaiah 17:11	נַחֲלָ֖ה	nachalah	`HVNrfsa`	of inheritance	inherited allotment
`H2470-06`	Isaiah 33:24	חָלִ֑יתִי	chaliti	`HVqp1cs`	I am sick	I became weak
`H2470-04`	Isaiah 38:1	חָלָ֥ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	became sick	sickness
`H2470-02`	Isaiah 38:9	בַּ/חֲלֹת֕/וֹ	bachaloto	`HR/Vqc/Sp3ms`	when he had been sick	in his sickness
`H2470-04`	Isaiah 39:1	חָלָ֖ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	he had been sick	sickness
`H2470-21`	Isaiah 53:10	הֶֽחֱלִ֔י	hecheli	`HVhp3ms`	He-has-made-sick	he made weak
`H2470-05`	Isaiah 57:10	חָלִֽית	chalit	`HVqp2fs`	you grew weak	you became weak
`H2470-23`	Jeremiah 4:31	כְּ/חוֹלָ֜ה	kecholah	`HR/Vqrfsa`	like a woman in labor	like a weakening-one
`H2470-28`	Jeremiah 10:19	נַחְלָ֖ה	nachelah	`HVNrfsa`	grievous	sickness of
`H2470-29`	Jeremiah 12:13	נֶחְל֖וּ	nechelu	`HVNp3cp`	they have strained	they became weak
`H2470-28`	Jeremiah 14:17	נַחְלָ֥ה	nachelah	`HVNrfsa`	incurable	sickness of
`H2470-33`	Jeremiah 26:19	וַ/יְחַל֙	vayechal	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and-he-entreated	and he earnestly pleaded
`H2470-28`	Jeremiah 30:12	נַחְלָ֖ה	nachelah	`HVNrfsa`	severe	sickness of
`H2470-19`	Ezekiel 34:4	הַ/נַּחְלוֹת֩	hanachelot	`HTd/VNsfpa`	weak	the weakened ones
`H2470-16`	Ezekiel 34:4	הַ/חוֹלָ֣ה	hacholah	`HTd/Vqrfsa`	sick	the ailing woman
`H2470-16`	Ezekiel 34:16	הַ/חוֹלָ֖ה	hacholah	`HTd/Vqrfsa`	the sick one	the ailing woman
`H2470-19`	Ezekiel 34:21	הַ/נַּחְל֑וֹת	hanachelot	`HTd/VNsfpa`	the weak	the weakened ones
`H2470-22`	Hosea 7:5	הֶחֱל֥וּ	hechelu	`HVhp3cp`	made-sick	they caused to weaken
`H2470-29`	Amos 6:6	נֶחְל֖וּ	nechelu	`HVNp3cp`	they are grieved	they became weak
`H2470-20`	Micah 6:13	הֶחֱלֵ֣יתִי	hecheleyti	`HVhp1cs`	have made sick	I caused to weaken
`H2470-28`	Nahum 3:19	נַחְלָ֖ה	nachelah	`HVNsfsa`	incurable	sickness of
`H2470-24`	Zechariah 7:2	לְ/חַלּ֖וֹת	lechalot	`HR/Vpc`	to entreat	to earnestly entreat
`H2470-24`	Zechariah 8:21	לְ/חַלּוֹת֙	lechalot	`HR/Vpc`	to entreat	to earnestly entreat
`H2470-31`	Zechariah 8:22	וּ/לְ/חַלּ֖וֹת	ulechalot	`HC/R/Vpc`	and-to-entreat	and to earnestly entreat
`H2470-37`	Malachi 1:8	וְ/חֹלֶ֖ה	vecholeh	`HC/Vqrmsa`	and sick	one who is sick
`H2470-08`	Malachi 1:9	חַלּוּ	chalu	`HVpv2mp`	entreat	they became weak
`H2470-17`	Malachi 1:13	הַ֣/חוֹלֶ֔ה	hacholeh	`HTd/Vqrmsa`	the sick	the sick one
`H2470-01`	Psalms 35:13	בַּ/חֲלוֹתָ֡/ם	bachalotam	`HR/Vqc/Sp3mp`	when they were sick	in their becoming weak
`H2470-40`	Psalms 45:13	יְחַלּ֗וּ	yechalu	`HVpi3mp`	shall entreat	they earnestly entreat
`H2470-07`	Psalms 77:11	חַלּ֣וֹתִ/י	chaloti	`HVqc/Sp1cs`	my sicknesses	my becoming weak
`H2470-11`	Psalms 119:58	חִלִּ֣יתִי	chiliti	`HVpp1cs`	I entreated	I earnestly entreated
`H2470-26`	Proverbs 13:12	מַחֲלָה	machalah	`HVhrfsa`	sick	sickness
`H2470-40`	Proverbs 19:6	יְחַלּ֣וּ	yechalu	`HVpi3mp`	seek the favor	they earnestly entreat
`H2470-06`	Proverbs 23:35	חָלִיתִי֮	chaliti	`HVqp1cs`	I was not hurt	I became weak
`H2470-36`	Job 11:19	וְ/חִלּ֖וּ	vechilu	`HC/Vpq3cp`	and they will entreat	and they earnestly implored
`H2470-13`	Song of Songs 2:5	חוֹלַ֥ת	cholat	`HVqrfsc`	I am sick	sick woman of
`H2470-30`	Song of Songs 5:8	שֶׁ/חוֹלַ֥ת	shecholat	`HTr/Vqrfsc`	I am sick	weakening one
`H2470-12`	Ecclesiastes 5:12	חוֹלָ֔ה	cholah	`HVqrfsa`		the sick woman
`H2470-12`	Ecclesiastes 5:15	חוֹלָ֔ה	cholah	`HVqrfsa`		the sick woman
`H2470-39`	Daniel 8:27	וְ/נֶֽחֱלֵ֨יתִי֙	venecheleyti	`HC/VNp1cs`	and was sick	and I became weakened
`H2470-10`	Daniel 9:13	חִלִּ֜ינוּ	chilinu	`HVpp1cp`	we have entreated	we earnestly implored
`H2470-14`	Nehemiah 2:2	חוֹלֶ֔ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	sick	sick one
`H2470-18`	2 Chronicles 18:33	הָחֳלֵֽיתִי	hacholeyti	`HVHp1cs`	I am wounded	I was made weak
`H2470-14`	2 Chronicles 22:6	חֹלֶ֥ה	choleh	`HVqrmsa`	he was sick	sick one
`H2470-04`	2 Chronicles 32:24	חָלָ֥ה	chalah	`HVqp3ms`	became sick	sickness
`H2470-09`	2 Chronicles 33:12	חִלָּ֕ה	chilah	`HVpp3ms`	he-entreated	he earnestly supplicated
`H2470-18`	2 Chronicles 35:23	הָחֳלֵ֖יתִי	hacholeyti	`HVHp1cs`	I am wounded	I was made weak

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