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חָלָק

𐤇𐤋𐤒

Chalaq

H2510 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חלק to be smooth, to be slippery, to be bare

Definition

Proper noun designating a specific mountain, 'Halak.' The primary meaning in biblical usage refers to a geographical location, namely a mountain or mountainous region situated in the southern part of ancient Edom (Idumaea), mentioned as marking the southwestern boundary of Canaanite conquest under Joshua. By derived association, the underlying common noun form (from the same root) can mean 'smooth, slippery, bare,' but as a proper noun it functions strictly as a toponym.

Semantic Range

Halak (proper noun; a mountain or mountainous region); (by root, not in this text) smooth, slippery, bare, polished (adjective/common noun contexts)

Root / Etymology

From the root חָלַק (chālaq), meaning 'to be smooth, to be slippery, to be bare.' The name 'Halak' likely denotes a geographic feature characterized by smoothness or bareness, such as a bare mountain slope or a region lacking vegetation. In this instance, the root ח-ל-ק is used in a toponymic sense to describe the nature of the mountain or area.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָלָק (Chalak or Halak) appears only in Joshua 11:17 and 12:7 as a boundary marker, signifying the southern limit of Joshua's conquests. Its exact geographic identification remains uncertain, but it is associated with the region of Edom, south of the Dead Sea. The toponym reflects a common biblical practice of naming locations based on physical characteristics—here, likely referring to the mountain's smooth or bare appearance. English tradition has used 'Halak' as a proper name (without translation), while earlier translation traditions sometimes offered interpretative renderings tied to its descriptive root ('Smooth Mountain'). The underlying adjective חָלָק ('smooth, slippery') is used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, but in this case serves as the basis for the place name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as חָלָק; bare; Chalak, a mountain of Idumaea; Halak.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חלק (ḥ-l-q) — to be smooth, to be slippery, to be bare

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2505 חָלַק I will apportion
H2506 חֵלֶק in allotted portion of
H2507 חֵלֶק allotted portion
H2508 חֲלָק smooth
H2509 חָלָק smooth

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2510-01 הֶֽ/חָלָק֙ hechalaq HTd/Np Halak Halak 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2510-01 Joshua 11:17 הֶֽ/חָלָק֙ hechalaq HTd/Np Halak Halak
H2510-01 Joshua 12:7 הֶ/חָלָ֖ק hechalaq HTd/Np Halak Halak
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