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חֶלְקָה

𐤇𐤋𐤒𐤄

chelqâh

H2513 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חלק to be smooth, divide, apportion, share out

Definition

(1) A tract or portion of land; a field, lot, territory, or parcel. (2) In poetic or figurative language, a region defined by distinctive character, especially 'smoothness.' (3) Less commonly, a smooth or slippery surface, often used metaphorically to indicate risk or instability. The primary meaning relates to a specific, bounded area or allotment, typically of land, and secondarily, by extension, to qualities or characteristics associated with smooth surfaces.

Semantic Range

tract or parcel of land, field, delimited plot, assigned territory, smooth surface, slippery place (metaphorically), area of instability (poetic)

Root / Etymology

From the root חָלַק (חלק), meaning 'to be smooth, to divide, to apportion.' The feminine form חֶלְקָה arises as a noun meaning 'portion' or 'tract.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֶלְקָה is most frequently used for a defined tract of land, such as a field or portion allotted to an individual or family (cf. Gen 33:19, 'field' Jacob purchased near Shechem; Ruth 1:6). It is distinct from שָׂדֶה ('open field, agricultural land'), as חֶלְקָה more strongly implies a discrete, measured portion or parcel. Occasionally the term carries a metaphorical sense, particularly in poetry (e.g., Psalm 73:18, 'slippery places,' or places of instability), reflecting the literal sense of 'smoothness' but broadening to contexts of danger or uncertainty. In the Persian and Hellenistic periods, it largely retained reference to land parcels in administrative or social distributions. The figurative meaning, evidenced in later Hebrew and related Aramaic forms, rarely denotes insincerity (as 'flattery'), and such usage is marginal in biblical Hebrew. English translations often standardize as 'field' or 'portion,' though these may obscure the specific nuance of a delimited or assigned tract. The term does not inherently relate to inheritance terminology unless the context specifies division or apportioning by lot.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of חֵלֶק; properly, smoothness; figuratively, flattery; also an allotment; field, flattering(-ry), ground, parcel, part, piece of land (ground), plat, portion, slippery place, smooth (thing).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חלק (ḥ-l-q) — to be smooth, divide, apportion, share out

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

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2513-06 חֶלְקַ֥ת cheleqat HNcfsc portion allotted tract of 9
H2513-09 הַ/חֶלְקָ֖ה hacheleqah HTd/Ncfsa the field the allotted tract 5
H2513-04 חֲלָק֔וֹת chalaqot HAafpa flattering smooth tracts 3
H2513-03 בְּ/חֶלְקַ֣ת becheleqat HR/Ncfsc in the portion of in a tract of 3
H2513-05 חֶלְקָ֣ה cheleqah HNcfsa piece-of-land allotted tract 2
H2513-02 בַּ/חֶלְקָ֥ה bacheleqah HRd/Ncfsa on the plot in the allotted tract 2
H2513-07 חֶלְקָתָ֣/ם cheleqatam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their-portion their allotted tract 1
H2513-10 מֵֽ֝/חֶלְקַ֗ת mecheleqat HR/Ncfsc from flattery portion-of 1
H2513-08 חֶלְקָתִ֑/י cheleqati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my portion my allotted tract 1
H2513-01 בַּ֭/חֲלָקוֹת bachalaqot HR/Aafpa in slippery places in the allotted tracts 1

Occurrences in Scripture

29 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2513-06 Genesis 27:16 חֶלְקַ֥ת cheleqat HNcfsc the smooth part allotted tract of
H2513-06 Genesis 33:19 חֶלְקַ֣ת cheleqat HNcfsc parcel allotted tract of
H2513-06 Deuteronomy 33:21 חֶלְקַ֥ת cheleqat HNcfsc portion allotted tract of
H2513-03 Joshua 24:32 בְּ/חֶלְקַ֣ת becheleqat HR/Ncfsc in the parcel of in a tract of
H2513-06 2 Samuel 14:30 חֶלְקַ֨ת cheleqat HNcfsc portion/field allotted tract of
H2513-09 2 Samuel 14:30 הַ/חֶלְקָ֖ה hacheleqah HTd/Ncfsa the field the allotted tract
H2513-09 2 Samuel 14:31 הַ/חֶלְקָ֥ה hacheleqah HTd/Ncfsa the field the allotted tract
H2513-06 2 Samuel 23:11 חֶלְקַ֤ת cheleqat HNcfsc a portion allotted tract of
H2513-09 2 Samuel 23:12 הַֽ/חֶלְקָה֙ hacheleqah HTd/Ncfsa the field the allotted tract
H2513-09 2 Kings 3:19 הַ/חֶלְקָ֣ה hacheleqah HTd/Ncfsa piece of land the allotted tract
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