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חֶלְקַת הַצֻּרִים

𐤇𐤋𐤒𐤕 𐤄𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌

Cheleqat Hatsurim

H2521 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חלק; צור to divide, allot, assign; rock, stone, cliff

Definition

A proper noun referring to a specific place name, literally 'the field/portion of the rocks,' likely describing a rocky terrain or an area notable for its rocky features. The phrase is a composite toponym, indicating a geographical location distinguished by rocks, cliffs, or stony outcrops. The term refers specifically to the location where a notable encounter between groups of young men from Saul's and David's forces took place, as recounted in the narrative of 2 Samuel 2:16.

Semantic Range

tract or field of rocks, portion of stony ground, a proper place name designating a site characterized by rocky terrain

Root / Etymology

Formed from the noun חֶלְקָה (cheleq, 'portion, tract, field') and the definite article plus the plural of צוּר (tsur, 'rock'), i.e., הַצֻּרִים (the rocks). Thus, 'the tract/portion/field of the rocks.' Both חֶלְקָה and צוּר are established Hebrew words with clear and consistent meanings in biblical Hebrew.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The place Chelqath hats-Tsurim is mentioned only once (2 Samuel 2:16), as the site of a deadly contest between select warriors of Saul and David. The narrative likely alludes to a landscape feature — either a rocky plateau or region of distinctive stone outcrops — which may have held significance for the participants or for the narrative. The literal meaning of the name is thoroughly descriptive, not symbolic. Later tradition and translations sometimes render the name with interpretive glosses (e.g., 'field of sharp swords'), but such renderings are not supported by the Hebrew lexicon; the phrase straightforwardly refers to a geographical area characterized by rocks. English Bible translations have sometimes substituted the transliteration 'Helkath-hazzurim,' preserving the Hebrew form, as the meaning was clearly place-specific and not metaphorical. The term is not used outside this context, and it does not carry any later religious or ethnic associations. It is distinct in root and semantic field from terms like גֶּבַע ('hill') or סֶלַע ('crag, cliff'), denoting instead a stony expanse or field. Since the event described occurs during the period of rivalry between the houses of Saul and David, the term's contextual meaning is limited to that historical episode.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חֶלְקַת and the plural of צוּר, with the article inserted; smoothness of the rocks; Chelkath Hats-tsurim, a place in Palestine; Helkath-hazzurim.

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

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2521-01 חֶלְקַ֥ת cheleqat HNp Helkath apportioned tract of 1
H2521-02 הַצֻּרִ֖ים hatsurim HNp hazzurim Portion of the Rocks 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2521-01 2 Samuel 2:16 חֶלְקַ֥ת cheleqat HNp Helkath apportioned tract of
H2521-02 2 Samuel 2:16 הַצֻּרִ֖ים hatsurim HNp hazzurim Portion of the Rocks
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