חֶתְלֹן

𐤇𐤕𐤋𐤍

Chetelon

H2855 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חָתַל to wrap, to swathe, to enclose

Definition

Chethlon is a toponym designating a location appearing on the northern boundary of the land allocation in prophetic visions. The term itself refers to a specific settlement or geographic marker, rather than carrying a lexical meaning beyond its function as a place name. There is no evidence the name bears descriptive meaning in the biblical text beyond its identification as a territorial landmark.

Semantic Range

Chethlon (proper place name); boundary settlement; landmark on geographic border

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חָתַל (ḥ-t-l), which generally means 'to wrap, to swathe, to enclose.' The form חֶתְלֹן is likely a place name derived from this root, possibly indicating a location that is 'enclosed' or 'bounded,' but this is an etymological interpretation and not explicitly clarified in the biblical narrative. Root-level meaning and actual usage as a place name are distinct.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Chethlon (חֶתְלֹן) is mentioned in Ezekiel 47:15 and 48:1 as a point on the northern border of the land in Ezekiel's vision. The site is not named elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, and its precise historical location remains uncertain. The name follows a common biblical pattern of naming places with participial or descriptive roots, but in this case the semantic value is obscured by lack of additional context. English translations and various traditions sometimes render the name as 'Hethlon.' Owing to its absence from earlier periods, this name only appears in late prophetic texts and is associated with the idealized boundaries of restored Israelite territory, not with territory occupied during earlier periods. The translation 'a place in Palestine' reflects older conventions; modern historical geography would leave the location undetermined pending further evidence. There is no evidence this toponym implies ethnic, religious, or other attributes for inhabitants, and the word is used strictly as a geographic designation in its biblical context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָתַל; enswathed; Chethlon, a place in Palestine; Hethlon.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חתל (ḥ-t-l) — to wrap, to swathe, to enclose

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2848 חִתּוּל swaddling band
H2853 חָתַל you were swaddled
H2854 חֲתֻלָּה his swaddling-cloth

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2855-01 חֶתְלֹ֖ן chetelon HNp Hethlon Chethlon 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2855-01 Ezekiel 47:15 חֶתְלֹ֖ן chetelon HNp Hethlon Chethlon
H2855-01 Ezekiel 48:1 חֶתְלֹ֣ן chetelon HNp Hethlon Chethlon