מַהֲלָךְ
𐤌𐤄𐤋𐤊
mahălâk
H4109 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A course or distance traversed; a journey or passage, specifically the measure of how far one goes, typically expressed in terms such as 'a day's journey.' By extension, refers to the act of walking or progressing, but usually in reference to a calculated route, distance or segment of travel rather than the general act of walking itself.
Semantic Range
journey, course of travel, a fixed distance traversed, passage, the act of covering a measured route
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root הלך (h-l-k), which fundamentally means 'to go, walk, move along.' The noun form מַהֲלָךְ is built from a prefixed mem (מַ-) indicating 'place, action, or result of the root activity' and the basic root הלך, yielding the sense of a 'course (of going),' 'passage,' or 'distance traveled.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In ancient Israelite usage, מַהֲלָךְ often describes a measurable segment of travel, such as 'a three days' journey' (e.g., Exodus 3:18, 1 Kings 19:7), emphasizing the amount of ground covered or the standard 'stretch' for a journey, rather than focusing on the act of journeying itself. It occurs infrequently and is generally used in narrative contexts to designate the practical or logistical scope of movement, especially where a fixed or understood duration of travel is involved. Other nouns from הלך, such as הֲלִיכָה (halikhah), emphasize the act or process of walking, while מַהֲלָךְ more specifically refers to a quantifiable stretch or route. Standard English translations like 'journey' or 'walk' sometimes flatten the nuance of a defined passage or measured distance. The word does not carry later religious symbolism associated with concepts like 'spiritual walk,' nor does it imply pilgrimage; its usage is concrete and descriptive.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from הָלַךְ; a walk, i.e. a passage or a distance; journey, walk.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
הלך (h-l-k) — to go, to walk, to travel, to move
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1946 | הוּךְ | to go |
| H1973 | הָלְאָה | further on |
| H1978 | הָלִיךְ | my steps |
| H1979 | הֲלִיכָה | in their journeying |
| H1980 | הָלַךְ | I walk about |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4109-02 |
מַהֲלַךְ֩ | mahalakhe | HNcmsc |
a journey | course-of-going | 3 |
H4109-01 |
מַֽהֲלָכֲ/ךָ֖ | mahalakhakha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your journey | your course of travel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4109-02 |
Ezekiel 42:4 | מַהֲלַךְ֩ | mahalakhe | HNcmsc |
a walk | course-of-going |
H4109-02 |
Jonah 3:3 | מַהֲלַ֖ךְ | mahalakhe | HNcmsc |
journey | course-of-going |
H4109-02 |
Jonah 3:4 | מַהֲלַ֖ךְ | mahalakhe | HNcmsc |
a journey | course-of-going |
H4109-01 |
Nehemiah 2:6 | מַֽהֲלָכֲ/ךָ֖ | mahalakhakha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your journey | your course of travel |