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תְּחִלָּה

𐤕𐤇𐤋𐤄

tᵉchillâh

H8462 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חלל to open, to begin

Definition

The point or act of beginning; the starting point or earliest phase of an event, period, or process. תְּחִלָּה often designates the outset of something, whether temporal (the beginning of a time period), procedural (the initiation of an action), or as an adverbial marker meaning 'at first' or 'in the beginning.'

Semantic Range

beginning, start, commencement, initiation, outset (of time, event, or action); as adverb: at the beginning, first, for the first time, initially

Root / Etymology

The word is derived from the root חלל (ḤLL), which in one of its senses means 'to pierce, to open, to begin.' תְּחִלָּה is a feminine noun form created from the verbal stem, carrying the sense of 'beginning, commencement' as a derivative nominal pattern from this root. While חלל can also mean 'to profane,' this unrelated sense has no bearing on תְּחִלָּה, which is consistently and contextually linked to 'commencing' or 'initiating.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, תְּחִלָּה functions both as a noun ('beginning, commencement') and as an adverb ('at first, initially'). It typically appears to mark the starting point of an action, era, or process, as in Daniel 9:21 ('at the beginning of my supplications') and Ruth 1:22 ('at the beginning of barley harvest'). Its usage is concentrated in exilic and post-exilic texts (notably Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Esther), reflecting possible later development in Hebrew. Although occasionally translated 'first' or 'formerly,' תְּחִלָּה's primary nuance remains the initial phase or opening moment rather than the idea of primacy or precedence (which might be rendered by רֵאשִׁית, 'rēʾšît'). English translations often compress its adverbial or temporal nuances, especially its sense of process underway at the start of a specified time. In post-biblical and rabbinic Hebrew, תְּחִלָּה continues in similar senses. Differences between תְּחִלָּה and related terms like רֵאשִׁית (focus on origin or primacy) are important for nuance: תְּחִלָּה emphasizes process or initiation, not just temporal ordering.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָלַל in the sense of opening; a commencement; rel. original (adverb, -ly); begin(-ning), first (time).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חלל (ḥ-l-l) — to open, to begin

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2426 חֵיל Begin!
H2455 חֹל the common
H2471 חַלָּה perforated bread-cake
H2474 חַלּוֹן in the pierced opening
H2479 חַלְחָלָה paralyzing trembling

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8462-01 בַּ/תְּחִלָּ֔ה batechilah HRd/Ncfsa at the beginning in the beginning 8
H8462-02 בִּ/תְחִלַּ֖ת bitechilat HR/Ncfsc at the beginning of at the beginning of 6
H8462-07 תְּחִלַּ֥ת techilat HNcfsc beginning of beginning of 3
H8462-08 בַ/תְּחִלָּ֔ה vatechilah HRd/Ncfsa first at the beginning 2
H8462-05 מִ/תְּחִלַּ֣ת mitechilat HR/Ncfsc from the beginning of from the beginning of 1
H8462-06 תחלת tchlt HNcfsc beginning beginning of 1
H8462-04 כְּ/בַ/תְּחִלָּ֑ה kevatechilah HR/Rd/Ncfsa as-at-the-beginning as in the beginning 1
H8462-03 הַ/תְּחִלָּה֙ hatechilah HTd/Ncfsa of the beginning the beginning 1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8462-01 Genesis 13:3 בַּ/תְּחִלָּ֔ה batechilah HRd/Ncfsa at the beginning in the beginning
H8462-01 Genesis 41:21 בַּ/תְּחִלָּ֑ה batechilah HRd/Ncfsa at the beginning in the beginning
H8462-01 Genesis 43:18 בַּ/תְּחִלָּ֔ה batechilah HRd/Ncfsa the first time in the beginning
H8462-01 Genesis 43:20 בַּ/תְּחִלָּ֖ה batechilah HRd/Ncfsa the first time in the beginning
H8462-01 Judges 1:1 בַּ/תְּחִלָּ֖ה batechilah HRd/Ncfsa first in the beginning
H8462-08 Judges 20:18 בַ/תְּחִלָּ֔ה vatechilah HRd/Ncfsa first at the beginning
H8462-08 Judges 20:18 בַ/תְּחִלָּֽה vatechilah-2 HRd/Ncfsa first at the beginning
H8462-01 2 Samuel 17:9 בַּ/תְּחִלָּ֔ה batechilah HRd/Ncfsa at the first in the beginning
H8462-06 2 Samuel 21:9 תחלת tchlt HNcfsc beginning beginning of
H8462-02 2 Samuel 21:9 בִּ/תְחִלַּ֖ת bitechilat HR/Ncfsc at the beginning of at the beginning of
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