What does חַיִל (ḥayil) mean in the Bible?
חַיִל (ḥayil): Multivalent force: military strength, economic resources, or moral valor—power in any consequential form.
Hebrew · H2428
חַיִל
Probably a force , whether of men, means or other resources; an army , wealth , virtue , valor , strength
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חַיִל H2428
Pronunciation ḥayil
What does חַיִל (ḥayil) mean in the Bible?
חַיִל (ḥayil): Multivalent force: military strength, economic resources, or moral valor—power in any consequential form.
Full entry for חַיִל (H2428) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2428?
The BSB source-word alignment has 243 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of valor (43), army (32), . . . (10), the army (7), their wealth (7).
Where does חַיִל (ḥayil) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 34:29. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (32), 1 Chronicles (28), 2 Chronicles (27), Psalms (18).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It of valor 43× Deuteronomy 3:18, Joshua 1:14, Joshua 6:2, Joshua 8:3
army 32× Exodus 14:28, Deuteronomy 11:4, 2 Samuel 8:9, 1 Kings 20:1
. . . 10× 1 Samuel 9:1, 2 Samuel 2:7, 2 Samuel 11:16, 2 Kings 18:17
the army 7× 2 Kings 9:5, 2 Kings 11:15, 1 Chronicles 20:1, 2 Chronicles 16:7
their wealth 7× Psalms 49:6, Psalms 49:10, Psalms 73:12, Isaiah 30:6
of the army 6× Numbers 31:14, 2 Samuel 24:4, 2 Kings 25:26, Jeremiah 38:3
valiant 6× Judges 3:29, 1 Samuel 18:17, 2 Samuel 13:28, 2 Kings 2:16
wealth 6× Deuteronomy 8:17, Deuteronomy 8:18, Job 20:15, Job 31:25
his army 5× Exodus 14:4, Exodus 14:17, Jeremiah 34:1, Ezekiel 32:31
of the armies 5× 2 Kings 25:23, Jeremiah 40:7, Jeremiah 40:13, Jeremiah 41:11
with valor 5× Numbers 24:18, Psalms 60:12, Psalms 108:13, Psalms 118:15
an army 4× 1 Kings 20:25, 2 Kings 6:15, 2 Chronicles 14:8, 2 Chronicles 26:11
capable 4× Exodus 18:21, Exodus 18:25, 1 Chronicles 26:30, 1 Chronicles 26:32
of noble character 4× Ruth 2:1, Ruth 3:11, Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 31:10
of the forces 4× Jeremiah 42:1, Jeremiah 42:8, Jeremiah 43:4, Jeremiah 43:5
with strength 4× 1 Samuel 2:4, 2 Samuel 22:40, Psalms 18:32, Psalms 18:39
Your wealth 4× Jeremiah 15:13, Jeremiah 17:3, Ezekiel 26:12, Ezekiel 28:5
but the army 3× 2 Kings 25:5, Jeremiah 39:5, Jeremiah 52:8
his wealth 3× Job 5:5, Job 15:29, Obadiah 1:11
and his army 2× Psalms 136:15, Ezekiel 29:18
and the wealth 2× Isaiah 60:5, Zechariah 14:14
as the army 2× 1 Samuel 17:20, Jeremiah 34:7
capable men 2× 1 Chronicles 26:6, 1 Chronicles 26:31
caravan 2× 1 Kings 10:2, 2 Chronicles 9:1
of his armies 2× 1 Kings 15:20, 2 Chronicles 16:4
of his army 2× 2 Samuel 24:2, Joel 2:11
strength 2× Psalms 33:17, Psalms 84:7
the armies 2× Isaiah 43:17, Jeremiah 35:11
the wealth 2× Isaiah 8:4, Isaiah 61:6
with an army 2× 2 Chronicles 13:3, 2 Chronicles 14:9
[and] the army 1× Jeremiah 46:2
[who were] mighty men 1× 1 Chronicles 7:5
able 1× 1 Chronicles 9:13
also capable 1× 1 Chronicles 26:7
an [escort of] soldiers 1× Ezra 8:22
and army 1× Exodus 15:4
and goods 1× Numbers 31:9
and Helech 1× Ezekiel 27:11
and the [men] of valor 1× 1 Samuel 10:26
and the army 1× Nehemiah 4:2
and the strong 1× Ecclesiastes 12:3
and troops 1× Exodus 14:9
any talented 1× Genesis 47:6
because of [it] 1× Ezekiel 28:5
brave 1× 2 Chronicles 26:17
by might 1× Zechariah 4:6
by Your power 1× Psalms 59:11
caused his army 1× Ezekiel 29:18
force 1× 2 Chronicles 26:13
from strength 1× Psalms 84:7
her wealth 1× Zechariah 9:4
his substance 1× Deuteronomy 33:11
in force 1× Jeremiah 46:22
in power 1× Job 21:7
in your army 1× Ezekiel 27:10
is my strength 1× Habakkuk 3:19
is my strong 1× 2 Samuel 22:33
like the [one] 1× 1 Kings 20:25
mighty 1× Jeremiah 48:14
military 1× 2 Chronicles 33:14
more strength 1× Ecclesiastes 10:10
noble things 1× Proverbs 31:29
of battle 1× Psalms 110:3
of character 1× 1 Kings 1:52
of might 1× Psalms 76:5
of the wealthy 1× 2 Kings 15:20
or brave 1× 1 Samuel 14:52
prosperous 1× Ruth 4:11
so that the wealth 1× Isaiah 60:11
the forces 1× Esther 8:11
The military leaders 1× Esther 1:3
the most valiant 1× 2 Samuel 17:10
the profits 1× Job 20:18
their best 1× Joel 2:22
their most valiant 1× Judges 21:10
their possessions 1× Genesis 34:29
to seize the wealth 1× Isaiah 10:14
to the army 1× Jeremiah 34:21
troops 1× 2 Chronicles 17:2
valiantly 1× 1 Samuel 14:48
valor 1× Judges 18:2
was an army 1× 2 Chronicles 26:13
were capable 1× 1 Chronicles 26:8
who has valiant 1× 2 Samuel 17:10
who were capable 1× 1 Chronicles 26:9
with the army 1× 1 Kings 20:19
your army 1× Ezekiel 38:4
your riches 1× Psalms 62:10
your strength 1× Proverbs 31:3
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 34:29 חֵילָ֤ם to their possessions Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Genesis 47:6 חַ֔יִל to any talented Noun - masculine singular Exodus 14:4 חֵיל֔וֹ to his army Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Exodus 14:9 וְחֵיל֑וֹ to and troops Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Exodus 14:17 חֵיל֔וֹ to his army Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Exodus 14:28 חֵ֣יל to army Noun - masculine singular construct Exodus 15:4 וְחֵיל֖וֹ to and army Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Exodus 18:21 חַ֜יִל to capable Noun - masculine singular Exodus 18:25 חַ֙יִל֙ to capable Noun - masculine singular Numbers 24:18 חָֽיִל׃ to with valor Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 34:29
Aligned rows 243
Books represented 31
Genesis 2 Exodus 7 Numbers 3 Deuteronomy 5 Joshua 4 Judges 7 Ruth 3 1 Samuel 9 2 Samuel 12 1 Kings 9 2 Kings 17 1 Chronicles 28 2 Chronicles 27 Ezra 1 Nehemiah 4 Esther 2 Job 6 Psalms 18 Proverbs 5 Ecclesiastes 2 Isaiah 9 Jeremiah 32 Ezekiel 13 Daniel 6 Joel 3 Obadiah 2 Micah 1 Nahum 1 Habakkuk 1 Zephaniah 1 Zechariah 3
Source forms
חָ֑יִל 16x ḥā·yil Deuteronomy 8:18, Judges 3:29, 2 Samuel 22:33, 1 Kings 11:28
חַ֖יִל 15x ḥa·yil Ruth 3:11, 2 Samuel 11:16, 2 Samuel 17:10, 2 Samuel 22:40
חַ֔יִל 13x ḥa·yil Genesis 47:6, Judges 11:1, Ruth 2:1, 1 Samuel 14:48
חָֽיִל׃ 13x ḥā·yil Numbers 24:18, Deuteronomy 3:18, Judges 20:44, Judges 20:46
חֵ֣יל 12x ḥêl Exodus 14:28, 2 Kings 25:10, 2 Chronicles 24:23, 2 Chronicles 24:24
חֵיל֔וֹ 8x ḥê·lōw Exodus 14:4, Exodus 14:17, Deuteronomy 33:11, 1 Kings 20:1
חַ֙יִל֙ 6x ḥa·yil Exodus 18:25, 2 Samuel 24:9, 1 Chronicles 12:25, 2 Chronicles 24:24
חַ֣יִל 6x ḥa·yil Ruth 4:11, 2 Kings 7:6, Ezra 8:22, Job 20:15
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 99x Genesis 47:6, Exodus 18:21, Exodus 18:25, Numbers 24:18
Noun - masculine singular construct 32x Exodus 14:28, 2 Samuel 8:9, 2 Kings 25:5, 2 Kings 25:10
Article | Noun - masculine singular 21x Numbers 31:14, Deuteronomy 8:17, Joshua 1:14, Joshua 6:2
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 16x Exodus 14:4, Exodus 14:17, Deuteronomy 33:11, 1 Kings 20:1
Article | Noun - masculine plural 14x 1 Kings 15:20, 2 Kings 25:23, 2 Kings 25:26, 1 Chronicles 11:26
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular 10x 1 Kings 10:2, 2 Chronicles 9:1, 2 Chronicles 13:3, 2 Chronicles 14:9
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural 7x Genesis 34:29, Numbers 31:9, Job 5:5, Psalms 49:6
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular 6x Psalms 110:3, Proverbs 31:3, Jeremiah 15:13, Jeremiah 17:3
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Multivalent force: military strength, economic resources, or moral valor—power in any consequential form.
Source Gloss
probably a force , whether of men, means or other resources; an army , wealth , virtue , valor , strength
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Material resources and riches brought by nations to Jerusalem
Moral excellence and worthy character of a capable woman
Accumulated possessions and inheritance passed between generations
Strength of character and valor demonstrated in a capable wife
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 234 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain