What does חֶלֶב (ḥelbāmô) mean in the Bible?
חֶלֶב (ḥelbāmô): Fat as the richest, most prized portion—literal sustenance becomes figurative marker of abundance and divine blessing.
Hebrew · H2459
חֶלֶב
Fat , whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part
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חֶלֶב H2459
Pronunciation ḥelbāmô
What does חֶלֶב (ḥelbāmô) mean in the Bible?
חֶלֶב (ḥelbāmô): Fat as the richest, most prized portion—literal sustenance becomes figurative marker of abundance and divine blessing.
Full entry for חֶלֶב (H2459) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2459?
The BSB source-word alignment has 92 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the fat (36), with the fat (9), fat (5), the fat portions (4), and the fat (3).
Where does חֶלֶב (ḥelbāmô) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 4:4. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (48), Exodus (6), Numbers (6), Psalms (6).
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 the fat 36× Exodus 23:18, Exodus 29:13, Exodus 29:22, Leviticus 3:3
with the fat 9× Exodus 29:13, Exodus 29:22, Leviticus 3:4, Leviticus 3:10
fat 5× Leviticus 3:17, Leviticus 7:33, Leviticus 8:25, Ezekiel 39:19
the fat portions 4× Leviticus 6:12, Leviticus 8:26, Leviticus 9:20, Leviticus 10:15
and the fat 3× 1 Kings 8:64, 2 Chronicles 7:7, Isaiah 1:11
with fat 3× Job 15:27, Isaiah 34:6, Isaiah 34:7
- 2× 1 Kings 8:64, 2 Chronicles 7:7
from the fat 2× Genesis 45:18, 2 Samuel 1:22
the best part 2× Numbers 18:30, Numbers 18:32
the finest 2× Numbers 18:12, Psalms 81:16
their fat 2× Leviticus 8:16, Numbers 18:17
. . . 1× Leviticus 7:24
[it] 1× Leviticus 4:31
along with the fat 1× 2 Chronicles 29:35
and Eglon’s fat 1× Judges 3:22
and fat 1× 2 Chronicles 35:14
and insensitive 1× Psalms 119:70
and the fat portions 1× Leviticus 9:24
consisting of its fat 1× Leviticus 3:9
From their prosperity 1× Psalms 73:7
is better than the fat 1× 1 Samuel 15:22
its fat 1× Leviticus 4:26
like the fat 1× Leviticus 4:26
of the fat 1× Leviticus 7:23
the best 1× Numbers 18:29
the best portions 1× Genesis 4:4
the choicest 1× Deuteronomy 32:14
the freshest 1× Numbers 18:12
their callous [hearts] 1× Psalms 17:10
these 1× Leviticus 9:20
They also brought the fat portions 1× Leviticus 9:19
with the finest 1× Psalms 147:14
with the richest 1× Psalms 63:5
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 4:4 וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן to the best portions Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural Genesis 45:18 חֵ֥לֶב to from the fat Noun - masculine singular construct Exodus 23:18 חֵֽלֶב־ to the fat Noun - masculine singular construct Exodus 29:13 הַחֵלֶב֮ to the fat Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 29:13 הַחֵ֖לֶב to with the fat Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 29:22 הַחֵ֨לֶב to the fat Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 29:22 הַחֵ֣לֶב׀ to the fat Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 29:22 הַחֵ֙לֶב֙ to with the fat Article | Noun - masculine singular Leviticus 3:3 הַחֵ֙לֶב֙ to the fat Article | Noun - masculine singular Leviticus 3:3 הַחֵ֔לֶב to the fat Article | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 4:4
Aligned rows 92
Books represented 14
Genesis 2 Exodus 6 Leviticus 48 Numbers 6 Deuteronomy 3 Judges 1 1 Samuel 3 2 Samuel 1 1 Kings 2 2 Chronicles 4 Job 1 Psalms 6 Isaiah 5 Ezekiel 4
Source forms
הַחֵ֙לֶב֙ 11x ha·ḥê·leḇ Exodus 29:22, Leviticus 3:3, Leviticus 3:4, Leviticus 3:9
הַחֵ֔לֶב 6x ha·ḥê·leḇ Leviticus 3:3, Leviticus 3:9, Leviticus 3:14, Leviticus 4:8
חֵ֣לֶב 5x ḥê·leḇ Numbers 18:12, Psalms 63:5, Ezekiel 39:19, Ezekiel 44:7
הַחֵ֖לֶב 4x ha·ḥê·leḇ Exodus 29:13, Leviticus 7:3, Leviticus 7:31, Leviticus 7:33
חֵ֥לֶב 4x ḥê·leḇ Genesis 45:18, Leviticus 3:17, Leviticus 16:25, Psalms 147:14
הַחֵלֶב֮ 3x ha·ḥê·leḇ Exodus 29:13, Leviticus 8:16, Leviticus 8:25
הַחֲלָבִ֖ים 3x ha·ḥă·lā·ḇîm Leviticus 9:19, Leviticus 9:20
חֵ֖לֶב 3x ḥê·leḇ Leviticus 3:16, Numbers 18:12, Deuteronomy 32:14
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine singular 31x Exodus 29:13, Exodus 29:22, Leviticus 3:3, Leviticus 3:4
Noun - masculine singular construct 12x Genesis 45:18, Exodus 23:18, Leviticus 4:8, Leviticus 4:35
Noun - masculine singular 8x Leviticus 3:16, Leviticus 3:17, Leviticus 4:31, Leviticus 7:25
Article | Noun - masculine plural 7x Leviticus 8:26, Leviticus 9:19, Leviticus 9:20, Leviticus 9:24
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 7x Leviticus 3:9, Leviticus 4:19, Leviticus 4:26, Leviticus 7:3
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct 4x Leviticus 7:24, Isaiah 1:11, Isaiah 43:24
Noun - masculine plural construct 4x Leviticus 6:12, 1 Kings 8:64, 2 Chronicles 7:7
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct 4x 1 Samuel 15:22, 2 Samuel 1:22, Psalms 81:16, Isaiah 34:6
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Fat as the richest, most prized portion—literal sustenance becomes figurative marker of abundance and divine blessing.
Source Gloss
fat , whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Fat as the richest, most prized portion—literal sustenance becomes figurative marker of abundance and divine blessing.
fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part BDB: fat Usage: × best, fat(-ness), × finest, grease, marrow.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Their fat; metaphor for spiritual callousness, insensitivity, or being 'thick-skinned' toward God
Showing 1 selected witness from 92 lexical occurrence verses.
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