What does חֶלֶד (ḥeleḏ) mean in the Bible?
חֶלֶד (ḥeleḏ): Life understood as transient duration; the world grasped through the lens of human mortality and ephemerality.
Hebrew · H2465
חֶלֶד
Life (as a fleeting portion of time); hence, the world (as transient)
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חֶלֶדH2465
Pronunciationḥeleḏ
What does חֶלֶד (ḥeleḏ) mean in the Bible?
חֶלֶד (ḥeleḏ): Life understood as transient duration; the world grasped through the lens of human mortality and ephemerality.
Full entry for חֶלֶד (H2465) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2465?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of the world (2), and my lifetime (1), the briefness (1), Your life (1).
Where does חֶלֶד (ḥeleḏ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Job 11:17. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (4), Job (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itof the world2×Psalms 17:14, Psalms 49:1
and my lifetime1×Psalms 39:5
the briefness1×Psalms 89:47
Your life1×Job 11:17
Show sample aligned rows
Job 11:17חָ֑לֶדtoYour lifeNoun - masculine singularPsalms 17:14מֵחֶ֗לֶדtoof the worldPreposition-m | Noun - masculine singularPsalms 39:5וְחֶלְדִּ֣יtoand my lifetimeConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularPsalms 49:1חָֽלֶד׃toof the worldNoun - masculine singularPsalms 89:47חָ֑לֶדtothe briefnessNoun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowJob 11:17
Aligned rows5
Books represented2
Job1Psalms4
Source forms
חָ֑לֶד2xḥā·leḏJob 11:17, Psalms 89:47
וְחֶלְדִּ֣י1xwə·ḥel·dîPsalms 39:5
חָֽלֶד׃1xḥā·leḏPsalms 49:1
מֵחֶ֗לֶד1xmê·ḥe·leḏPsalms 17:14
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular3xJob 11:17, Psalms 49:1, Psalms 89:47
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular1xPsalms 39:5
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular1xPsalms 17:14
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Life understood as transient duration; the world grasped through the lens of human mortality and ephemerality.
Source Gloss
life (as a fleeting portion of time); hence, the world (as transient)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Life understood as transient duration; the world grasped through the lens of human mortality and ephemerality.
life (as a fleeting portion of time); hence, the world (as transient) BDB: duration Usage: age, short time, world.
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
Duration; fleeting life; this world; refers to the temporary nature of earthly existence
Showing 1 selected witness from 5 lexical occurrence verses.