What does חָלָה (ḥālāh) mean in the Bible?
חָלָה (ḥālāh): Physical deterioration (rubbing away) extends metaphorically to weakness, sickness, affliction, and entreaty as urgent supplication.
Hebrew · H2470
חָלָה
Properly, to be rubbed or worn ; hence (figuratively) to be weak , sick , afflicted ; or (causatively) to grieve , make sick ; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat
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חָלָה H2470
Pronunciation ḥālāh
What does חָלָה (ḥālāh) mean in the Bible?
חָלָה (ḥālāh): Physical deterioration (rubbing away) extends metaphorically to weakness, sickness, affliction, and entreaty as urgent supplication.
Full entry for חָלָה (H2470) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2470?
The BSB source-word alignment has 75 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include ill (4), became ill (2), had been wounded (2), I am badly wounded (2), I will become as weak (2).
Where does חָלָה (ḥālāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 48:1. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), 1 Kings (7), 2 Kings (7), Jeremiah (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 ill 4× 2 Kings 20:1, 2 Chronicles 32:24, Nehemiah 2:2, Isaiah 38:1
became ill 2× 1 Kings 14:1, 1 Kings 17:17
had been wounded 2× 2 Kings 8:29, 2 Chronicles 22:6
I am badly wounded 2× 1 Kings 22:34, 2 Chronicles 18:33
I will become as weak 2× Judges 16:7, Judges 16:11
is ill 2× Genesis 48:1, 1 Kings 14:5
sought 2× 1 Samuel 13:12, 2 Kings 13:4
sought the favor 2× Exodus 32:11, Daniel 9:13
the weak 2× Ezekiel 34:4, Ezekiel 34:16
was sick 2× 2 Samuel 13:2, 2 Kings 8:7
[am] sick 1× Song Of Solomon 5:8
[Hezekiah’s] illness 1× Isaiah 39:1
[is] grievous 1× Jeremiah 30:12
[is] ill 1× 1 Samuel 19:14
[Manasseh] sought 1× 2 Chronicles 33:12
a grievous 1× Ecclesiastes 5:13
after his illness 1× Isaiah 38:9
am faint 1× Song Of Solomon 2:5
and feigned illness 1× 2 Samuel 13:6
and I will become as weak 1× Judges 16:17
and injured himself 1× 2 Kings 1:2
and lay ill 1× Daniel 8:27
and pretend you are ill 1× 2 Samuel 13:5
and seek 1× Jeremiah 26:19
and sick [ones] 1× Malachi 1:8
and to cause Him to suffer 1× Isaiah 53:10
and to plead 1× Zechariah 8:22
are inflamed 1× Hosea 7:5
at once to plead 1× Zechariah 8:21
favor 1× Malachi 1:9
grieve 1× Amos 6:6
grievous 1× Jeremiah 14:17
grow weak 1× Isaiah 57:10
had fallen sick 1× 2 Kings 13:14
has inflicted 1× Deuteronomy 29:22
has shown concern 1× 1 Samuel 22:8
have become weak 1× Isaiah 14:10
he became diseased 1× 1 Kings 15:23
I am grieved 1× Psalms 77:10
I am sick 1× Isaiah 33:24
I fell ill 1× 1 Samuel 30:13
I have sought 1× Psalms 119:58
illness 1× 2 Kings 20:12
Intercede 1× 1 Kings 13:6
interceded 1× 1 Kings 13:6
is a grievous 1× Ecclesiastes 5:16
is grievous 1× Jeremiah 10:19
is severe 1× Nahum 3:19
like a woman in labor 1× Jeremiah 4:31
of disease 1× Isaiah 17:11
or sick 1× Malachi 1:13
pain 1× Proverbs 23:35
seek 1× Proverbs 19:6
severely 1× Micah 6:13
sick 1× Proverbs 13:12
the sick 1× Ezekiel 34:4
the weak ones 1× Ezekiel 34:21
They have exhausted themselves 1× Jeremiah 12:13
to plead 1× Zechariah 7:2
when they were ill 1× Psalms 35:13
will court 1× Job 11:19
will seek 1× Psalms 45:12
wounded 1× 2 Chronicles 35:23
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 48:1 חֹלֶ֑ה to is ill Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Exodus 32:11 וַיְחַ֣ל to sought the favor Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 29:22 חִלָּ֥ה to has inflicted Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Judges 16:7 וְחָלִ֥יתִי to I will become as weak Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Judges 16:11 וְחָלִ֥יתִי to I will become as weak Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Judges 16:17 וְחָלִ֥יתִי to and I will become as weak Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 1 Samuel 13:12 חִלִּ֑יתִי to sought Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular 1 Samuel 19:14 חֹלֶ֥ה to [is] ill Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1 Samuel 22:8 חֹלֶ֥ה to has shown concern Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1 Samuel 30:13 חָלִ֖יתִי to I fell ill Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 48:1
Aligned rows 75
Books represented 25
Genesis 1 Exodus 1 Deuteronomy 1 Judges 3 1 Samuel 4 2 Samuel 3 1 Kings 7 2 Kings 7 2 Chronicles 5 Nehemiah 1 Job 1 Psalms 4 Proverbs 3 Ecclesiastes 2 Song Of Solomon 2 Isaiah 8 Jeremiah 6 Ezekiel 4 Daniel 2 Hosea 1 Amos 1 Micah 1 Nahum 1 Zechariah 3 Malachi 3
Source forms
חָלָ֖ה 4x ḥā·lāh 1 Kings 14:1, 1 Kings 15:23, 2 Kings 20:12, Isaiah 39:1
חֹלֶ֥ה 4x ḥō·leh 1 Samuel 19:14, 1 Samuel 22:8, 2 Kings 8:29, 2 Chronicles 22:6
וְחָלִ֥יתִי 3x wə·ḥā·lî·ṯî Judges 16:7, Judges 16:11, Judges 16:17
חָלָ֥ה 3x ḥā·lāh 2 Kings 20:1, 2 Chronicles 32:24, Isaiah 38:1
נַחְלָ֖ה 3x naḥ·lāh Jeremiah 10:19, Jeremiah 30:12, Nahum 3:19
הָחֳלֵֽיתִי׃ 2x hā·ḥo·lê·ṯî 1 Kings 22:34, 2 Chronicles 18:33
חוֹלָ֔ה 2x ḥō·w·lāh Ecclesiastes 5:13, Ecclesiastes 5:16
חֹלֶ֑ה 2x ḥō·leh Genesis 48:1, 2 Kings 8:7
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 9x 1 Kings 14:1, 1 Kings 15:23, 1 Kings 17:17, 2 Kings 13:14
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 8x Genesis 48:1, 1 Samuel 19:14, 1 Samuel 22:8, 1 Kings 14:5
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular 5x Isaiah 17:11, Jeremiah 10:19, Jeremiah 14:17, Jeremiah 30:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 4x Exodus 32:11, 1 Kings 13:6, 2 Kings 13:4, Jeremiah 26:19
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 3x Judges 16:7, Judges 16:11, Judges 16:17
Verb - Hofal - Perfect - first person common singular 3x 1 Kings 22:34, 2 Chronicles 18:33, 2 Chronicles 35:23
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 3x 1 Samuel 30:13, Proverbs 23:35, Isaiah 33:24
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural 2x Ezekiel 34:4, Ezekiel 34:21
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical deterioration (rubbing away) extends metaphorically to weakness, sickness, affliction, and entreaty as urgent supplication.
Strong's H2470
Lexical occurrences 75 verses Word forms 6 forms 48 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Jeremiah 26:17-19 Source Gloss
properly, to be rubbed or worn ; hence (figuratively) to be weak , sick , afflicted ; or (causatively) to grieve , make sick ; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 6 Aligned forms 48
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 24×
Perfect 1Kgs 14:1 · 1Kgs 15:23 · 1Kgs 17:17 · 2Chr 32:24 · 2Kgs 13:14 · 2Kgs 20:1 · 2Kgs 20:12 · Isa 38:1 · Isa 39:1 · 1Sam 30:13 · Isa 33:24 · Prov 23:35 · Isa 57:10 13×
Participle active 1Kgs 14:5 · 1Sam 19:14 · 1Sam 22:8 · 2Chr 22:6 · 2Kgs 8:7 · 2Kgs 8:29 · Eccl 5:12 · Eccl 5:15 · Gen 48:1 · Neh 2:2 · Song 2:5 11×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 7×
Participle active Isa 17:11 · Jer 10:19 · Jer 14:17 · Jer 30:12 4×
Perfect Amos 6:6 · Jer 12:13 2×
Participle passive Nah 3:19 1×
Hophal causative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action 3×
Perfect 1Kgs 22:34 · 2Chr 18:33 · 2Chr 35:23 3×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 9×
Perfect 1Sam 13:12 · Ps 119:58 · 2Chr 33:12 · Deut 29:21 · Dan 9:13 5×
Imperfect Prov 19:6 · Ps 45:13 2×
Sequential imperfect 1Kgs 13:6 · Mal 1:9 2×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 4×
Perfect Hos 7:5 · Isa 53:10 · Mic 6:13 3×
Participle active Prov 13:12 1×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 1×
Perfect Isa 14:10 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
physical illness or affliction, weakness of body
suffering and pain, particularly childbirth anguish and distress
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 75 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָלָה is built from these roots:
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