What does חָלַף (ḥālap) mean in the Bible?
חָלַף (ḥālap): Fundamental sense of transition—things sliding past—underlying meanings from temporal passage to radical transformation or renewal.
Hebrew · H2498
חָלַף
Properly, to slide by, i.e. (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change
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חָלַף H2498
Pronunciation ḥālap
What does חָלַף (ḥālap) mean in the Bible?
חָלַף (ḥālap): Fundamental sense of transition—things sliding past—underlying meanings from temporal passage to radical transformation or renewal.
Full entry for חָלַף (H2498) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2498?
The BSB source-word alignment has 28 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and changed (2), They sweep by (2), . . . (1), and change (1), and pierced (1).
Where does חָלַף (ḥālap) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (7), Job (7), Genesis (4), Psalms (4).
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 and changed 2× Genesis 31:7, Genesis 41:14
They sweep by 2× Job 9:26, Habakkuk 1:11
. . . 1× Psalms 90:5
and change 1× Genesis 35:2
and pierced 1× Judges 5:26
and they will be passed on 1× Psalms 102:26
and you have changed 1× Genesis 31:41
but we will replace them 1× Isaiah 9:10
changed 1× 2 Samuel 12:20
glided 1× Job 4:15
He comes along 1× Job 11:10
is over 1× Song Of Solomon 2:11
is renewed 1× Job 29:20
It will pour 1× Isaiah 8:8
it will sprout 1× Job 14:7
new 1× Psalms 90:6
renew 1× Isaiah 41:1
replace it 1× Leviticus 27:10
sweeping 1× Isaiah 21:1
Then you will go 1× 1 Samuel 10:3
they have overstepped 1× Isaiah 24:5
were He to move 1× Job 9:11
will pierce him 1× Job 20:24
will renew 1× Isaiah 40:31
will vanish 1× Isaiah 2:18
You will change them 1× Psalms 102:26
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:7 וְהֶחֱלִ֥ף to and changed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 31:41 וַתַּחֲלֵ֥ף to and you have changed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular Genesis 35:2 וְהַחֲלִ֖יפוּ to and change Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural Genesis 41:14 וַיְחַלֵּ֣ף to and changed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 27:10 יַחֲלִיפֶ֗נּוּ to replace it Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Judges 5:26 וְחָלְפָ֖ה to and pierced Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular 1 Samuel 10:3 וְחָלַפְתָּ֨ to Then you will go Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular 2 Samuel 12:20 וַיְחַלֵּף֙ to changed Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Job 4:15 יַחֲלֹ֑ף to glided Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Job 9:11 וְ֝יַחֲלֹ֗ף to were He to move Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 31:7
Aligned rows 28
Books represented 10
Genesis 4 Leviticus 1 Judges 1 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 1 Job 7 Psalms 4 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 7 Habakkuk 1
Source forms
יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ 2x ya·ḥă·lî·p̄ū Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 41:1
יַחֲלֹֽף׃ 2x ya·ḥă·lōp̄ Psalms 90:5, Isaiah 2:18
וְהַחֲלִ֖יפוּ 1x wə·ha·ḥă·lî·p̄ū Genesis 35:2
וְהֶחֱלִ֥ף 1x wə·he·ḥĕ·lip̄ Genesis 31:7
וְחָלַ֤ף 1x wə·ḥā·lap̄ Isaiah 8:8
וְחָלָ֑ף 1x wə·ḥā·lāp̄ Psalms 90:6
וְחָלְפָ֖ה 1x wə·ḥā·lə·p̄āh Judges 5:26
וְחָלַפְתָּ֨ 1x wə·ḥā·lap̄·tā 1 Samuel 10:3
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 4x Job 4:15, Job 11:10, Psalms 90:5, Isaiah 2:18
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Genesis 41:14, 2 Samuel 12:20
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Psalms 90:6, Isaiah 8:8
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 41:1
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 2x Job 9:26, Isaiah 24:5
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Song Of Solomon 2:11, Habakkuk 1:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Genesis 31:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular 1x Genesis 31:41
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Fundamental sense of transition—things sliding past—underlying meanings from temporal passage to radical transformation or renewal.
Source Gloss
properly, to slide by, i.e. (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Fundamental sense of transition—things sliding past—underlying meanings from temporal passage to radical transformation or renewal.
properly, to slide by, i.e. (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change BDB: pass on Usage: abolish, alter, change, cut off, go on forward, grow up, be over, pass (away, on, through), renew, sprout, strike through.
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 2 Aligned forms 13
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 8×
Imperfect Isa 2:18 · Job 4:15 · Job 11:10 · Ps 90:5 4×
Perfect Hab 1:11 · Song 2:11 · Isa 24:5 · Job 9:26 4×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 5×
Imperfect Isa 40:31 · Isa 41:1 · Isa 9:9 · Job 14:7 · Job 29:20 5×
Word Origins
חָלַף is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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