What does חָלַק (chalaq) mean in the Bible?
חָלַק (chalaq): Smooth surface enables apportionment: literal smoothness grounds figurative sense of fair division and allocation
Hebrew · H2505
חָלַק
To be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate
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חָלַק H2505
Pronunciation chalaq
What does חָלַק (chalaq) mean in the Bible?
חָלַק (chalaq): Smooth surface enables apportionment: literal smoothness grounds figurative sense of fair division and allocation
Full entry for חָלַק (H2505) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2505?
The BSB source-word alignment has 65 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include will be divided (4), divide (2), I will parcel out (2), is to be divided (2), Then he distributed (2).
Where does חָלַק (chalaq) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 14:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Joshua (7), Proverbs (7), Psalms (7), Isaiah (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 will be divided 4× Job 27:17, Isaiah 33:23, Amos 7:17, Zechariah 14:1
divide 2× Joshua 13:7, Joshua 22:8
I will parcel out 2× Psalms 60:6, Psalms 108:7
is to be divided 2× Numbers 26:53, Numbers 26:56
Then he distributed 2× 2 Samuel 6:19, 1 Chronicles 16:3
with seductive 2× Proverbs 2:16, Proverbs 7:5
[and] he who wields 1× Isaiah 41:7
A partner 1× Proverbs 29:24
and allotted 1× Nehemiah 9:22
and distributing 1× Daniel 11:39
and divide 1× Joshua 18:5
and divide the hair 1× Ezekiel 5:1
and dividing 1× Judges 5:30
and He will divide 1× Isaiah 53:12
and share 1× Proverbs 17:2
and they divided 1× Joshua 14:5
apportion 1× Job 21:17
are devious 1× Hosea 10:2
are to divide 1× 2 Samuel 19:29
are too full of conceit 1× Psalms 36:2
dispersed 1× Job 38:24
distributed 1× Joshua 18:10
distributing the supplies 1× Nehemiah 13:13
divided 1× Genesis 14:15
divided [the Levites] 1× 1 Chronicles 23:6
divided them 1× 1 Chronicles 24:3
divides 1× Psalms 68:12
dividing up 1× Joshua 19:51
endowed 1× Job 39:17
given 1× Deuteronomy 29:26
had appointed 1× 2 Chronicles 23:18
had taken a portion 1× 2 Chronicles 28:21
has apportioned 1× Deuteronomy 4:19
has distributed 1× Isaiah 34:17
has scattered them 1× Lamentations 4:16
he divides 1× Genesis 49:27
He has allotted 1× Micah 2:4
I will allot Him a portion 1× Isaiah 53:12
I will disperse them 1× Genesis 49:7
I will divide 1× Exodus 15:9
in dividing 1× Isaiah 9:3
is smooth 1× Psalms 55:21
must be divided 1× Numbers 26:55
practice deceit 1× Psalms 5:9
So they divided 1× 1 Kings 18:6
than one who flatters 1× Proverbs 28:23
than to divide 1× Proverbs 16:19
They divide 1× Psalms 22:18
they divided up 1× Joel 3:2
they were divided accordingly 1× 1 Chronicles 24:4
They will share 1× 1 Samuel 30:24
Thus they were divided 1× 1 Chronicles 24:5
to claim his portion 1× Jeremiah 37:12
were divided 1× 1 Kings 16:21
who flatters 1× Proverbs 29:5
yet received 1× Joshua 18:2
You are to divide 1× Ezekiel 47:21
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 14:15 וַיֵּחָלֵ֨ק to divided Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 49:7 אֲחַלְּקֵ֣ם to I will disperse them Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural Genesis 49:27 יְחַלֵּ֥ק to he divides Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 15:9 אֲחַלֵּ֣ק to I will divide Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular Numbers 26:53 תֵּחָלֵ֥ק to is to be divided Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Numbers 26:55 יֵחָלֵ֖ק to must be divided Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 26:56 תֵּחָלֵ֖ק to is to be divided Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Deuteronomy 4:19 חָלַ֜ק to has apportioned Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 29:26 חָלַ֖ק to given Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Joshua 13:7 חַלֵּ֞ק to divide Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 14:15
Aligned rows 65
Books represented 25
Genesis 3 Exodus 1 Numbers 3 Deuteronomy 2 Joshua 7 Judges 1 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 2 1 Kings 2 1 Chronicles 5 2 Chronicles 2 Nehemiah 2 Job 4 Psalms 7 Proverbs 7 Isaiah 6 Jeremiah 1 Lamentations 1 Ezekiel 2 Daniel 1 Hosea 1 Joel 1 Amos 1 Micah 1 Zechariah 1
Source forms
יְחַלֵּ֥ק 3x yə·ḥal·lêq Genesis 49:27, Job 21:17, Daniel 11:39
אֲחַלְּקָ֥ה 2x ’ă·ḥal·lə·qāh Psalms 60:6, Psalms 108:7
הֶחֱלִֽיקָה׃ 2x he·ḥĕ·lî·qāh Proverbs 2:16, Proverbs 7:5
יְחַלְּק֣וּ 2x yə·ḥal·lə·qū Judges 5:30, Psalms 22:18
אֲחַלֵּ֣ק 1x ’ă·ḥal·lêq Exodus 15:9
אֲחַלֶּק־ 1x ’ă·ḥal·leq- Isaiah 53:12
אֲחַלְּקֵ֣ם 1x ’ă·ḥal·lə·qêm Genesis 49:7
בְּחַלְּקָ֥ם 1x bə·ḥal·lə·qām Isaiah 9:3
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 6x Deuteronomy 4:19, Deuteronomy 29:26, 2 Chronicles 23:18, 2 Chronicles 28:21
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 5x Genesis 49:27, Job 21:17, Isaiah 53:12, Daniel 11:39
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 3x Joshua 18:10, 2 Samuel 6:19, 1 Chronicles 16:3
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 3x Numbers 26:55, 1 Kings 16:21, Job 38:24
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural 2x 1 Chronicles 23:6, 1 Chronicles 24:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine plural 2x 1 Chronicles 24:4, 1 Chronicles 24:5
Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct 2x Joshua 19:51, Proverbs 16:19
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular 2x Proverbs 2:16, Proverbs 7:5
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Smooth surface enables apportionment: literal smoothness grounds figurative sense of fair division and allocation
Strong's H2505
Lexical occurrences 65 verses Word forms 5 forms 40 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Hosea 10:1-8 Source Gloss
to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Smooth surface enables apportionment: literal smoothness grounds figurative sense of fair division and allocation
to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separate BDB: be smooth Usage: deal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have, im-) part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self, (be) smooth(-er).
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 5 Aligned forms 40
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 14×
Perfect 2Chr 23:18 · 2Chr 28:21 · Deut 4:19 · Deut 29:25 · Hos 10:2 · Job 39:17 · Josh 18:2 · Ps 55:22 8×
Imperfect Job 27:17 · Prov 17:2 · 1Sam 30:24 · 2Sam 19:30 4×
Sequential imperfect Josh 22:8 1×
Participle active Prov 29:24 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 14×
Imperfect Dan 11:39 · Gen 49:27 · Isa 53:12 · Job 21:17 · Mic 2:4 · Exod 15:9 · Judg 5:30 · Ps 22:19 · Ps 68:13 10×
Cohortative Ps 60:8 · Ps 108:8 2×
Perfect Joel 4:2 1×
Sequential imperfect Josh 13:7 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 5×
Imperfect 1Kgs 16:21 · Job 38:24 · Num 26:55 · Num 26:53 · Num 26:56 5×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 5×
Perfect Prov 2:16 · Prov 7:5 · Ps 36:3 3×
Participle active Isa 41:7 · Prov 29:5 2×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 2×
Imperfect Amos 7:17 1×
Perfect Isa 33:23 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to divide, smooth
He flatters; he smooths over; to make something slippery or deceptive to the touch/sight
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 65 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָלַק is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Describes fractured covenant loyalty. Hosea 10:1-8
Canonical Themes
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