חַיִל

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חַיִל
Part of SpeechNoun
Occurrences251
Possible Meanings
  1. Strength, courage
  2. Capability
  3. Wealth
  4. Army
Related Words_

Possible Meanings

The word חַיִל in its various forms appears 251 times in Tanakh.1 The word is used to refer to various forms of strength or capability, or to people who possess these attributes.2 Here are a few examples of each of the main usages:3

1. Power (physical strength) or courage (strength of spirit)

  • Biblical verses – Shemuel I 2:4, Yeshayahu 5:22, Tehillim 33:16
  • Additional data –

2. Capability (or strength of ability)

  • Biblical verses – perhaps Mishlei 12:4, 31:10, Rut 3:11
  • Additional data –

3. Wealth (which affords power)

  • Biblical verses – Bereshit 34:29, Bemidbar 31:29, Devarim 8:17-18, Yirmeyahu 15:13, 17:3, Yechezkel 28:4-5, Yoel 2:22, Tehillim 49:7,11, Iyyov 15:29
  • Additional data –

4. Army

  • Biblical verses – Shemot 14:4,9,17,28, 15:4, Bemidbar 31:14
  • Additional data –

Disputed Cases

Some of these cases are also the subject of dispute among the commentators:

Shemot 18:21 – וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶה מִכָּל הָעָם אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל:

Idioms

In many instances, חיל appears as part of the terms איש חיל,‎ בן חיל,‎ or גבור חיל. These terms can also have different possible meanings (a person possessing strength, courage, capability, or wealth, or a soldier) which correspond to the various meanings of חיל listed above.

Relationship to Synonyms

Semantic Evolution

Intra-Biblical

Rabbinic Hebrew

Modern Hebrew

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