חֹל (chol)
chol
common
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun chol refers to that which is common or ordinary, standing in direct contrast to what is holy or set apart. In the biblical worldview, holiness is not merely moral purity but a state of being distinct from the general order of things. Therefore, chol describes the mundane, the profane, or the non-sacred sphere into which ordinary life falls.
While the word can denote simple commonness, it carries significant theological weight when applied to objects or people designated for God’s service. If something holy is treated as chol, it is considered profaned. This distinction is central to Levitical law, where maintaining boundaries between the sacred and the common was essential for proper worship.
The term also appears in a vivid physical sense, referring to sand. This usage connects the abstract idea of "commonness" with the concrete reality of countless, indistinguishible grains. Just as sand is ubiquitous and ordinary, chol marks that which lacks the unique status reserved for the divine.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chol reminds us that not everything is set apart for sacred use. It describes the ordinary, the everyday, and the common things of life. In contrast to what is holy, chol represents the general order of things that are not designated for God’s special service.
This distinction helps us understand how to treat what belongs to God. When something holy is treated as common, it loses its sacred value. Leviticus 10:10 calls us to make a clear difference between the holy and the common. This teaches us to respect boundaries and honor what God has set apart.
Recognizing this difference brings clarity to our faith. It encourages us to treat sacred things with reverence while finding peace in the ordinary moments of daily life. Both have their place, but we are called to honor God’s specific commands regarding what is holy.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ profane thing1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/חֹ֑ל1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 10:10
You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.
This verse explicitly commands the distinction between the holy and the common, showing how chol functions as a category that must be separated from sacred things.