חָלַף (cha.laph)
cha.laph
to pass
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 25 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb châlaph carries a core sense of sliding past or moving through, often with a nuance of speed or smoothness. In its most basic form, it describes physical motion, such as passing by a location or moving through a space. This literal movement extends to temporal concepts, where it marks the end of a period or the vanishing of something from sight.
A striking feature of this word is its application to nature and renewal. It is used to describe grass that sprouts again after being cut down, as seen in Job 14:7, highlighting a cycle of death and revival. This imagery connects the physical act of passing through a season with the theological concept of restoration, suggesting that what seems gone can return with new life.
The word also appears in contexts of legal or moral transgression, where to "pass over" a boundary means to violate it. In Isaiah 24:5, for instance, it describes those who have broken the everlasting covenant. This usage underscores the seriousness of crossing established limits, contrasting the fluidity of movement with the fixed nature of divine law.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word châlaph describes movement that slips past, whether it is a season ending, a person walking by, or a boundary being crossed. In daily life, this reminds us that time moves forward and circumstances shift. What feels permanent today may pass tomorrow, offering space for new beginnings. This gentle motion of passing allows us to release what no longer serves us and make room for grace.
Yet the word also carries weight when it describes crossing a line. To violate a covenant is to step over a boundary set by God. This calls us to respect the limits He has established, not as restrictions, but as protections for our relationship with Him. We are invited to walk carefully within those bounds, finding safety in His design.
There is also hope in this imagery. Just as grass sprouts again after winter passes, new life follows seasons of loss. When we trust that God remains constant while everything else changes, we can face transitions with peace. The passing of time does not mean abandonment; it often precedes renewal and restoration.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 25 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he changed2×
- to/ sweep on1×
- they will renew1×
- they have passed on1×
- they have overstepped1×
- let them renew1×
- it will sprout afresh1×
- it will show newness1×
- it will pass away1×
- it will cut through/ him1×
- it swept on1×
- it passed over1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יַחֲלֹֽף\׃2×
- יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ2×
- תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗/הוּ1×
- תַחֲלִֽיף\׃1×
- לַֽ/חֲלֹ֔ף1×
- יַחֲלֹ֥ף1×
- יַחֲלֹ֑ף1×
- יַחֲלִיפֶ֗/נּוּ1×
- יַחֲלִ֑יף1×
- חָלַ֥ף1×
- חָלַ֖ף1×
- חָ֭לְפוּ1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 31:41
These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
This verse highlights how châlaph describes the repeated alteration of wages, showing the word's use for changing circumstances over a long period.
-
Job 14:7
“For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.
Here the term appears in the context of a tree sprouting again, linking the passing of time or death to the hope of revival.
-
Isaiah 24:5
The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
This occurrence uses the word to describe transgressing laws and breaking the covenant, emphasizing the serious consequence of crossing divine boundaries.
-
Psalms 90:6
In the morning it sprouts and springs up. By evening, it is withered and dry.
The verse illustrates the fleeting nature of life by comparing human days to grass that sprouts in the morning and withers by evening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word châlaph mean?
How is châlaph used in the context of sin?
Does this word appear in the story of Joseph?
Every Occurrence (25 verses across 10 books)
Genesis 4 verses
Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me.
Genesis 31:41These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for…
Genesis 35:2Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify…
Genesis 41:14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his…