חֵ֫לֶף (che.leph)
che.leph
Heleph
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun Cheleph appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, recorded in Joshua 19:33 as a landmark defining the northern border of the tribe of Naphtali. The name itself translates to "exchange," suggesting that the location was known for some kind of trade or swapping activity in ancient times.
While the exact site remains unidentified by modern archaeologists, the lexical sources highlight its function as the starting point for Naphtali’s territorial boundary. This single mention preserves a fragment of Israel’s early geography, anchoring the tribe’s inheritance to a specific place associated with commerce or interchange.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Cheleph means "exchange." In Joshua 19:33, it marks a specific point on the northern border of Naphtali. This single mention preserves a fragment of Israel’s early geography, anchoring the tribe’s inheritance to a place associated with trade or swapping activity.
While we cannot pinpoint its exact location today, this detail reminds us that God cares about the specifics of our lives. He assigns boundaries and landmarks, even in places defined by commerce or daily routine. Your own "exchanges"—the trades, decisions, and interactions you make—are known to Him. He is faithful to guide your steps just as He guided the tribes into their inheritance.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ Heleph1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֵ/חֵ֨לֶף1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 19:33
Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, to Lakkum. It ended at the Jordan.
This verse identifies Cheleph as the starting landmark for Naphtali’s northern boundary, showing how specific place names defined tribal territories.