חֶלְקָה (chel.qah)
chel.qah
portion; smoothness
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 23 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun cheleqah primarily denotes a portion or parcel of land, often referring to a specific allotment within a larger territory. This sense appears frequently in historical narratives where land is divided or inherited, such as the distribution of territories in Joshua and the royal grants recorded in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings.
However, the word carries a secondary, metaphorical meaning derived from the idea of smoothness. In poetic and prophetic texts, it describes slippery places or treacherous ground, illustrating instability. This imagery extends to speech, where "smoothness" represents flattery or deceptive words that lack substance, as seen in Psalms where such rhetoric is contrasted with truth.
Translators must carefully distinguish between these meanings based on context. A literal plot of land requires a different rendering than a metaphorical slippery slope or insincere praise. This duality highlights how ancient Hebrew used physical characteristics to express moral and spiritual realities, linking the stability of the earth to the integrity of human speech.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word cheleqah reminds us that every believer has a specific place assigned by God. In historical narratives, it refers to a parcel of land or an inheritance given to families. This physical allotment mirrors the spiritual reality that God provides for His people. Just as Jacob purchased a plot in Shechem and Joseph’s bones were buried there, these passages show that God honors promises and establishes a lasting heritage for those who trust Him.
Yet cheleqah also carries a warning about instability. In poetic texts, it describes slippery ground or deceptive speech. When leaders offer smooth words without truth, they lead people into danger. This duality invites us to examine our own lives: are we building on the solid ground of God’s promises, or are we wandering on treacherous terrain? It encourages a faith that is rooted in reality rather than illusion.
Ultimately, this word points to the security found in divine provision. While human alliances may crumble like loose soil, God’s portion remains steadfast. We can rest in the knowledge that our inheritance is secure in Christ, protected from the shifting sands of worldly wisdom.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 23 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] portion of7×
- the/ portion of land2×
- the/ portion2×
- on the/ portion of land2×
- in/ [the] portion of2×
- portion/ their1×
- portion/ my1×
- portion of land1×
- on/ slippery [places]1×
- in/ [the] portion of land of1×
- from/ smoothness of1×
- flattering [words]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֶלְקַ֥ת4×
- חֶלְקַ֤ת2×
- מֵֽ֝/חֶלְקַ֗ת1×
- חֶלְקָתָ֣/ם1×
- חֶלְקָתִ֑/י1×
- חֶלְקָ֤ה1×
- חֶלְקָ֣ה1×
- חֶלְקַת֙1×
- חֶלְקַ֨ת1×
- חֶלְקַ֣ת1×
- חֲלָק֔וֹת1×
- וְ/חֶלְקָ֛ה1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 33:19
He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.
This verse establishes cheleqah as a permanent, purchased inheritance, showing God's faithfulness in securing a foothold for His people even in foreign lands.
-
Ruth 2:3
She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
Here the word highlights divine providence, as Ruth happens upon Boaz’s specific portion, illustrating how God guides believers to their rightful place of care and redemption.
-
Psalms 73:18
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
In this context, cheleqah shifts to mean slippery places, warning that those who trust in wickedness stand on unstable ground that leads to destruction.
-
Proverbs 6:24
to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
The term describes the 'smoothness' of deceptive speech, serving as a practical warning against being misled by flattering words that lack moral substance.