### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Chălach**, represented by `{{H2477}}`, is the name for **Halah**, a region of Assyria. The word is noted as being of probable foreign origin. It appears **3 times** across **3 unique verses**, consistently identifying it as a specific place of exile for the Israelites.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H2477}}` is exclusively a geographical marker for the Assyrian captivity. After the king of Assyria took Samaria, he carried Israel away and "placed them in **Halah**" [[2 Kings 17:6]]. This event is recorded again when the king of Assyria "did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in **Halah**" [[2 Kings 18:11]]. The location is also named as the destination for the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh when the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of the Assyrian kings to carry them away [[1 Chronicles 5:26]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the events surrounding Halah:
* `{{H804}}` **ʼAshshûwr** (Assyria): The empire that orchestrated the exile, repeatedly mentioned as the power that carried Israel away to `{{H2477}}` [[2 Kings 17:6]].
* `{{H1540}}` **gâlâh** (to exile, carry captive): This verb describes the action of deporting the Israelites to Halah. Its base meaning is to denude or uncover, implying a disgraceful removal [[1 Chronicles 5:26]].
* `{{H2249}}` **Châbôwr** (Habor): A river or region in Assyria consistently mentioned alongside Halah as a place where the exiles were settled ([[2 Kings 17:6]], [[2 Kings 18:11]], [[1 Chronicles 5:26]]).
* `{{H2024}}` **Hârâʼ** (Hara): A region of Media mentioned with Halah and Habor as a destination for the exiled eastern tribes [[1 Chronicles 5:26]].
* `{{H3427}}` **yâshab** (to dwell, settle): This root is used to describe how the Israelites were "placed" in Halah, indicating a forced resettlement [[2 Kings 17:6]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H2477}}` is tied directly to the historical and theological reality of the Israelite exile.
* **Destination of Captivity:** Halah's primary role in scripture is to serve as a concrete location marking the exile of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria ([[2 Kings 17:6]], [[2 Kings 18:11]]).
* **Assyrian Resettlement:** The mention of Halah alongside other locations like Habor `{{H2249}}` and Hara `{{H2024}}` illustrates the Assyrian policy of scattering conquered peoples to break their national identity [[1 Chronicles 5:26]].
* **Execution of Judgment:** The narrative presents the deportation to Halah not merely as a political act by Assyria `{{H804}}` but as a consequence of divine judgment, where God "stirred up the spirit" of the Assyrian king to carry the tribes away [[1 Chronicles 5:26]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2477}}` is not a word with deep theological meaning in itself, but rather a geographical name that signifies a pivotal event in Israel's history. Its three occurrences cement its identity as a region of the Assyrian exile. The name **Halah** serves as a permanent biblical landmark representing the scattering of the northern tribes and the execution of God's judgment through the might of the Assyrian empire.
TRV