English · KJV
H2478

חַלְחוּל

Chalchûwl /khal-khool'/ Ask about this word
Rootby reduplication from חוּל
Meaningcontorted; Chalchul, a place in Palestine
KJV usageHalhul.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Chalchûwl — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word Chalchûwl, represented by H2478, is defined as contorted. It is used in the Bible as the proper name of a place in Palestine, Halhul. This term is highly specific, appearing only 1 time across 1 unique verse, where it serves a purely geographical function.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single biblical reference to H2478 is found in the book of Joshua. It appears within a list of cities located in the tribal allotment of Judah. The verse records it as part of a small group of towns: Halhul H2478, Bethzur H1049, and Gedor H1446 Joshua 15:58. Its context is strictly as a geographical marker, helping to define the boundaries and settlements of the region.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear in the same verse, providing geographical context for the location of Halhul:

  • H1049 Bêyth Tsûwr (house of (the) rock; Beth-Tsur, a place in Palestine; Beth-zur): This city is listed directly with Halhul Joshua 15:58. It is also mentioned in genealogical records, as when Maon is described as the father of Bethzur 1 Chronicles 2:45.
  • H1446 Gᵉdôr (inclosure; Gedor, a place in Palestine; also the name of three Israelites; Gedor): This name, appearing alongside Halhul Joshua 15:58, is used for both a location and for individuals. For example, Penuel is named as the father of Gedor in the lineage of Hur 1 Chronicles 4:4.

Theological Significance

The significance of H2478 is geographical rather than theological. Its inclusion in the biblical text serves a specific documentary purpose.

  • Territorial Demarcation: The primary function of Halhul in scripture is to serve as a landmark in the description of the land inherited by the tribe of Judah Joshua 15:58.
  • Regional Grouping: It is presented as part of a cluster of cities including Bethzur and Gedor, indicating their proximity and their shared status as towns within the same district of Judah.
  • Historical Record: Its singular mention provides a fixed point in the historical and geographical mapping of ancient Israel as recorded in the Old Testament.

Summary

In summary, H2478 is a precise geographical term with a very limited scope in the biblical text. Its sole purpose is to identify the town of Halhul in the list of cities belonging to Judah. Its significance is derived entirely from its context in Joshua 15:58, where it appears alongside neighboring towns like H1049 Bethzur and H1446 Gedor, contributing to the detailed record of Israel's settlement in the promised land.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • חַלְחוּל

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1049 בֵּית צוּר from בַּיִת and צוּר; house of (the) rock; Beth-Tsur, a place in Palestine; Beth-zur. H1446 גְדֹר or (fully) גְּדוֹר; from גָּדַר; inclosure; Gedor, a place in Palestine; also the name of three Israelites; Gedor.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Joshua — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.