English · KJV
H2488

חֲלִיצָה

chălîytsâh /khal-ee-tsaw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom חֶלֶץ
Meaningspoil
KJV usagearmour.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chălîytsâh — 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 chălîytsâh, represented by H2488, is a term for spoil or armour. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses. The word denotes items taken in the aftermath of a conflict, whether as general plunder or as specific military equipment from a defeated enemy.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H2488 appears in contexts of conflict and victory. In the account of Samson, the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he slew thirty men, taking their spoil H2488 to pay a debt related to a riddle Judges 14:19. In a military encounter, Abner advises the pursuing Asahel to turn aside and take the armour H2488 from one of the young men, presenting it as a prize of battle 2 Samuel 2:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to define the context in which chălîytsâh is used:

  • H3947 lâqach (to take): This verb is used in both instances of H2488 to describe the action of acquiring the spoil or armour after a confrontation (Judges 14:19, 2 Samuel 2:21).
  • H5221 nâkâh (to strike): This term for slaying or smiting provides the violent context in which spoil is acquired. Samson slew thirty men before taking their spoil Judges 14:19.
  • H270 ʼâchaz (to seize): In the military context of 2 Samuel, this word is used for the act of laying hold on an enemy to take his possessions 2 Samuel 2:21.
  • H2420 chîydâh (riddle): This word establishes the motive for taking the spoil in the Samson narrative, as the plunder was used to pay those who expounded the riddle Judges 14:19.

Theological Significance

The occurrences of H2488 illustrate several key concepts:

  • Result of Conflict: The word is exclusively used as a direct consequence of a violent encounter. It represents the material gain acquired by force, whether through slaying enemies Judges 14:19 or in a military pursuit 2 Samuel 2:21.
  • Trophy of Victory: In the exchange between Abner and Asahel, armour is treated as a trophy. Taking an enemy's armour H2488 signifies personal victory and martial prowess 2 Samuel 2:21.
  • Divine Enablement: The narrative in Judges links the taking of spoil H2488 to divine intervention. The Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 empowered Samson to perform the act of slaying the men and taking their possessions Judges 14:19.

Summary

In summary, H2488 chălîytsâh is a specific term referring to the tangible rewards of combat. Though appearing only twice, it clearly illustrates two facets of this concept: the general spoil taken from defeated foes and the specific armour claimed as a trophy of war. Its usage highlights that such acquisitions are the direct result of violent confrontation, as seen in the accounts of Samson and Asahel.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — 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.

  • חֲלִיצוֹתָ
  • חֲלִצָת

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.

H3947 לָקַח a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, in H5221 נָכָה a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively); beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [id H270 אָחַז a primitive root; to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession); [phrase] be affrighted, bar, (catch H2420 חִידָה from חוּד; a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maxim; dark saying (sentence, speech), hard question, prover H7307 רוּחַ from רוּחַ; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubs H3068 יְהֹוָה from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹו

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

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Judges and 2 Samuel (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Judges
1
2 Samuel

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.