Word Study for H2493 (חֵלֶם) | Strong's Concordance

chêlem /khay'-lem/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to חָלַם

Meaninga dream

KJV usagedream.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chêlem — 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 Aramaic word chêlem, represented by H2493, refers to a dream. It appears 22 times across 18 unique verses, with all occurrences found in the book of Daniel. In this context, a dream is not a simple thought during sleep but a significant, often prophetic, communication that demands an interpretation and can cause great distress Daniel 4:5.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H2493 is the central element in a conflict between King Nebuchadnezzar and his wise men. The king demands that his servants not only interpret his dream but first tell him the dream itself, a feat they declare impossible (Daniel 2:4, Daniel 2:7). The term is frequently paired with "visions of his head upon his bed," highlighting the vivid and revelatory nature of the experience (Daniel 7:1, Daniel 2:28). The contents of a dream are so weighty that they can cause a king's thoughts to trouble him and leave Daniel himself "astonied for one hour" Daniel 4:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand on the concept of dreams as divine messages:

H6591 pᵉshar (an interpretation): This word is intrinsically linked to chêlem, as a dream is incomplete without its interpretation. The two are presented as a single package of revelation that must be shown Daniel 2:6.
H2376 chêzêv (a sight; look, vision): This term is often used with chêlem to describe the full experience of divine communication during sleep, such as "a dream and visions of his head" Daniel 7:1.
H7328 râz (a mystery; secret): A dream in Daniel is treated as a secret which no human wisdom can penetrate. King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges that only God is a "revealer of secrets" Daniel 2:47.
H2324 chăvâʼ (to show; shew): This verb is repeatedly used by the Chaldeans who promise to shew the interpretation if only the king will tell them the dream Daniel 2:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2493 is immense, as it serves as a vehicle for demonstrating God's sovereignty.

Divine Revelation: The dream is the method God uses to make known future events to pagan kings, showing that His knowledge is absolute (Daniel 2:28, Daniel 2:45).
Test of Power: The king's challenge to his wise men—to state the dream before interpreting it—becomes a test that separates human wisdom from God's power. Failure to make known the dream results in a death decree Daniel 2:5.
God's Authority: The sureness of the dream and its interpretation confirms God's ultimate control over history and kingdoms. As Daniel states, "the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure" Daniel 2:45.

Summary

In summary, H2493 is far more than a simple word for a dream. Within the book of Daniel, it functions as a divinely-sent mystery that serves as a pivotal plot device. It illustrates the impotence of worldly wisdom in the face of divine revelation and establishes the God of Israel as the sole source of true knowledge and power over the future.

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 22 occurrences, inflected in 4 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.

חֶלְמָ
חֵלֶם
חֶלְמָ
חֶלְמִין

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

18 verses, all in Daniel — 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.