English · KJV
H2522

חָלַשׁ

châlash /khaw-lash'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto prostrate; by implication, to overthrow, decay
KJV usagediscomfit, waste away, weaken.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of châlash — 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 châlash, represented by H2522, is a primitive root meaning to prostrate; by implication, to overthrow, decay; discomfit, waste away, weaken. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. The term conveys a sense of causing weakness, whether through military defeat, cosmic downfall, or natural mortal decay.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H2522 is applied in distinct contexts of prostration and defeat. In a military sense, Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people, indicating a decisive overthrow of an enemy force Exodus 17:13. The term is also used to describe the actions of Lucifer, who did weaken the nations before being cut down from heaven Isaiah 14:12. Finally, it illustrates human mortality, stating that man dies and wasteth away, connecting the concept of weakening to the finality of death Job 14:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the actions and consequences associated with being weakened:

  • H1438 gâdaʻ (cut down): Paired directly with châlash in the account of Lucifer, this word signifies being felled or destroyed, showing the ultimate result of pride Isaiah 14:12. Its definition is "to fell a tree; generally, to destroy anything; cut (asunder, in sunder, down, off), hew down."
  • H5307 nâphal (to fall): This word describes the consequence of being weakened, as Lucifer is described as having fallen from heaven in the same verse where he is said to have weakened the nations Isaiah 14:12. Its definition includes "to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)."
  • H1478 gâvaʻ (giveth up the ghost): This term appears alongside châlash in the description of human death, where a man "wasteth away" and then "giveth up the ghost" Job 14:10. It means to "breathe out, i.e. (by implication) expire."

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2522 is demonstrated through its varied applications:

  • The Overthrow of Enemies: The word is used to describe the defeat of those who oppose God's people, as when Joshua discomfited Amalek. This shows a direct, powerful action that prostrates a foe Exodus 17:13.
  • The Consequence of Pride: In Isaiah, the one who weakened the nations is himself brought low and cut down. This serves as a powerful illustration that even great powers are subject to being overthrown Isaiah 14:12.
  • The Frailty of Man: The use of châlash in Job highlights the transient nature of human life. Man "wasteth away," emphasizing a process of decay and weakening that culminates in death, a universal human condition Job 14:10.

Summary

In summary, H2522 is a potent term that goes beyond simple weakness. It encapsulates the active process of prostrating, overthrowing, and causing decay. From the battlefield where Joshua discomfited an army, to the cosmic fall of a prideful being, to the quiet wasting away of human life, châlash illustrates a definitive state of being made powerless and brought to ruin.

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 verb across 3 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.

  • יַּחֲלֹשׁ
  • חוֹלֵשׁ

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.

H1438 גָּדַע a primitive root; to fell a tree; generally, to destroy anything; cut (asunder, in sunder, down, off), hew down. H5307 נָפַל a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative); be acc H1478 גָּוַע a primitive root; to breathe out, i.e. (by implication) expire; die, be dead, give up the ghost, perish.

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus, Job, and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

1
Exodus
1
Job
1
Isaiah

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.