from חָתַל; a swathing cloth (figuratively); swaddling band.
Transliteration:chăthullâh
Pronunciation:khath-ool-law'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew noun חֲתֻלָּה (chăthullâh, `{{H2854}}`) is derived from the verbal root חָתַל (chathal, `{{H2853}}`), which signifies the act of wrapping or swathing. As a noun, חֲתֻלָּה specifically refers to a "swathing cloth" or "swaddling band." These were strips of cloth used in ancient times to tightly wrap newborns, providing warmth, security, and a sense of containment. The base definition suggests a potential figurative use, implying that beyond its literal application, it might symbolize care, protection, or the lack thereof. Its core meaning thus encompasses the physical act of binding a newborn for its well-being, and by extension, the concept of fundamental nurturing and provision.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The noun חֲתֻלָּה (chăthullâh, `{{H2854}}`) appears only once in the entire Hebrew Bible, in the prophetic book of Ezekiel.
* [[Ezekiel 16:4]]: "As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths."
In this powerful passage, God recounts the origins of Jerusalem, employing the vivid metaphor of an abandoned, neglected newborn. The absence of חֲתֻלָּה is listed among other critical acts of infant care that were deliberately omitted. This stark imagery paints a picture of extreme vulnerability, defilement, and utter abandonment. The lack of swaddling cloths signifies a complete absence of basic human compassion and nurturing, leaving the infant exposed, helpless, and destined for death without intervention. The context highlights Jerusalem's degraded state before God's compassionate intervention, emphasizing the depth of its initial spiritual and moral destitution.
### Related Words & Concepts
The primary related word is the verbal root חָתַל (chathal, `{{H2853}}`), from which חֲתֻלָּה is derived. This verb also appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in the passive Niphal form in the same verse, [[Ezekiel 16:4]]: "nor were you wrapped" (וְהָחְתַלְתְּ). This direct connection reinforces the meaning of wrapping or swaddling.
Concepts related to חֲתֻלָּה include:
* **Infant Care:** The word is intrinsically linked to the customary practices of caring for a newborn in the ancient Near East, which included cutting the umbilical cord, washing, rubbing with salt, and swaddling.
* **Vulnerability and Helplessness:** The absence of swaddling cloths underscores the extreme vulnerability and utter helplessness of a newborn, who is completely dependent on others for survival.
* **Neglect and Abandonment:** In the context of [[Ezekiel 16]], the lack of חֲתֻלָּה serves as a potent symbol of profound neglect and abandonment, illustrating the dire circumstances from which God rescued Jerusalem.
* **Divine Providence:** By contrast, the subsequent narrative in Ezekiel 16, where God takes pity on the abandoned infant and nurtures her, highlights divine providence and unconditional love.
* **Clothing and Covering:** While חֲתֻלָּה is specific to infant care, it broadly relates to the biblical concept of clothing or covering (`{{H3830}}`, `{{H3682}}`) which often symbolizes protection, dignity, shame, or righteousness. Here, the *absence* of this specific covering denotes profound shame and lack of care.
### Theological Significance
The singular occurrence of חֲתֻלָּה in [[Ezekiel 16:4]] carries profound theological weight. It serves as a stark metaphor for the spiritual condition of Israel (represented by Jerusalem) at its "birth" as a nation.
1. **Illustrating Profound Depravity and Helplessness:** The un-swaddled infant vividly portrays humanity's inherent spiritual helplessness and moral defilement apart from God's grace. Just as an abandoned newborn is utterly incapable of saving itself, so too was Israel, and indeed all humanity, lost in sin and unable to achieve righteousness on its own.
2. **Highlighting God's Unmerited Grace and Compassion:** The gruesome depiction of neglect sets the stage for the dramatic revelation of Yahweh's boundless compassion. He finds the discarded infant, cleanses her, clothes her, and enters into a covenant with her. The depth of the degradation (symbolized by the lack of חֲTֻלָּה) magnifies the immensity of God's unmerited love and redemptive initiative.
3. **Symbol of Covenant Love and Nurturing:** The acts of care that were absent (including swaddling) represent the basic, loving provisions that God ultimately bestows upon His people. His covenant relationship is characterized by nurturing, protection, and provision, contrasting sharply with the initial state of abandonment.
### Summary
חֲTֻלָּה (chăthullâh, `{{H2854}}`) is a unique Hebrew noun, appearing solely in [[Ezekiel 16:4]]. Derived from the verb חָתַל (chathal, `{{H2853}}`), it denotes a "swaddling cloth" or "swaddling band." In its singular biblical context, the absence of חֲTֻלָּה serves as a powerful and distressing metaphor for Jerusalem's utterly neglected, abandoned, and vulnerable state at its "birth." Theologically, this vivid imagery underscores humanity's profound helplessness and spiritual depravity apart from divine intervention. More significantly, it magnifies the unparalleled grace and compassionate initiative of God, who, in His covenant love, rescues the discarded, cleanses the defiled, and provides the ultimate care and nurturing that was so conspicuously absent, transforming utter destitution into a cherished relationship.
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