Word Study for H2457 (חֶלְאָה)

chelʼâh /khel-aw'/ Ask about this word

Meaningproperly, disease; hence, rust

KJV usagescum.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chelʼâh — 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 chelʼâh, represented by H2457, is defined as scum, also carrying connotations of disease or rust. It appears 5 times across 3 unique verses, all within the book of Ezekiel. The term is used figuratively to describe a deep-seated impurity that adheres to an object.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H2457 is central to the parable of the boiling pot, which represents the "bloody city" Ezekiel 24:6. The Lord GOD (H136, H3069) proclaims woe upon the city, describing it as a pot whose scum is still inside it and has "not gone out of it" Ezekiel 24:6. This illustrates a persistent defilement that cannot be easily cleansed. Despite the efforts made, "her great scum went not forth out of her" Ezekiel 24:12, leading to the declaration that the scum must be dealt with by fire.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words illuminate the context of chelʼâh:

H5518 çîyr (pot): This is the vessel that contains the scum H2457. The parable in Ezekiel 24:6 directly connects the pot with the scum inside it as a representation of the city and its sin.
H2932 ṭumʼâh (religious impurity): Used synonymously with chelʼâh, this word emphasizes the nature of the defilement. The pot is heated so that its filthiness may be molten and its scum consumed Ezekiel 24:11.
H784 ʼêsh (fire): This represents the method of purification or destruction for the persistent scum. The declaration that "her scum shall be in the fire" Ezekiel 24:12 shows the ultimate consequence for ingrained impurity.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2457 is significant within its specific context:

Ingrained Impurity: The scum is not easily removed, symbolizing a deep and persistent sinfulness. Despite efforts, "her great scum went not forth out of her" Ezekiel 24:12, representing a corruption that has become part of the vessel itself.
Marker of Guilt: The presence of the scum is directly tied to the guilt of the "bloody city" Ezekiel 24:6. It serves as physical evidence of the moral and spiritual defilement that has provoked divine judgment.
Purification by Fire: The inability to cleanse the scum by ordinary means leads to a more extreme measure. The pot must be set on the coals H1513 to be burned, so that the scum may be consumed Ezekiel 24:11, illustrating that deep sin requires a severe, refining judgment.

Summary

In summary, H2457 chelʼâh is a powerful and specific term used exclusively in Ezekiel 24 to symbolize deep-seated, stubborn sin. As the scum in the pot, it represents the uncleanness and guilt of a people that cannot be cleansed by simple means. Its presence necessitates a fiery judgment to either purify the vessel or consume the corruption within it.

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 5 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.

חֶלְאָתָ
חֶלְאָתָ

Related Words

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.

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

3 verses, all in Ezekiel — 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.