Bible Word Study
חֵלֶב
Chêleb · Cheleb, an Israelite
חֵלֶב
Cheleb, an Israelite
Definition
חֵלֶב (Chêleb) is a proper noun referring to an Israelite warrior named Cheleb (also spelled Heleb in the KJV). He is listed among King David's mighty men, specifically as the son of Baanah from Netophah (2 Samuel 23:29). This name is identical to the common Hebrew noun חֶלֶב (cheleb, H2459), meaning 'fat, fatness, or the choicest part.' As a personal name, it likely carried symbolic meaning, possibly denoting prosperity, strength, or being a choice individual, much like the substance it references.
Biblical Usage
This word occurs only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Samuel 23:29, within the catalog of David's elite warriors. Its usage is strictly as a personal name for one of these valiant men. There are no other biblical instances where it is used differently.
Etymology
The name חֵלֶב (Chêleb) is directly derived from the identical common noun חֶלֶב (cheleb, H2459), meaning 'fat, fatness, richness.' In Semitic languages, names were often taken from common words describing desirable attributes. The root relates to concepts of abundance, the best part, and richness.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful and descriptive. Naming a child 'Cheleb' (Fatness) would not have been pejorative but would have invoked positive connotations of abundance, vitality, and the choicest portion, as fat was considered the richest and most desirable part of a sacrifice or meal. It reflects a cultural value placed on physical prosperity and strength. חֶלֶב (cheleb, H2459) — The common noun for 'fat' or 'fatness' from which this proper name is derived.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]