Bible Word Study
חֶלֶץ
Chelets · Chelets, the name of two Israelites
חֶלֶץ
Chelets, the name of two Israelites
Definition
חֶלֶץ (Chelets) is a proper noun, the name of two distinct Israelite men in the Old Testament. The first is Helez the Paltite, one of King David's mighty warriors (2 Samuel 23:26, 1 Chronicles 11:27) and later a commander for the seventh month (1 Chronicles 27:10). The second is a descendant of Judah through Caleb, mentioned in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 2:39. The name itself, derived from the root meaning 'to draw off' or 'to be strong,' likely carried connotations of strength or deliverance, fitting for a warrior and a figure in a lineage.
Biblical Usage
This name is used exclusively in historical and genealogical contexts within the books of Samuel and Chronicles. It appears four times, identifying individuals within the military and tribal structures of ancient Israel. In 2 Samuel 23:26 and 1 Chronicles 11:27, it identifies Helez as one of David's 'mighty men.' In 1 Chronicles 27:10, he is listed as a monthly military commander. The final occurrence in 1 Chronicles 2:39 places a different Helez within the Judahite genealogy.
Etymology
The name חֶלֶץ (Chelets) or its variant חֵלֶץ comes from the Hebrew root חָלַץ (chalats, H2502), which primarily means 'to draw off' (as a sandal or armor) or 'to deliver.' A secondary sense is 'to be strong' or 'robust.' Thus, the personal name likely signifies 'strength' or 'deliverance,' a common thematic element in Hebrew names.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its bearers' roles are significant. Helez the warrior exemplifies the faithful, courageous men God raised up to establish and protect David's kingdom, a precursor to the messianic throne. His inclusion in the genealogies (1 Chronicles 2:39) also highlights God's faithfulness to the tribe of Judah and the preservation of the lineage through which the ultimate deliverer, Jesus Christ, would come. Understanding the name's meaning ('strength/deliverance') adds a layer of symbolic resonance to these historical figures. In ancient Israelite culture, names were often descriptive or expressed a hope or characteristic. Naming a child Chelets ('strength' or 'deliverance') reflected parental hopes for the child's future or acknowledged God's deliverance. Its bearers' military and genealogical roles place them firmly within the social structures of tribal identity, royal service, and covenant community. Other Hebrew names with similar meanings of strength include: עזר (Ezer, H5828) — help; גבור (Gibbor, H1368) — mighty one, warrior; אֵל (El, H410) — God, often used in theophoric names meaning 'God is...'.
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]