Lexical Summary helek: Portion, share, part, inheritance Original Word: הֵלֶךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dropped, traveller From halak; properly, a journey, i.e. (by implication) a wayfarer; also a flowing -- X dropped, traveller. see HEBREW halak NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom halak Definition traveler NASB Translation flow (1), traveler (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs הֵ֫לֶךְ noun masculine traveller (properly a going, journey, whence wayfarer, traveller) only וַיָּבאֹ הֵלֶךְ לְאִישׁ הֶעָשִׁיר 2 Samuel 12:4 ("" הָאֹרֵחַ הַבָּא לוֺ, הָאִישׁ הֵבָּא לוֺ); — in ᵑ0 1 Samuel 14:26 הֵלֶךְ דְּבָשׁ, ׳ה must be construct & = flowing, or dropping (of honey), but read rather הָלַךְ ᵐ5 The Klo We Dr (& דְּבֹּרוֺ for דְּבַשׁ q. v., ᵐ5 We Dr). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Everyday Settingהֵלֶךְ denotes a traveller or passer-by—one who is actively on the move rather than permanently settled. In the agrarian culture of ancient Israel such wayfarers were a common sight along the ridge routes of the hill country and the trade arteries that linked the Jordan Valley, the Mediterranean coast, and the Negev. Their presence reminded Israel that the land ultimately belonged to the LORD (Leviticus 25:23) and that His people themselves were once “strangers and sojourners” (Leviticus 19:34). The word therefore carries a moral undertone: the community is obliged to extend hospitality and protection to the transient. Occurrences in Scripture 1 Samuel 14:26 and 2 Samuel 12:4 are the only occurrences, yet they frame the term in strikingly different settings—one military, the other domestic—each exposing how a traveller’s needs reveal the character of those who encounter him. Saul’s Army and the Forbidden Honey (1 Samuel 14:26) When Saul bound his troops with an ill-advised oath, “the people entered the forest, and there was honey flowing”. The wayfarer within the ranks—the weary soldier moving through enemy territory—should have been refreshed, but Saul’s rash vow left him unfed. The episode exposes leadership that values personal vindication over the basic needs of those under its care. The traveller motif underscores the human cost of legalistic burdens (cf. Mark 2:27). Nathan’s Parable and David’s Heart (2 Samuel 12:4) “A traveler came to the rich man”. In Nathan’s confrontation, the arrival of the wayfarer serves as the catalyst that reveals greed and the abuse of power. The rich man’s refusal to spare one of his many sheep for the guest, seizing instead the poor man’s only lamb, magnifies sin by juxtaposing covenantal hospitality with selfish exploitation. David’s immediate anger—“the man who did this deserves to die!” (2 Samuel 12:5)—shows that God’s law concerning the stranger was well-known, making David’s own transgression all the more personal when Nathan declares, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7). Hospitality as Covenant Faithfulness The traveller embodies vulnerability. Torah enshrines his protection (Exodus 22:21), prophets condemn those who neglect him (Ezekiel 22:29), and wisdom literature pictures hospitality as righteousness (Job 31:32). By meeting the traveller’s needs the covenant community reenacts the LORD’s gracious rescue of Israel from Egypt. Failure to do so betrays a heart untouched by divine mercy. Spiritual Lessons on Pilgrimage 1. Human life is itself a journey (Psalm 119:19; Hebrews 11:13). The fleeting presence of הֵלֶךְ calls believers to hold possessions lightly and invest in eternal treasure. Christological Fulfilment The incarnate Son “had no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20), identifying with the transient and fulfilling the Law’s concern for him. On the Emmaus road the risen Christ appears as an unknown traveller, and the disciples’ invitation, “Stay with us” (Luke 24:29), turns an ordinary meal into a revelation of the Gospel. Thus every opportunity to serve a passer-by becomes, in effect, service rendered to Christ Himself (Matthew 25:35-40). Ministry Implications • Cultivate homes, churches, and budgets that make room for the unplanned guest. In Scripture הֵלֶךְ is more than a lexical curiosity; it is a mirror of the heart. How God’s people treat the traveller measures how deeply they grasp the grace extended to them in Christ—the ultimate Host who welcomes all who come. Forms and Transliterations הֵ֣לֶךְ הֵלֶךְ֮ הלך hê·leḵ Helech hêleḵLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 14:26 HEB: הַיַּ֔עַר וְהִנֵּ֖ה הֵ֣לֶךְ דְּבָ֑שׁ וְאֵין־ NAS: behold, [there was] a flow of honey; KJV: behold, the honey dropped; but no man put INT: the forest behold a flow of honey no 2 Samuel 12:4 2 Occurrences |
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