1987. Helem

Lexical Summary

Helem: Helem

Original Word: הֶלֶם
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Helem
Pronunciation: HAY-lem
Phonetic Spelling: (hay'-lem)
KJV: Helem
NASB: Helem
Word Origin: [from H1986 (הָלַם - beat)]

1. smiter
2. Helem, the name of two Israelites

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Helem

From halam; smiter; Helem, the name of two Israelites -- Helem.

see HEBREW halam

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from halam
Definition
an Asherite
NASB Translation
Helem (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

הֶ֫לֶם proper name, masculine a man of Asher 1 Chronicles 7:35.

Topical Lexicon

Identity and Occurrence

Helem appears once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 7: 35, as a descendant of the tribe of Asher. The verse states: “The sons of his brother Helem: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.” Helem is thus recorded as the father of four Asherite clansmen whose families helped populate the northern tribal territory allotted to Asher.

Position within Asher’s Genealogy

Jacob → Asher → Beriah → Heber → Helem

The Chronicler sets Helem alongside his brothers Japhlet and Shemer (Shomer), all sons of Heber. These lines form part of a larger register (1 Chronicles 7: 30-40) that traces Asher’s descendants from the patriarchal era to the monarchy, demonstrating continuity between the original tribal fathers and those living when Chronicles was compiled.

Historical and Tribal Setting

1. Geographic Sphere: The tribe of Asher inherited a fertile coastal and hill-country strip in Galilee (Joshua 19: 24-31). By the time of David and Solomon, the region was noted for olive production and trade.
2. Post-Exilic Reassurance: Chronicles was written for a community re-establishing its identity after exile. Cataloging figures such as Helem reminded returnees that every clan, even lesser-known ones, still belonged to God’s covenant people.
3. Social Impact: The four sons of Helem became heads of families whose occupations likely spanned agriculture, craftsmanship, and military service, contributing to the prosperity Moses and Jacob prophesied over Asher (Deuteronomy 33: 24-25; Genesis 49: 20).

Theological Insights

• Covenant Faithfulness: Recording minor figures like Helem underlines God’s meticulous preservation of His promises; no member of Israel is overlooked.
• Generational Blessing: Genealogies highlight how God works through successive generations. Helem stands in a chain that stretches back to Jacob and forward to the restored community, prefiguring the ultimate genealogy that leads to the Messiah (Matthew 1; Luke 3).
• Collective Identity: While Scripture offers no personal exploits for Helem, his inclusion demonstrates that community identity in biblical theology is corporate as well as individual. Each name affirms belonging and purpose within God’s people.

Ministry Reflections

1. Valuing Hidden Service: Most believers live lives unknown to history books, yet every act of faithfulness is recorded by God (Hebrews 6: 10). Helem’s obscurity reminds today’s disciples that significance is measured by divine, not human, recognition.
2. Encouraging Family Discipleship: Helem’s four sons suggest intentional transmission of faith and vocation. Modern parents and mentors can draw inspiration to nurture the next generation in the Lord (Ephesians 6: 4).
3. Upholding Corporate Memory: Churches benefit from keeping accurate records of testimonies and ministries. Chronicles’ example urges congregations to remember their heritage so that future members can see God’s ongoing work.

Key Scripture

1 Chronicles 7: 35 – the sole biblical mention anchoring Helem’s place among the sons of Asher.

Forms and Transliterations

הֵ֖לֶם הלם hê·lem Helem hêlem

Englishman's Concordance

1 Chronicles 7:35
HEB: וּבֶן־ הֵ֖לֶם אָחִ֑יו צוֹפַ֥ח
NAS: of his brother Helem [were] Zophah,
KJV: of his brother Helem; Zophah,
INT: the sons Helem of his brother Zophah

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 1987
1 Occurrence

hê·lem — 1 Occ.