Lexical Summary chedel: Cessation, end, failure Original Word: חֶדֶל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance world From chadal; rest, i.e. The state of the dead -- world. see HEBREW chadal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originanother reading for cheled, q.v. Brown-Driver-Briggs [חֶ֫דֶל] noun [masculine] cessation, only יוֺשְׁבֵי חָ֑דֶל Isaiah 38:11 (so Baer) inhabitants of (land of) cessation, i.e. of She'ôl; see Di; but read rather חָ֑לֶד, see חֶלֶד. Topical Lexicon Overview חֶדֶל (chedel) appears only once, in Isaiah 38:11, within King Hezekiah’s psalm of thanksgiving after recovery from a terminal illness. The noun conveys an abrupt “ceasing” or “failing,” setting the tone for a meditation on the fragility of human life and the finality of death apart from divine intervention. Scriptural Context (Isaiah 38:9–20) Facing death, Hezekiah laments, “I will no longer look on mankind or be with the inhabitants of this world” (Isaiah 38:11). The phrase “inhabitants of this world” rests on חֶדֶל and describes the realm of those whose life is slipping away. In contrast to the “land of the living,” חֶדֶל depicts existence on the brink of disappearance—life reduced to a vanishing point unless God reverses the course. Imagery of Cessation and Frailty 1. Final boundary: חֶדֶל frames death as a cessation of earthly fellowship, emphasizing separation from both God’s sanctuary and human society (cf. Job 7:7–10). Intertextual Echoes Although unique, חֶדֶל resonates with related verbs meaning “to cease” (chadal, Strong’s 2308). Passages such as Exodus 9:29 (“the thunder will cease”) and Psalm 46:9 (“He makes wars to cease”) transfer the idea from natural or social cessation to the personal sphere in Isaiah 38:11. The shared semantic field heightens the universality of God’s power to interrupt any termination—storm, war, or life itself. Theological Themes • Sovereignty over life and death: “You have delivered my life from the pit of destruction” (Isaiah 38:17). חֶדֶל is not the last word; the LORD’s is. Historical Significance Hezekiah ruled in the eighth century BC, a critical moment of Assyrian threat. His personal crisis paralleled national peril, making his deliverance a public sign of divine favor (Isaiah 38:6). The episode cemented Judah’s confidence that the LORD could halt both imperial advance and terminal illness—any form of חֶדֶל. Pastoral and Ministry Reflections 1. Comfort for the dying: The honesty of Hezekiah’s lament legitimizes expressions of fear while directing hearts to God’s sovereignty. Homiletical Suggestions • Sermon series “When Life Ceases”: begin with Isaiah 38:11 and expand to Christ’s victory over the grave (John 11:25). Christological Connection Jesus embraced human cessation in the cross yet rose, transforming ultimate חֶדֶל into everlasting life. Believers united to Him share in this triumph (1 Corinthians 15:54–57). Conclusion חֶדֶל crystallizes the stark reality of death while setting the stage for God’s restorative power. Its lone appearance magnifies its impact: life may indeed cease, but the LORD who interrupts cessation invites faith, worship, and hope that in Him nothing finally fails. Forms and Transliterations חָֽדֶל׃ חדל׃ Chadel ḥā·ḏel ḥāḏelLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 38:11 HEB: עִם־ י֥וֹשְׁבֵי חָֽדֶל׃ KJV: no more with the inhabitants of the world. INT: among the inhabitants of the world |
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