Lexical Summary Chavilah: Havilah Original Word: חֲוִילָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Havilah Probably from chuwl; circular; Chavilah, the name of two or three eastern regions; also perhaps of two men -- Havilah. see HEBREW chuwl NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a son of Cush, also a son of Joktan, also territories of unc. location NASB Translation Havilah (7). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲוִילָה proper name, of a territory (√ dubious DlPa 12 suggests חוֺל sand-land, downs, as Hebrew popular etymology, MV11give it as actual etymology; StaThLZ Apr. 28, 1894, 235 compares this, as well as חוֺל sand, with Arabic  soft mud, [dampsand]) — אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה Genesis 2:11 (surrounded or bordered — סבב — by river Pishon; noted for excellent gold, bdellium and shoham-stone); elsewhere without article חֲוִילָה Genesis 10:7 = 1 Chronicles 1:9 as a 'son' of Cush (between סְבָא and סַבְתָּה); but also as a 'son' of יָקְטָן, a descendant of Shem Genesis 10:29 = 1 Chronicles 1:23 (between אוֺפִיר and יוֺבָב); עַדשֿׁוּר ׳מֵח Genesis 25:18 said of limits of Ishmaelitish territory; compare same limits of Amalek 1 Samuel 15:7 (but dubious; We reads טֵילָם, compare 1 Samuel 15:4 and see Dr; GlaserSkizze ii, 326 reads חֲכִילָה as 1 Samuel 23:19; 1 Samuel 26:1,3). — Most have supposed several regions named ׳ח to be indicated in these passages: — e.g. Thes.1. Arabian shore of Persian Gulf Genesis 10:29 etc. 2. Ethiopian coast Genesis 10:7 etc. 3. India Genesis 2:11 (regarded as indefinite extension of 1). DiGenesis 10:7 distinguishes 1 and 2 either as quite distinct, or as different settlements of one great people, and (on Genesis 2:14) thinks that ׳כל ארץ ח Genesis 2:11 implies vague extension eastward. DlPa 12 ff.57ff. identification ׳ח in all passages with northeast part of Syrian desert, so EMeyGeschichte. Alterth. i. 224; GlaserSkizze ii. 323 ff. with central and northeast Arabia. The question is still undecided. Topical Lexicon Identification and Overview Havilah designates both a territory and the name of two distinct men in the primeval genealogies. The word first appears in Genesis 2:11 as the locus of abundant natural riches around the Garden of Eden, and later as a personal name in the tables of nations (Genesis 10, 1 Chronicles 1). The dual usage—land and lineage—allows Scripture to track the spread of humanity after the Flood and to mark important boundary lines in subsequent history. The Land of Havilah in the Primeval World Genesis 2:11–12 introduces Havilah as a fertile region watered by the river Pishon: “Now the name of the first river is Pishon; it winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold, and the gold of that land is pure; bdellium and onyx are found there”. The text portrays Havilah as a place of God-given abundance, emphasizing (1) the richness of creation before sin had marred it, and (2) the Creator’s generosity toward humanity. Though the exact location remains debated, the narrative intent is clear: humanity’s original environment was marked by divine provision, highlighting the tragedy of the Fall that follows. Genealogical Streams Bearing the Name 1. Hamitic Havilah: Genesis 10:7 lists Havilah as a son of Cush (a son of Ham). The Cushite Havilah and his descendants are associated with regions stretching from northeast Africa toward the Arabian Peninsula, possibly skirting the Red Sea and reaching into the southwestern Arabian deserts. The appearance of the same place-name in both Hamitic and Semitic lines illustrates how territorial names could be adopted or shared by different family groups in early post-Flood history. Territorial Boundaries “from Havilah to Shur” Genesis 25:18 describes the Ishmaelites settling “from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt.” Later, Saul smote the Amalekites “from Havilah all the way to Shur” (1 Samuel 15:7). In both contexts Havilah forms the eastern anchor point of a vast desert frontier, with Shur bordering Egypt on the west. The phrase marks a north-south band across Arabia and underscores Havilah’s role as a significant landmark for Israel’s neighbors and adversaries. Historical and Redemptive Significance • Covenant Geography: References to Havilah in boundary formulas remind readers that Israel’s account unfolds within a broader tapestry of nations ultimately descended from Noah’s three sons. The territorial extent of God’s dealings stretches far beyond Israel’s immediate borders. Lessons for Christian Ministry Today 1. God’s Provision Precedes Human Need. Havilah’s natural abundance reminds believers that divine resources already exist for every assignment God gives. In Scripture, Havilah functions as a geographical bookmark, a genealogical thread, and a theological signpost pointing to the Creator’s goodness, human responsibility, and the universal scope of redemption. Forms and Transliterations הַֽחֲוִילָ֔ה החוילה וַֽחֲוִילָ֔ה וַחֲוִילָ֔ה וחוילה חֲוִילָ֖ה חוילה מֵֽחֲוִילָ֜ה מֵֽחֲוִילָה֙ מחוילה chaviLah ha·ḥă·wî·lāh ḥă·wî·lāh hachaviLah haḥăwîlāh ḥăwîlāh mê·ḥă·wî·lāh mechaviLah mêḥăwîlāh vachaviLah wa·ḥă·wî·lāh waḥăwîlāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 2:11 HEB: כָּל־ אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחֲוִילָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־ שָׁ֖ם NAS: the whole land of Havilah, where there KJV: the whole land of Havilah, where INT: the whole land of Havilah where there Genesis 10:7 Genesis 10:29 Genesis 25:18 1 Samuel 15:7 1 Chronicles 1:9 1 Chronicles 1:23 7 Occurrences |
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