Lexical Summary Chilen: Chilion Original Word: חִילֵן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hilen From chayil; fortress; Chilen, a place in Palestine -- Hilen. see HEBREW chayil NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chul Definition a place in Judah NASB Translation Hilen (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חִילֵן proper name, of a location in Judah 1 Chronicles 6:43 = חֹלֹן 2 Topical Lexicon Biblical Setting Hilen appears once in Scripture: “Hilen and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands” (1 Chronicles 6:58). The verse stands in a list of towns granted to the sons of Aaron when the priestly cities were confirmed. These allotments echo the original distribution recorded generations earlier under Joshua, reinforcing the continuity of God’s covenant provision for the priesthood. Relationship to Holon The Chronicler’s “Hilen” corresponds to “Holon” in Joshua 15:51 and Joshua 21:15. The variant spelling illustrates the fluidity of Hebrew orthography across centuries yet points to the same location in the hill country of Judah. The harmonized witness of Joshua and Chronicles highlights Scripture’s internal consistency: the same Levitical town is preserved in both the conquest narrative and the later genealogical record. Geographical Notes Situated in Judah’s southern highlands, Hilen likely lay several miles southwest of Hebron. Archaeological proposals include Khirbet Beit Alam or nearby ruins overlooking fertile grazing land—terrain that matches the “pasturelands” specifically attached to the town. Its elevation provided natural defense and grazing terraces, making it well suited for priestly families dependent on flocks as part of their livelihood. Priestly and Levitical Significance Granting towns like Hilen to Aaron’s descendants satisfied the divine command that the Levites live among the tribes (Numbers 35:1-5). By embedding priests throughout the land, Israel’s worship was decentralized yet unified: local communities had daily access to those trained in the Law, while priests themselves remained tethered to Judah’s spiritual center at Jerusalem. Hilen therefore functioned as one node in a nationwide network ensuring continual teaching, atonement, and blessing. Historical Continuity Chronicles, written after the exile, revisits Israel’s geographic heritage to encourage returnees. Hilen’s inclusion assures the post-exilic community that the priestly share of the inheritance still stands. God’s earlier promises were not nullified by judgment or displacement; the Chronicler’s record invites renewed covenant faithfulness grounded in past faithfulness. Ministry Implications 1 Chronicles 6 underscores two enduring ministry principles: 1. Provision for ministers. Hilen exemplifies how God provides tangible resources—homes, fields, and pasturelands—so those set apart for sacred service can labor without worldly anxiety (compare 1 Corinthians 9:13-14). 2. Local presence. By placing priests in towns across Judah, the Lord ensured His word permeated daily life. Contemporary ministry likewise flourishes when shepherds dwell among the flock, not apart from it (1 Peter 5:2-3). Archaeological and Scholarly Observations The exact site of Hilen remains unexcavated, yet survey pottery and toponyms near Khirbet Ilḥein lend credence to the traditional identification. Even without definitive remains, the town’s listing in multiple biblical corpora corroborates the historic reality of Levitical settlements and invites further exploration. Theological Reflections Hilen’s brief mention magnifies several themes: • Covenant reliability: Every allotment, however obscure, testifies that the Lord keeps meticulous record of His commitments. Practical Lessons Modern readers can draw encouragement from Hilen’s quiet faithfulness: God places His servants strategically, sometimes in small and hidden locales, to preserve truth and extend grace. Hilen’s account urges believers to value their own assignments, however modest, as integral parts of the Lord’s redemptive design. Forms and Transliterations חִילֵז֙ חילז chiLez ḥî·lêz ḥîlêzLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 6:58 HEB: וְאֶת־ חִילֵז֙ וְאֶת־ מִגְרָשֶׁ֔יהָ NAS: Hilen with its pasture lands, KJV: And Hilen with her suburbs, Debir INT: Hilen pasture Debir |
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