Lexical Summary chalom: Dream Original Word: חֲלוֹם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dreamer Or (shortened) chalom {khal-ome'}; from chalam; a dream -- dream(-er). see HEBREW chalam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chalam Definition a dream NASB Translation dream (41), dreamer* (1), dreamers (1), dreams (22). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲלוֺם noun masculineGenesis 37:10 dream; — ׳ת absolute Genesis 37:5 +, construct Genesis 20:3, חֲלֹם absolute Genesis 20:6, construct Genesis 31:24; suffix חֲלוֺמִי Genesis 40:9,16, חֲלֹמִי Genesis 41:17,22, חֲלֹמוֺ Genesis 40:5 5t.; plural חֲלֹמוֺת Jeremiah 23:32 10t. etc., + 7 t. suffix — dream 1 ordinary dream of sleep Job 7:14; Job 20:8; Psalm 73:20; Ecclesiastes 5:2; Ecclesiastes 5:6; Isaiah 29:7. 2 dreams with prophetic meaning, the lowest grade of prophecy (see BrMP 6): a. dream of Abimelek Genesis 20:3,6, of Jacob Genesis 31:10,11, Laban Genesis 31:24, Joseph Genesis 37:5,6,8,9 (twice in verse); Genesis 37:10,19,20; Genesis 42:9, Pharaoh and his servants Genesis 40:5 (3 t. in verse); Genesis 40:8,9 (twice in verse); Genesis 40:16; Genesis 41:7,8,11 (twice in verse); Genesis 41:12 (twice in verse); Genesis 41:15 (twice in verse); Genesis 41:17,22,25,26,32; of a lower order of prophets than Moses Numbers 12:6, (all E, not elsewhere in Hexateuch), Job 33:15, of Midianite Judges 7:13 (twice in verse); Judges 7:15, desired by Saul 1 Samuel 28:6,15; of Solomon 1 Kings 3:5,15; of old men in latter days Joel 3:1, of Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 2:1,2,3 (twice in verse); Daniel הֵבִין בְּכָלחָֿזוֺן וַחֲלֹמוֺת Daniel 1:17 had understanding in all visions and dreams. b. of false prophets Deuteronomy 13:2; Deuteronomy 13:4; Deuteronomy 13:6; Jeremiah 23:27,28 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 23:32; Jeremiah 27:9; Jeremiah 29:8; Zechariah 10:2. Topical Lexicon Scope of the Word in Scripture חֲלוֹם (chalom) appears roughly sixty-four times, ranging from Genesis to Zechariah. Scripture uses the term both for night visions that carry divine revelation and for ordinary, even misleading, imaginings of the mind. Dreams as a Vehicle of Divine Revelation 1. Covenant Patriarchs: Revelation by dream begins with the founders of Israel. “Then God came to Abimelek in a dream by night” (Genesis 20:3). Jacob’s ladder at Bethel (Genesis 28:12), his instruction to leave Laban (Genesis 31:11), and Laban’s own warning (Genesis 31:24) all come in dreams, affirming God’s sovereign guidance before the written Law. Distinction Between True and False Dreams While genuine dreams transmit God’s will, Scripture equally warns against self-generated dreams used to mislead: These texts protect the covenant community by subjecting dreams to doctrinal fidelity. Major Narrative Cycles • Judges: Gideon overhears a Midianite’s dream (Judges 7:13-15), which strengthens his faith. Prophetic and Wisdom Reflections Job and Ecclesiastes depict dreams as ephemeral: “A dream comes when there are many cares” (Ecclesiastes 5:3). Yet Job 33:14-18 explains that God “speaks… in a dream, in a vision of the night,” to turn man from pride. Thus wisdom literature balances revelatory potential with realism about human psychology. Liturgical and Didactic Significance Joel 2:28 foretells, “your old men will dream dreams,” a promise Peter applies to Pentecost (Acts 2:17). Dreams therefore anticipate the outpouring of the Spirit and the democratization of revelation, fulfilled in the church age. Messianic and Eschatological Echoes Although חֲלוֹם itself is Old Testament, New Testament infancy narratives (Matthew 1–2) hinge on revelatory dreams to Joseph, showing continuity of the motif: dreams guard the Davidic line and fulfill prophetic Scripture. Practical Ministry Application • Test dreams by Scripture: Deuteronomy 13; Isaiah 8:20 establishes the canon’s sufficiency. Typological and Theological Insights Dreams function as miniature revelations of the heavenly court, anticipating the incarnation of the Word. Each authentic dream underscores that God initiates salvation history, bypassing human control. Their cumulative witness affirms divine omniscience, covenant faithfulness, and the unfolding plan culminating in Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations בַּ֣חֲלֹמ֔וֹת בַּחֲל֑וֹם בַּחֲל֖וֹם בַּחֲל֣וֹם בַּחֲל֣וֹמֹתָ֔ם בַּחֲל֤וֹם ׀ בַּחֲלֹ֗ם בַּחֲלֹ֣ם בַּחֲלֹמ֛וֹת בַּחֲלֹמִ֑י בַּחֲלֹמִ֕י בַּחֲלוֹמִ֔י בַּחֲלוֹמִ֕י בַחֲלֹמ֑וֹת בחלום בחלומי בחלומתם בחלם בחלמות בחלמי הַחֲל֖וֹם הַחֲל֛וֹם הַחֲל֥וֹם הַחֲל֨וֹם הַחֲלֹמ֔וֹת הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹת הַחֲלֽוֹם׃ החלום החלום׃ החלמות וַֽחֲלֹמוֹת֙ וַחֲלֹמֽוֹת׃ וחלמות וחלמות׃ חֲל֑וֹם חֲל֔וֹם חֲל֖וֹם חֲל֛וֹם חֲל֣וֹם חֲל֥וֹם חֲל֨וֹם חֲלֹמ֑וֹ חֲלֹמ֑וֹת חֲלֹמ֔וֹ חֲלֹמ֖וֹ חֲלֹמ֥וֹת חֲלֹמֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם חֲלֹמֹתֵ֑ינוּ חֲלֹמֹתָ֑יו חֲלֹמֹתָ֖יו חֲלֹמֹתָֽיו׃ חֲלֹמוֹ֙ חֲלֹמוֹת֙ חֲלֽוֹם׃ חֲלוֹם֙ חלום חלום׃ חלמו חלמות חלמתיו חלמתיו׃ חלמתיכם חלמתינו יַחֲלֹמ֔וּן יחלמון כַּֽחֲלוֹם֙ כַּחֲל֣וֹם כַּחֲל֥וֹם כַּחֲלֹמ֖וֹ כחלום כחלמו ba·ḥă·lō·mî ba·ḥă·lō·mō·wṯ ḇa·ḥă·lō·mō·wṯ ba·ḥă·lō·w·mî ba·ḥă·lō·w·mō·ṯām ba·ḥă·lō·wm ba·ḥă·lōm bachaLom bachaloMi bachaloMot bachaLomoTam baḥălōm baḥălōmî baḥălōmōwṯ ḇaḥălōmōwṯ baḥălōwm baḥălōwmî baḥălōwmōṯām chaLom chaloMo chalomOt chalomoTav chaloMoteiChem chalomoTeinu ha·ḥă·lō·mō·wṯ ha·ḥă·lō·wm ḥă·lō·mō·ṯāw ḥă·lō·mō·ṯê·ḵem ḥă·lō·mō·ṯê·nū ḥă·lō·mō·wṯ ḥă·lō·mōw ḥă·lō·wm hachaLom hachaloMot haḥălōmōwṯ haḥălōwm ḥălōmōṯāw ḥălōmōṯêḵem ḥălōmōṯênū ḥălōmōw ḥălōmōwṯ ḥălōwm ka·ḥă·lō·mōw ka·ḥă·lō·wm kachaLom kachaloMo kaḥălōmōw kaḥălōwm vachaloMot wa·ḥă·lō·mō·wṯ waḥălōmōwṯ ya·ḥă·lō·mūn yachaloMun yaḥălōmūnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 20:3 HEB: אֶל־ אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בַּחֲל֣וֹם הַלָּ֑יְלָה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר NAS: to Abimelech in a dream of the night, KJV: to Abimelech in a dream by night, INT: to Abimelech A dream of the night and said Genesis 20:6 Genesis 31:10 Genesis 31:11 Genesis 31:24 Genesis 37:5 Genesis 37:8 Genesis 37:9 Genesis 37:9 Genesis 37:10 Genesis 37:19 Genesis 37:20 Genesis 40:5 Genesis 40:5 Genesis 40:5 Genesis 40:8 Genesis 40:9 Genesis 40:9 Genesis 40:16 Genesis 41:7 Genesis 41:8 Genesis 41:11 Genesis 41:11 Genesis 41:12 Genesis 41:12 64 Occurrences |
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