Lexical Summary chalaph: To pass, to change, to renew, to go through Original Word: חָלַף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance abolish, alter, change, cut off, go on forward, grow up, be over, pass away, A primitive root; properly, to slide by, i.e. (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change -- abolish, alter, change, cut off, go on forward, grow up, be over, pass (away, on, through), renew, sprout, strike through. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to pass on or away, pass through NASB Translation change (2), changed (5), gain new (2), go (1), move past (1), over (1), passed (1), passes (1), pierce (1), pierced (1), renewed (1), replace (2), slip (1), sprout (1), sprouts anew (2), sweep (2), sweep through (1), vanish (1), violated (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חָלַף verb pass on or away, pass through (mostly in poetry) (Late Hebrew id., pass by or away, change; Phoenician חלפת equivalent, ReinachRŠJ 1888, 276; HoffmG. G. Abh. xxxvi. 1890, 20; Aramaic חֲלֵף pass away, change;  change, substitute; Nabataean חלף change (?) Eutp. 53; Arabic  come after, succeed, replace [compare 'Caliph' i.e. successor (of Mohammed)] and many derivatives Lane792-799; so also ויחלפה MI6 and his son succeeded him; Ethiopic  pass by, across, through) — Qal Perfect חָלַף Songs 2:11; Habakkuk 1:11 etc.; Imperfect יַחֲלֹף Job 4:15 4t.; 3 feminine singular suffix תַּחְלְפֵ֑הוּ Job 20:24; יַחֲלֹ֑פוּ Psalm 102:27; Infinitive construct לַחֲלוֺף Isaiah 21:1; — 1. a. pass on quickly 1 Samuel 10:3; elsewhere only in poetry, move or sweep on, of a flood Isaiah 8:8, or wind Isaiah 21:1; Job 4:15; Habakkuk 1:11, of God Job 9:11; Job 11:10. b. pass away (vanish) Job 9:26 (of days); Songs 2:11 (of rain "" עבר), of the heavens Psalm 102:27, of idols Isaiah 2:18, (but perhaps gloss JBLix. 1890, 86). 2 of grass, come on anew, i. e. sprout again (compare Hiph`il 2) Psalm 90:5; Psalm 90:6, so Thes AV De Hi Che Bae and others; less suitably in context, ᵐ5 ᵑ9 Ew pass away, above 1b. 3. transitive a. pass through, i.e. pierce, followed by accusative Judges 5:26; Job 20:24. b. overstep, transgress Isaiah 24:5 ("" עבר), (compare Arabic IV. to break a promise). Pi`el Imperfect וַיְחַלֵּף (cause to pass) change, followed by accusative garment Genesis 41:14 (E) 2 Samuel 12:20. Hiph`il Perfect חֶחֱלִף Genesis 31:7; Imperfect יַחֲלִיף Job 14:7; suffix יַחֲלִיפֶנּוּ Leviticus 27:10; 3feminine singular תַּחֲלִיף Job 29:20; 2masculine singular וַתַּחֲלֵף Genesis 31:41; suffix תַּחֲלִיפֵם; יַחֲלִ֑יפוּ Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 41:1; נַחֲלִיף Isaiah 9:9; — 1 change (transitive) garments Genesis 35:2 (E) Psalm 102:27, wages Genesis 31:7,41 (both E); no object expressed Leviticus 27:10 (H); substitute i. e. cause to succeed Isaiah 9:9; change for better, renew, object כֹּחַ Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 41:1. 2 shew newness, of tree, putting forth fresh shoots Job 14:7, of bow Job 29:20. [חֲלַף] verb pass (over) (see Biblical Hebrew); — Pe`al with יַל person pass over one (of time): Imperfect3masculine plural יִחְלְפוּן Daniel 4:13,20,22,29. Topical Lexicon Overviewחָלַף (chalaph) conveys the movement from one state to another—passing by, exchanging, replacing, sprouting anew, or being renewed. Its twenty-eight Old Testament appearances trace a line from ordinary changes of garments to the sweeping renewal of creation itself. Exchange and Substitution • Genesis 31:7, 41: Laban’s deceitful “change” of Jacob’s wages reveals fallen humanity’s readiness to manipulate. These texts teach that substitution not authorized by God violates covenant faithfulness, while divinely ordered change (as in priestly vestments) furthers holiness. Passing By or Away • Genesis 41:13; 2 Samuel 15:24; Job 9:26; Job 34:20: Events, armies, and lives “pass” quickly, underscoring human frailty. Renewal and Sprouting • Job 14:7–9: A felled tree “sprouts again” when waters touch its stump, illustrating resurrection hope. Cosmic Transformation • Psalm 102:26, echoed in Hebrews 1:12: The heavens are a garment God will “change,” declaring His sovereignty and the impermanence of the present order. Theological Themes 1. Transience vs. Permanence: Things that can be changed highlight the changelessness of God (Psalm 102:27). Historical and Cultural Insights Changing clothes marked decisive moments—approaching Bethel (Genesis 35:2), entering Pharaoh’s court (Genesis 41:14), or receiving royal favor (Genesis 45:22). Garment exchange thus became a visible metaphor for status change, cleansing, and acceptance, enriching later biblical calls to “put on the new self.” Ministry Applications • Encourage weary believers with the eagle promise of Isaiah 40:31—strength is not generated but received. Christological Lens Hebrews 1:12 leverages chalaph to exalt the Son: He alone remains unchanged while everything else is changed. Garment imagery anticipates the salvation exchange where Christ’s righteousness replaces our sin-stained attire (Zechariah 3:4; Revelation 7:14). Summary Chalaph captures the Bible’s tension between what is fleeting and what endures, between human deceitful change and God’s life-giving renewal. It invites believers to trust the unchanging LORD who alone can exchange death for life, weakness for strength, and the present order for a new creation. Forms and Transliterations וְ֝יַחֲלֹ֗ף וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ׃ וְהֶחֱלִ֥ף וְהַחֲלִ֖יפוּ וְחָלְפָ֖ה וְחָלַ֤ף וְחָלַפְתָּ֨ וְחָלָ֑ף וַיְחַלֵּ֣ף וַיְחַלֵּף֙ וַתַּחֲלֵ֥ף והחליפו והחלף וחלף וחלפה וחלפת ויחלף ויחלפו׃ ותחלף חָ֣לְפוּ חָ֭לְפוּ חָלַ֖ף חָלַ֥ף חלף חלפו יַחֲלִ֑יף יַחֲלִ֣יפוּ יַחֲלִיפֶ֗נּוּ יַחֲלֹ֑ף יַחֲלֹ֥ף יַחֲלֹֽף׃ יחליף יחליפו יחליפנו יחלף יחלף׃ לַֽחֲלֹ֔ף לחלף נַחֲלִֽיף׃ נחליף׃ תַּ֝חְלְפֵ֗הוּ תַּחֲלִיפֵ֣ם תַחֲלִֽיף׃ תחליף׃ תחליפם תחלפהו chaLaf Chalfu ḥā·lap̄ ḥā·lə·p̄ū ḥālap̄ ḥāləp̄ū la·ḥă·lōp̄ lachaLof laḥălōp̄ na·ḥă·lîp̄ nachaLif naḥălîp̄ ta·ḥă·lî·p̄êm ṯa·ḥă·lîp̄ tachaLif tachaliFem tachleFehu taḥ·lə·p̄ê·hū ṯaḥălîp̄ taḥălîp̄êm taḥləp̄êhū vattachaLef vaychalLef vechaLaf vechalafTa vechalFah vehachaLifu vehecheLif veyachaLof VeyachaLofu wat·ta·ḥă·lêp̄ wattaḥălêp̄ way·ḥal·lêp̄ wayḥallêp̄ wə·ha·ḥă·lî·p̄ū wə·ḥā·lap̄ wə·ḥā·lāp̄ wə·ḥā·lap̄·tā wə·ḥā·lə·p̄āh wə·he·ḥĕ·lip̄ wə·ya·ḥă·lō·p̄ū wə·ya·ḥă·lōp̄ wəhaḥălîp̄ū wəḥālap̄ wəḥālāp̄ wəḥālap̄tā wəḥāləp̄āh wəheḥĕlip̄ wəyaḥălōp̄ wəyaḥălōp̄ū ya·ḥă·lî·p̄en·nū ya·ḥă·lî·p̄ū ya·ḥă·lîp̄ ya·ḥă·lōp̄ yachaLif yachaliFennu yachaLifu yachaLof yaḥălîp̄ yaḥălîp̄ennū yaḥălîp̄ū yaḥălōp̄Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 31:7 HEB: הֵ֣תֶל בִּ֔י וְהֶחֱלִ֥ף אֶת־ מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖י NAS: has cheated me and changed my wages KJV: hath deceived me, and changed my wages INT: your father deceived and changed my wages ten Genesis 31:41 Genesis 35:2 Genesis 41:14 Leviticus 27:10 Judges 5:26 1 Samuel 10:3 2 Samuel 12:20 Job 4:15 Job 9:11 Job 9:26 Job 11:10 Job 14:7 Job 20:24 Job 29:20 Psalm 90:5 Psalm 90:6 Psalm 102:26 Psalm 102:26 Songs 2:11 Isaiah 2:18 Isaiah 8:8 Isaiah 9:10 Isaiah 21:1 Isaiah 24:5 28 Occurrences |
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