Lexical Summary Cheleph: Cheleph Original Word: חֶלֶף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Heleph The same as cheleph; change; Cheleph, a place in Palestine -- Heleph. see HEBREW cheleph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chalaph Definition a place in Naphtali NASB Translation Heleph (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. חֵ֑לֶף proper name, of a location in Naphtali, site unknown Joshua 19:33. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence and Immediate Context Joshua 19:33 lists חֶלֶף Héleph as the first landmark on the southern border of Naphtali: “Their border went from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel as far as Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan.” By naming Héleph first, Scripture fixes it as the boundary-marker where Naphtali’s inheritance meets that of the neighboring tribes to the south and west. Geographical Setting Héleph most likely lay in Lower Galilee, west of the Sea of Galilee and east of Mount Tabor, not far from the great north–south road that skirted the Jezreel Valley. Suggested identifications include Khirbet Khalifa (north-north-west of modern Tiberias) and Tel ʿIlf (near the Beth-netophah basin). The mention of the “oak in Zaanannim” immediately after Héleph points to a region where intermittent woodland gave way to cultivated slopes—terrain well suited to both pastoralism and agriculture, matching Naphtali’s later description as a people “abundantly satisfied with favor” (Deuteronomy 33:23). Historical Significance for the Tribe of Naphtali 1. Security of Borders By anchoring the border at Héleph, Joshua provided an easily recognized starting-point for Naphtali’s southern frontier. Secure boundaries enabled the tribe to develop its rich pasturelands without quarrel, fulfilling the allotment promised in Numbers 34. 2. Gateway to the Nations The locale sits astride trade routes linking Phoenicia, the coastal plain, and the Upper Jordan Valley. Naphtali therefore lived on a cultural crossroads; Héleph embodied that strategic placement, foreshadowing Galilee’s later description as “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 9:1). Prophetic Echoes and New-Testament Ministry Connections Isaiah foresaw a day when “the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali… has seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:1–2). Centuries later Jesus withdrew to Capernaum “in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,” fulfilling that prophecy (Matthew 4:13–16). Though Héleph itself is not named in the Gospel narratives, it lay on the very soil over which the Savior’s footsteps later passed. Thus the boundary-stone first recorded under Joshua silently bore witness to the dawning of Messianic light. Thematic Reflections • Covenant Faithfulness—The precise listing of Héleph in Joshua underscores God’s meticulous faithfulness in granting every tribe its inheritance (Joshua 21:45). Key Cross References Joshua 19:33; Deuteronomy 33:23; Isaiah 9:1–2; Matthew 4:13–16; 2 Corinthians 5:21. Practical Applications for Present-Day Readers • God charts our boundaries (Acts 17:26) with the same care He showed at Héleph, inviting contentment and gratitude. Forms and Transliterations מֵחֵ֨לֶף מחלף mê·ḥê·lep̄ meChelef mêḥêlep̄Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 19:33 HEB: וַיְהִ֣י גְבוּלָ֗ם מֵחֵ֨לֶף מֵֽאֵל֜וֹן בְּצַעֲנַנִּ֗ים NAS: Their border was from Heleph, from the oak KJV: And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon INT: become their border Heleph Allon Zaanannim 1 Occurrence |
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