Lexical Summary Telach: Telah Original Word: תֶּלַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Telah Probably from an unused root meaning to dissever; breach; Telach, an Israelite -- Telah. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition an Ephraimite NASB Translation Telah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תֶּ֫לַח proper name, masculine in Ephraim; — 1 Chronicles 7:25; Θαλε(ες), Θαλα. I. תלל (apparently √ of following; Late Hebrew תֵּל heap, תְּלוֺלִית hill; ᵑ7J תָּלִיל lofty; Arabic Topical Lexicon Biblical occurrence Telah (תֶּלַח, Strong’s H8520) appears only once, in 1 Chronicles 7:25: “Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son” (Berean Standard Bible). Though no narrative details are attached to him, his single mention within the genealogy of Ephraim’s descendants is deliberate and instructive. Genealogical setting Telah belongs to the branch of Ephraim’s line that ultimately leads to Joshua son of Nun (1 Chronicles 7:26-27). The sequence—Rephah, Resheph, Telah, Tahan, and onward—forms part of the Chronicler’s broader effort to trace the steady preservation of the tribe of Ephraim after earlier judgment and loss (7:21-24). Telah thus serves as a vital link in maintaining tribal identity and covenant continuity, especially significant for the post-exilic community that first received Chronicles. Historical background Chronicles was compiled after Judah’s return from Babylonian exile, when the northern tribes had long since been scattered. By recording names like Telah, the Chronicler reasserted that remnants of every tribe still had a place in God’s purposes. The inclusion of otherwise obscure figures demonstrated that the covenant promises extended beyond political collapse, exile, and personal tragedy (as hinted in the deaths of Ephraim’s earlier sons, 7:21-22). Telah’s preservation in the genealogical record is therefore part of a broader statement: God’s redemptive plan has not forgotten any faithful lineage. Theological and ministry insights 1. Covenant faithfulness: Telah’s appearance underscores that God tracks each participant in His covenant, whether or not their deeds are recorded. “The LORD knows those who are His” (2 Timothy 2:19). Faith lessons for believers today • God esteems the ordinary. Even if a life remains unnoticed by human history, it is remembered in heaven (Malachi 3:16). Summary Telah’s single biblical mention embodies the Chronicler’s message that every individual within God’s covenant family counts, that divine promises survive exile and loss, and that unheralded faithfulness can participate in great outcomes. His quiet presence in the text offers contemporary believers assurance of God’s meticulous care and encouragement to persevere in their own unseen service. Forms and Transliterations וְתֶ֛לַח ותלח veTelach wə·ṯe·laḥ wəṯelaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 7:25 HEB: בְּנ֗וֹ וְרֶ֧שֶׁף וְתֶ֛לַח בְּנ֖וֹ וְתַ֥חַן NAS: [along] with Resheph, Telah his son, KJV: also Resheph, and Telah his son, INT: was his son Resheph Telah his son Tahan 1 Occurrence |
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, Syriac 
mound; = (perhaps) Old Aramaic תלי CISii. No. 111 Lzb386 SAC120; Jen in BrockSyr.Lex. thinks תֵּל Assyrian loan-word from tîlu, ruin-heep, mound).