חַיִל chayil

Hebrew word for “strength” · Strong’s H2428 · used 246 times in 231 verses

Explore it in the Word Atlas

Meaning

: soldiers/army; 1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army; 1a) strength; 1b) ability, efficiency; 1c) wealth; 1d) force, army

Senses in the lexicon

• strength: soldiers (110)
• strength (91)
• strength: rich (37)
• strength: worthy (7)
• Helech (1)

How it is translated

Glosses given for chayil in context, with how often each is used:

• army 85
• strength 79
• wealth 36
• ability 17
• armies 14
• strengths 6
• retinue 2
• worth 2
• like the army 1
• escort 1
• army of disheartened people 1
• wealths 1

Where it is used

Also in 19 more books.

Chapters where it is used most

1 Chronicles 26 (7), 1 Chronicles 7 (6), 2 Kings 25 (5), 1 Chronicles 12 (5), 2 Chronicles 17 (5), Daniel 11 (5), Exodus 14 (4), 2 Chronicles 26 (4), Jeremiah 37 (4), 2 Samuel 24 (3)

Forms

• חיל 132
• החיל 21
• חילו 16
• החילים 14
• בחיל 12
• חילך 7
• חילם 7
• וחיל 5
• חילים 5
• וחילו 4

Words used with it

Words that share verses with chayil more often than their overall frequency would suggest:

• גִּבּוֹר gibbor “mighty man” 49
• שַׂר sar “ruler” 36
• אֶלֶף eleph “thousand” 34
• מֵאָה meah “hundred” 29
• אֱנוֹשׁ enosh “human” 28
• מִלְחָמָה milchamah “battle” 23
• יְרוּשָׁלִַם yerushalaim “Jerusalem” 23
• בָּבֶל bavel “Babylon” 16
• קָרֵחַ qareach “Kareah” 9
• יְהוּדָה yehudah “Judah” 19
• רֶכֶב rekhev “chariot” 12
• אָב av “father” 21

Key verses

The verses using chayil that are most connected by cross-references (King James Version):

• Exodus 14:4 — And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know…
• Exodus 18:21 — Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of…
• 2 Samuel 13:28 — Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear…
• 2 Kings 7:6 — For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another,…
• 2 Chronicles 32:21 — And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with…
• Psalms 33:16 — There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
• Psalms 49:6 — They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
• Psalms 62:10 — Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
• Psalms 110:3 — Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
• Isaiah 61:6 — But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall…
• Micah 4:13 — Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will…
• Zechariah 4:6 — Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD…

See all 231 verses in the Word Atlas

Hebrew and Greek text, tagging, glosses and lexicon definitions: STEPBible.org, Tyndale House Cambridge (TAHOT, TAGNT, TBESH, TBESG; CC BY 4.0), adapted. Counts follow King James verse numbering; a word counts each time it is written.