Lexical Summary choled: World, lifetime, duration Original Word: חֹלֶד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance weasel From the same as cheled; a weasel (from its gliding motion) -- weasel. see HEBREW cheled NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition weasel NASB Translation mole (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֹ֫לֶד noun [masculine] weasel (Late Hebrew חוּלְדָּא; Arabic ![]() Topical Lexicon Scriptural Context Leviticus 11:29 sets חֹלֶד among “the swarming creatures that move along the ground” which Israel was to regard as unclean: “These creatures are unclean to you among the swarming creatures that move about on the ground: the mole rat, the mouse, and any kind of great lizard” (Berean Standard Bible). The verse is embedded in the larger holiness code (Leviticus 11–20), establishing practical boundaries that visually reinforced the call to be distinct from surrounding nations. Zoological Identification The precise species behind חֹלֶד has long been debated. Choices include: Both candidates thrive underground or in crevices, occupy the nocturnal margins of human habitation, and were familiar pests in ancient agrarian society. Either fits the broader Levitical category of “sharats” (creeping things). Place in the Levitical Purity Code 1. Classification: חֹלֶד belongs to the “creepers” (Leviticus 11:29-30) not by diet but by locomotion close to or beneath the earth. Historical and Cultural Background Ancient Near Eastern peoples often linked small burrowing animals with ominous portents or disease. Egyptian snake-eaters such as the weasel were revered; Israel was commanded to reject such associations. Archaeological excavations in Judean farmsteads reveal storage jars gnawed by rodents, illustrating the nuisance these animals posed. The Torah’s prohibition thus carried hygienic benefits, reducing contact with vectors of contagion long before germ theory. Symbolic and Theological Themes • Hiddenness and darkness: The burrower that thrives in the unseen serves as a living metaphor for sin “lying at the door” (Genesis 4:7). Intertestamental and Rabbinic Perspectives Second Temple literature elaborated on Leviticus 11:29, grouping חֹלֶד with other burrowers as “creatures without eyes,” symbolizing spiritual blindness. The Mishnah (Hullin 9:3-4) stipulates precise vessel-cleansing rites when such animals fall into jars, underscoring enduring concern for purity in daily commerce. New Covenant Fulfillment Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19), and Peter’s rooftop vision (Acts 10:9-16) dismantled the ceremonial barrier between Jew and Gentile. Yet the moral principle behind the clean-unclean distinction persists: believers are urged to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1). The mole rat that once barred worshippers from the sanctuary now invites reflection on the heart’s hidden recesses, calling Christians to continual cleansing by the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7). Ministry Applications 1. Teaching Illustration: Use חֹלֶד to show how seemingly insignificant compromises can hinder fellowship with God. Related Biblical References Leviticus 11 (entire chapter) – taxonomy of clean and unclean. Deuteronomy 14:3-20 – parallel dietary code. Isaiah 2:20 – idols cast to “moles and bats,” evoking subterranean imagery. Acts 10:9-16 – abolition of ceremonial food barriers. 1 Peter 1:15-16 – call to holiness grounded in Leviticus. Key Takeaways • חֹלֶד appears once, yet it contributes to a sweeping biblical theology of holiness. Forms and Transliterations הַחֹ֥לֶד החלד ha·ḥō·leḏ haCholed haḥōleḏLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 11:29 HEB: עַל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ הַחֹ֥לֶד וְהָעַכְבָּ֖ר וְהַצָּ֥ב NAS: on the earth: the mole, and the mouse, KJV: upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, INT: on the earth the mole and the mouse and the great 1 Occurrence |