Lexical Summary Cheleq: Portion, share, part, inheritance Original Word: חֵלֶק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Helek The same as cheleq; portion; Chelek, an Israelite -- Helek. see HEBREW cheleq Brown-Driver-Briggs II. חֵ֫לֶק proper name, masculine (portion) a Gileadite Numbers 26:30; Joshua 17:2. ᵐ5 Ξελεγ, (κ), Κελεζ, etc.; ᵐ5L Joshua 17:2 Ελεκ. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Conceptual Range חֵלֶק (cheleq) conveys the idea of a “portion,” “division,” or “sub-clan.” In tribal settings it identifies a smaller family grouping within a larger tribe, emphasizing both inheritance and identity. The word therefore points to belonging: each Israelite was to know his allotted place within the covenant community. Occurrences and Context 1. Numbers 26:30 records the “Helek” family line among the Manassite clans during the wilderness census. The list is preparatory, anticipating future inheritance in Canaan. Tribal and Territorial Significance Manasseh received a double inheritance through the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:5-6). Within Manasseh, the clan of Helek underscores how finely the land was apportioned: every extended family received tangible evidence of the Lord’s covenant faithfulness. Intercanonical Connections Although חֵלֶק surfaces only twice as a proper clan name, the root resurfaces often in the Psalms and Prophets to describe Yahweh Himself as a believer’s “portion.” “The LORD is my portion,” says Lamentations 3:24, using the same root. The clan name therefore foreshadows the deeper reality that God, not land, is the ultimate inheritance. The physical allotment in Joshua prefigures the spiritual allotment secured in Jesus Christ, “the heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2). Just as the Helekites could point to boundary stones as evidence of divine promise, believers now point to the finished work of Christ and the indwelling Spirit as “a pledge of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14). Theological and Ministry Implications 1. Covenant Faithfulness: The preservation of a minor clan’s name through centuries of transmission highlights Scripture’s precision and God’s memory. No family is overlooked in the economy of redemption. Application for Today • Remembered by Name: Pastoral ministry may highlight obscure biblical names like Helek to assure congregants that the Lord sees each person. Helek’s brief scriptural footprint thus opens a window into covenant detail, communal identity, and the grand movement from land promises to their ultimate realization in Christ. Forms and Transliterations חֵ֗לֶק חלק לְחֵ֕לֶק לחלק Chelek ḥê·leq ḥêleq lə·ḥê·leq leChelek ləḥêleqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 26:30 HEB: מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאִֽיעֶזְרִ֑י לְחֵ֕לֶק מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶלְקִֽי׃ NAS: of the Iezerites; of Helek, the family KJV: of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family INT: the family of the Iezerites of Helek the family of the Helekites Joshua 17:2 2 Occurrences |