H2506 — חֵלֶק (cheleq)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: H2506
Original: חֵלֶק
Transliteration: cheleq
Pronunciation: khay'-lek
Part of Speech: Masculine noun
Root: חָלַק (chalaq, H2505) — to divide, apportion; also: to be smooth/flattering
Occurrences: 63 unique verses (68 tokens) across 24 books
First Occurrence: Gen 14:24 — "Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

Properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment: flattery, inheritance, part, partake, portion.

The dual semantic range reflects the root H2505 chalaq, which means both "to divide/apportion" (yielding the dominant "portion" sense) and "to be smooth" (yielding the rare "flattery" sense in Job 17:5 and Prov 7:21).

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Verses	%
portion(s) / his/my/thy/their/the/a portion	39	62%
part(s) / his/my/thy/a/any part	20	32%
flattery / flattering	2	3%
inheritance	1	2%
partaker	1	2%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Ecclesiastes	8	3.6
Joshua	9	1.4
Deuteronomy	7	0.7
Psalms	6	0.2
Job	5	0.5
2 Kings	3	0.4
Isaiah	3	0.2
Ezekiel	3	0.2
Genesis	2	0.1
Numbers	2	0.2
Jeremiah	2	0.1
1 book each (13 books)	13	—

Ecclesiastes has the highest density (3.6 per 100 verses), where cheleq is a key thematic term for what humans receive from their labor. Joshua concentrates on territorial allotment. Deuteronomy clusters around the Levitical "no part nor inheritance" formula.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Allotted Portion of Land or Territory¶

Jos 19:9 — "Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon"
2 Ki 9:10 — "the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel"
Eze 45:7 — "a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side"
Zec 2:12 — "the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land"

2. The Levitical "No Part nor Inheritance" Formula¶

Deut 10:9 — "Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance"
Deut 14:27 — "the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee"
Jos 18:7 — "the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance"
Num 18:20 — "Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them"

3. God as One's Portion (Devotional)¶

Psa 16:5 — "The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup"
Psa 73:26 — "God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever"
Psa 119:57 — "Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words"
Psa 142:5 — "Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living"
Lam 3:24 — "The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him"

Ecc 2:10 — "this was my portion of all my labour"
Ecc 3:22 — "a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion"
Ecc 5:18 — "to enjoy the good of all his labour... it is his portion"
Ecc 9:9 — "that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour"

5. Portion Appointed by God (Reward or Judgment)¶

Job 20:29 — "This is the portion of a wicked man from God"
Job 27:13 — "This is the portion of a wicked man with God"
Isa 17:14 — "This is the portion of them that spoil us"
Isa 53:12 — "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great"

Gen 14:24 — "the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre"
1 Sam 30:24 — "as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff"
Lev 6:17 — "I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings"
Ecc 11:2 — "Give a portion to seven, and also to eight"

7. Political Allegiance ("No Part in David")¶

2 Sam 20:1 — "We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse"
1 Ki 12:16 — "What portion have we in David?"
Neh 2:20 — "ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem"

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
נַחֲלָה (nachalah)	H5159	18x	"no part nor inheritance" — paired formula for disinheritance or comprehensive allotment
יְהוָה (Yehovah)	H3068	21x	"the LORD is my portion" or "the LORD's portion is his people"
אָכַל (akal)	H398	10x	eating as the enjoyment of one's portion
נָתַן (nathan)	H5414	10x	"God hath given him" his portion
אֱלֹהִים (elohim)	H430	9x	"portion of God from above"
אֶרֶץ (erets)	H776	7x	territorial portion in the land
לֵוִיִּי (Leviyiy)	H3881	6x	Levitical "no part" formula

Word Family / Cognates¶

H2505 חָלַק (chalaq) — root verb: to divide, apportion; also to be smooth, flatter
H2513 חֶלְקָה (chelqah) — feminine form: field, parcel of ground; also flattery, smoothness
H2509 חָלָק (chalaq) — adjective: smooth
H2511 חָלָק (challaq) — adjective: smooth, flattering
H2508 חֲלָק (chalaq) — Aramaic cognate: a part, portion

Synonyms¶

H2256 חֶבֶל (chebel) — rope, measuring line; territory, portion (by metonymy from the surveyor's line)

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
נַחֲלָה (nachalah)	H5159	"inheritance"	nachalah = permanent inherited estate; cheleq = allotted share (may or may not be inherited)
מָנָה (manah)	H4490	"portion"	manah = weighed-out ration or assigned share; cheleq = allotment by right or lot
מְנָת (menath)	H4521	"portion"	menath = allotment by courtesy, law, or providence; cheleq is broader
חֶבֶל (chebel)	H2256	"part"	chebel = measured territory (from "measuring cord"); cheleq = divided share
חֹק (choq)	H2706	"portion"	choq = appointed statute or fixed ration; cheleq = one's share of a whole

LXX Mapping¶

Greek Equivalent	Strong's	Co-occ	PMI Score	Notes
μερίς (meris)	G3310	55	30.41	Primary equivalent — "share, portion"
κληρονομία (kleronomia)	G2817	13	13.24	When cheleq denotes inherited allotment
κλῆρος (kleros)	G2819	9	11.14	When cheleq denotes lot-based allotment
μόχθος (mochthos)	G3449	5	9.76	Ecclesiastes labor-portion contexts
μερίζω (merizo)	G3307	4	9.54	Verbal form — "to divide a portion"