הָלַךְ1545 H1980
To go, walk, travel; metaphorically to conduct oneself; in Hitpael to walk about; in Piel to walk habitually
Halak is the primary Hebrew verb of locomotion, covering everything from a simple journey to a lifetime's moral direction. In the Qal it means 'to go, travel, proceed,' but Hebrew thought frequently extended walking into the moral realm -- to walk in God's statutes, to walk uprightly, to walk in wickedness. The Hitpael stem adds a reflexive, iterative dimension: walking about, traversing, or walking intimately with God as Enoch and Noah did. The Piel intensifies the habitual quality, depicting sustained patterns of movement or conduct. With 513 occurrences across narrative, law, poetry, and prophecy, halak anchors Hebrew discourse about both physical journeys and the journey of faith.
5. to go away, depart (Qal) — Qal sense emphasizing departure, going away, or withdrawal -- leaving a place with focus on separation rather than destination. Spanish se va ('goes away') and the departing imagery in Hosea's similes capture this nuance. See Hos 6:4 and 13:3 where faithfulness 'goes away' like morning dew, and Job 16:6 where pain does not depart. 4×
AR["الذاهِبِ","وَذَهَبَ","يَذْهَبُ"]·ben["ও-চলে-গেলেন","চলে-যায়","যাওয়া","যায়"]·DE["ging","und-ging"]·EN["and-he-left","departing","departs","going-away"]·FR["aller","et-il-marchera","il-est-allé"]·heb["הולך","ו-ילך","יהלוך"]·HI["और-वह-चला-गया","जाती-है"]·ID["menghilang","pergi"]·IT["camminare","e-camminare"]·jav["kesah","lajeng-piyambakipun-késah"]·KO["가는","떠나가리이까","떠났더라"]·PT["e-foi-se","parte","vai-se"]·RU["и-ушёл","отойдёт","уходящая"]·ES["que-pasa","se-va","se-va?","y-se-fue"]·SW["kinaondoka","na-akaenda","unaondoka","unaoondoka"]·TR["giden","gider","ve-gitti"]·urd["اور-چلا-گیا","جاتا-ہے","جاتی-ہے","جانے-والی"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. to go, travel (Qal) — Basic physical motion in the Qal: going, traveling, proceeding from one place to another. Arabic ذهب (dhahaba, 'go') and Spanish fue/partió map directly. Covers all Qal conjugations across narrative contexts -- Abraham journeying south (Gen 12:9), Laban departing (Gen 31:19), Balaam going to Balak (Num 24:1). 283×
AR["ذَهَبَ","يَذْهَبْ"]·ben["গিয়েছিল","গিয়েছে","গেল","গেলেন","চলে-গেলেন","তিনি-গেলেন","সে-গেল"]·DE["er-ging","ging","hatte-gegangen","war-gegangen"]·EN["had-gone","he-went","went"]·FR["alla","avait-allé","il-alla"]·heb["הָלַךְ","הלך"]·HI["गया","गया-था","चला-गया"]·ID["berjalan","dia-pergi","dijalani","ia-pergi","pergi","pergilah-ia","yang-pergi"]·IT["ando","andò","aveva-andato","egli-ando","egli-andò"]·jav["budhal","dipuntindaki","kesah","késah","mlampah","piyambakipun-kesah","tindak","tindhak"]·KO["갔는가","갔는지","갔다","갔던"]·PT["foi"]·RU["пошёл","ушёл","ходил","шёл"]·ES["fue","partió"]·SW["akaenda","akaondoka","alienda","aliondoka","kwenda"]·TR["gitmişti","gitti"]·urd["وہ-گیا۔","چلا","چلا-گیا","گیا","گیا-تھا","گیا-ہے"]
2. to walk in conduct (Qal) — Metaphorical walking in the Qal denoting moral conduct or lifestyle -- walking in God's ways, in truth, or in sin. Arabic سلك (salaka, 'follow a path') captures the ethical metaphor, as does German wandeln. Central to Deuteronomic theology and Psalmic piety; see Gen 48:15 and the dry-ground motif (Exod 14:29). 132×
AR["السَّالِكُ","السّالِك","سارَ","سَارَ","سَلَكَ","يَسْلُكْ"]·ben["চলল","চললেন","চলেছিল","চলেছিলেন","চলেছে","যে-চলে","সে-চলত","হেঁটেছে"]·DE["der-ging","er-wandelte","ging","wandelte"]·EN["he-walked","he-walks","he-who-walks","the-one-walking","walked"]·FR["aller","il-est-allé","il-marcha","le-marcher","marcha","marcher"]·heb["הָלַךְ","הולך","הלך"]·HI["चलता","चलता-है","चलनेवाला","चला","चला-था","जो-चलता-है","वह-चला"]·ID["Yang-berjalan","berjalan","ditempuh","ia-berjalan","yang-berjalan"]·IT["camminare","camminò","egli-camminò"]·jav["Ingkang-lumampah","ing-margi","lumampah","mlampah","piyambakipun-lumampah","tindak","tiyang-ingkang-lumampah","tiyang-kang-mlampah"]·KO["걷는-자-가","걷는-자-는","걷는-자-라","걸었다","걸었던","걸었으니","그가-걸었다","행했다"]·PT["O-que-anda","Quem-anda","andou","o-que-anda"]·RU["ходил","ходили","ходящий"]·ES["El-que-anda","anduvo","caminó","el-que-anda","el-que-camina"]·SW["Anayetembea","Daudi","alienda","alitembea","anayetembea","enda","katika-shauri","mbele-yako","mwenye-kutembea"]·TR["yürüdü","yürürse","yürüyen"]·urd["چلا","چلا-تھا","چلتا-ہے","چلنے-والا"]
Gen 48:15, Exod 14:29, Exod 15:19, Lev 11:20, Lev 11:21, Lev 11:27, Lev 26:40, Josh 5:6, Josh 14:10, Judg 2:17, 1 Sam 8:3, 1 Kgs 3:6 (+38 more)
3. to walk about, traverse (Hitpael) — Hitpael stem expressing reflexive or iterative walking: walking about, going to and fro, or walking in intimate companionship. Enoch 'walked with God' (Gen 5:22, 24), Noah likewise (Gen 6:9), and God himself walks in the garden (Gen 3:8). Arabic تمشّى (tamashsha, 'stroll about') and Korean 거닐다 reflect this intensified movement. 63×
AR["اسْلُكْ","السّائِرينَ","تَنَقَّلتُ","جُلْنَا","جُولُوا","سَلَكُوا","سَلَكْتُ","سِرْتُ","فَ-أَسْلُكُ","لِ-أَسيرَ","لِتَجُولَ","لِيَجُولُوا","وَ-أَتَمَشَّى","وَمِنَ-التَّجَوُّلِ","يَتَمَشَّى","يَسِيرُ","يَمْشي","يَمْشُونَ"]·ben["আমি-চলাফেরা-করেছি","এবং-চলব","এবং-চলাফেরা-করা-থেকে","ঘুরে-বেড়াও","ঘুরে-বেড়াতে","ঘুরে-বেড়ালাম","চল","চলার-জন্য","চলে","চলেছি","তারা-চলে","যারা-হাঁটছে","হাঁটছিলেন","হাঁটছেন"]·DE["der-wandelnd","ging","ich-wandelte","und-ging","und-ich-wird-wandeln","wandelt","wandle","zu-ging"]·EN["I-walked","and-I-will-walk","and-from-walking","the-walking","they-walk","they-walk-about","to-walk","walk","walking","walks","we-have-walked"]·FR["et-aller","et-je-fera-marcher","je-marcha","le-marchant","le-marcher","marcher","walks","à-marcher"]·heb["ה-מתהלכים","הלך","הלכו","התהלכו","התהלכנו","התהלכתי","ו-הלכתי","ו-התהלכתי","ו-מ-התהלך","יתהלך-","יתהלכו","ל-התהלך","מתהלך"]·HI["और-चलने-से","और-चलूंगा","घूमने-के-लिए","घूमने-को","घूमो","चल","चलता-है","चलने-के-लिए","चला","चला-हूँ","जो-चलते-हैं","वे-चलते-हैं","हम-घूमे-हैं"]·ID["Aku-berjalan-jalan","Dan-Aku-akan-berjalan","Kami-telah-berkeliling","Maka-Aku-akan-berjalan","Maka-Aku-juga-akan-berjalan","aku-berjalan","berjalan","berjalan-jalan","berjalanlah","dan-dari-berjalan-jalan","mereka-berjalan","telah-berjalan","untuk-berjalan","untuk-berkeliling","yang-berjalan"]·IT["cammina","camminare","e-da-camminare","e-io-fara-camminare","il-camminando","io-camminò"]·jav["Aku-mlampah","Lan-Kawula-tindak","ingkang-mlampah","lan-saking-mlampah-mlampah","lumampah","mila-Kawula-lumampah","mila-Kawula-ugi-lumampah","mlampah","mlampah-mlampah","mlampah-mlampaha","mlampaha","sami-mlampah","sampun-mlampah","sampun-mlampah-mlampah","tindak","tiyang-tiyang-mlampah"]·KO["걷다","걸도다","걸어가신다","걸어다녔다","걸어다녔라","걸어다니기-위하여","걸어다니라","걸어다니려고","걸었다","걸으리니","그리고-나는-행할것이다","그리고-나도-걸을것이다","그리고-에서-거닐며","다년다","따르는","우리가-걸었습니다","행하였도다","행한-바-내가"]·PT["Anda","E-andarei","Percorremos","anda","andam","andava","andei","e-de-andar","os-que-andam","para-andar","para-percorrer","percorrei"]·RU["и-буду-ходить","и-от-хождения","и-ходить-буду","ходи","ходил","ходил-Я","ходил-я","ходили-мы","ходит","ходите","ходить","ходят","ходящим","чтобы-ходить"]·ES["Hemos-recorrido","Y-andaré","andan","camina","caminaba","caminan","caminé","entonces-caminaré","he-caminado","los-que-caminan","para-caminar","para-recorrer","y-de-andar","¡Recorred!"]·SW["Enenda","Na-nitaenda","Na-nitatembea","alitembea","anatembea","ili-nitembee","kutembea","na-kutembea","nilitembea","nimetembea","tembeeni","tumetembea","wametembea","wanaotembea","wanatembea"]·TR["-yürüyenler","Dolaşın","dolaşmak-için","dolaşır-","gezdik","gezmek-için","ve-gezmekten","ve-yürüyeceğim","yürü","yürü-yordu","yürüdüler","yürüdüm","yürümek-için","yürüyen","yürüyorlar"]·urd["اور-چلنے-پھرنے-سے","اور-چلوں-گا","لَ-چَلنے","میں-نے-چلا","میں-چلتا-رہا","پھرنے-کو","پھرو","چل","چلتا-رہا-ہوں","چلتا-رہتا","چلتا-ہے","چلتے-ہیں","چلنے-والے","ہم-پھرے"]
4. to walk habitually (Piel) — Piel stem conveying intensive or habitual walking -- sustained, repeated, or characteristic going about. Applied to mourning processions (Ps 38:6), the destitute wandering for bread (Job 24:10), and ongoing patterns of behavior (Job 31:5). The intensive force distinguishes these from single-event Qal motion, marking a lifestyle or repeated action. 30×
AR["أَسلُك","أَسير","أَسْلُكُ","أَسْلُكْ","السَّالِكِينَ","السّالِكِ","القُدْسِ","الماشيَ","سَلَكتُ","سِرتُ","كُنّا-نَسيرُ","مَشَيْتُ","وَ-سارَ","وِ-هَلِّيكْ","يَتَمَشَّوْنَ","يَسِيرُ","يَسِيرُونَ","يَمْشُونَ"]·ben["আমি-চলব","আমি-চলি","এবং-চল","এবং-হাঁটল","চলবে","চলমান","চলি,","চলেছি","চলেছিলাম","চলেছিলাম-আমরা","তারা-চলবে","তারা-চলেছে","যায়","যারা-চলে","যিনি-চলেন"]·DE["der-ging","ging","sie-gingen","und-der-dir","und-wandelte"]·EN["I-go-about","I-have-walked","I-walk","I-will-walk","and-in-his-name","and-walk","and-walked","the-One-walking","the-one-walking","the-ones-walking","they-walk","they-went","we-walked","will-go"]·FR["aller","et-aller","et-marcha","le-aller","le-marcher","marcher"]·heb["אהלך","אתהלך","ה-הולך","ה-מהלך","ה-מהלכים","הלכו","הלכתי","ו-הלך","יהלך","יהלכו","יהלכון","יתהלכו","נהלך"]·HI["और-चल","और-चला","चलता-हूँ","चलता-हूँ-मैं","चलती-हूँ","चलने-वाला","चलनेवाले","चला-हूँ-मैं","चलूँगा","चलेगा","जो-चलता-है","मैं-चलता-हूँ","मैं-चला","मैं-चलूँगा","वे-गए","वे-चलते-हैं","वे-चलेंगे"]·ID["aku berjalan","aku-akan-berjalan","aku-berjalan","berjalan","dan-berjalanlah","dan-dia-berjalan","mereka-akan-berjalan","mereka-berjalan","mereka-pergi","yang-berjalan"]·IT["camminare","e-camminare","e-camminò","il-camminare"]·jav["Ingkang-lumampah","Kula-badhé-mlampah","badhé-mlampah","dipun-kesahaken","ingkang-kula-lampahi","ingkang-mlampah","kanca","kula-badhé-lumampah","kula-mlampah","lan-mlampah","lan-piyambakipun-mlampah","mlampah-mlampah","piyambakipun-mlampah","tiyang-tiyang-punika-mlampah"]·KO["가더라","걷는-자들-그","걷는다","걷으리이다","걷으시는-이-가","걸어-다니나니","걸었도다","걸으리라","걸으리이다","그리고-걸어라","그리고-걸었다","내-가-걷는","내-가-행하리라","내가-걸었다","행하는-자","행하리라","행하였나이다"]·PT["Andarei","andam","andaram","andarei","andará","andarão","andei","andávamos","e-anda","e-andou","eu-ando","o-que-anda","o-que-caminha","os-que-andam","que-ando"]·RU["Буду-ходить","буду-ходить","будут-ходить","и-ходи","и-ходил","которым-хожу","пойдёт","уходят,","ходил-я","ходили","ходят","ходящий","ходящих","хожу","хожу-я","хожу-я,"]·ES["Andaré","andan","andará","andarán","andaré","ando","caminarán","camino","caminábamos","caminé","el-que-camina","he-caminado","que-caminan","se-iban","y-anda","y-caminó"]·SW["anayetembea","itatembea","kutembea","na-akatembea","na-uende","nimetembea","ninatembea","nitatembea","tulitembea","wakaenda","wanaotembea","wanatembea","watatembea"]·TR["dolaştım","giderlerdi","ve-dedi","ve-yuru","ve-yürüdü","yuruyen","yürüdüm","yürürdük","yürürler","yürürüm","yürüyecek","yürüyeceğim","yürüyen","yürüyeyim","yürüyorlar"]·urd["اور-چل","اور-چلا","جاتے-تھے","میں چلا ہوں","میں چلتا ہوں","میں-چلتا-ہوں","میں-چلوں-گا","چلا-میں","چلتی-ہوں","چلتے ہیں","چلتے-ہیں","چلنے-والا","چلنے-والے","چلوں-گا","چلیں-گے","چلے-گی","چَلتے-تَھے"]
6. sense 6 — A rare use expressing the sense of being gone, fading away, or declining -- the speaker's existence waning like a lengthening shadow. Attested at Ps 109:23 ('I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens'), where Spanish me voy and French marcher approximate the existential fading. The sense borders on 'perish,' recalling the cognate Arabic هلك (halaka, 'to perish'). 1×
AR["ذَهَبتُ"]·ben["আমি-চলে-গেছি"]·DE["ging"]·EN["I-am-gone"]·FR["marcher"]·heb["נהלכתי"]·HI["चला-गया-हूँ"]·ID["aku-pergi"]·IT["camminare"]·jav["kula-késah"]·KO["가나이다"]·PT["vou-me"]·RU["ухожу"]·ES["me-voy"]·SW["ninaondoka"]·TR["gidiyorum"]·urd["میں-جا-رہا-ہوں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
הָלַךְ1545 vb. go, come, walk (MI ואהלך, לך; SI וילכו; NH הִלֵּךְ (rare), Aramaic הֲלַךְ, הַךְ (also Biblical Aramaic), oftener הַלֵּיךְ Pa., ܗܰܠܶܟ, Palm. Ithp. אתילכא Vog No. 15, 1. 4; Assyrian alâku DlW; also Arabic هَلَكَ perish)— Qal Pf. 3 ms. ה׳ Gn 26:26 +; הָלָ֑ךְ 2 S 8:6 +; 3 pl. הָֽלְכוּ Gn 14:24 +; (הֶ)הָֽלְכוּא Jos 10:24 (Ges§ 23, 3; 138, 3 b Köi 414 f.), etc.; Impf. rarely a. 3 ms.…