H2465 H2465
duration of life, lifespan; the transient world viewed as the span of human existence
The Hebrew cheled conveys the fleeting duration of mortal life, closely paralleling the Greek aion in its temporal sense. In Job 11:17 it describes a lifetime that could shine brighter than noon, while Psalm 39:5 pairs it with 'my days' in a poignant meditation on brevity. Psalm 49:1 extends the meaning toward 'world' as the collective sphere of human transience, calling all inhabitants of cheled to listen. French 'vie-ephemere' and Spanish 'mundo/duracion' together capture both the personal lifespan and the wider temporal world.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Duration of life, lifespan, mortal span. Used in Job 11:17 and Psalm 39:5 (parallel to 'my days') to express the brevity and fleetingness of human existence. The French rendering 'vie-ephemere' aptly conveys the fragility implied. The Arabic cognate khuldun ('perpetual duration') reveals an ironic contrast: the root carries eternity, yet in Hebrew it emphasizes finitude. 5×
AR["الزَمَنُ", "العالَم", "الْحَيَاةِ", "مِنَ-الدُّنْيَا", "وَحَياتي"]·ben["ও-আমার-জীবনকাল", "জগত-থেকে", "জগতের", "জীবন", "জীবনকাল"]·DE["[חלד]", "der-Welt", "lifespan", "und-mein-lifetime", "von-der-Welt"]·EN["and-my-lifetime", "lifespan", "lifetime", "of-the-world", "the-world"]·FR["de-vie-éphémère", "et-vie-éphémère", "vie-éphémère", "חלד"]·heb["ו-חלד-י", "חלד", "מ-חלד"]·HI["अल्प-समय", "और-आयु-मेरी", "जगत-के", "जीवन", "से-संसार"]·ID["dunia", "singkat", "umur"]·IT["breve-vita", "e-breve-vita", "lifetime"]·jav["gesang", "lan-umur-kula", "saking-donya"]·KO["그리고-내-일생-이", "생애-이", "세상-에서", "세상-의", "수명-이"]·PT["do-mundo", "e-minha-duração", "mundo", "vida", "é-a-vida"]·RU["во-вселенной", "жизнь", "и-век-мой", "из-жизни", "мгновение"]·ES["del-mundo", "duración", "mundo", "tu-vida;", "y-mi-duración"]·SW["maisha-mafupi", "na-maisha-yangu", "uhai", "ulimwenguni", "wa-ulimwengu"]·TR["dünyadan-", "dünyanın", "hayat", "ve-ömrüm", "ömür"]·urd["-دنیا-سے", "اور-میری-زندگی", "دنیا-کے", "زندگی"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חֶ֫לֶד n.[m.] Jb 11:17 duration, world (= αἰών) (Arabic خُلْدٌ perpetual duration, eternity)—abs. ח׳ ψ 17:14; חָ֑לֶד Jb 11:17 + 2 times + Is 38:11 Che De, sq. Cod. Bab. etc. (Baer חָ֑דֶל); sf. חֶלְדִּי ψ 39:6; = duration of life Jb 11:17 ψ 39:6 (‖ יָמַי), זְכֹר אֲנִי מֶה־חָ֑לֶד 89:48 of what duration I am Dr§ 189. 2, or (אדני for אני) what is life(?) Hi Ew Now al.; world (= αἰών, not κόσμος) ψ 17:14; 49:2 (ישׁבי ח׳ ‖ כל־עמים), cf. Is 38:11 (v. supr.; ‖ אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים).