H2490c H2490c
Piel: to profane, defile, desecrate; Hifil: to begin; Nifal/Pual: be profaned; also to treat fruit as common
A remarkable homograph that bundles two distinct roots under one consonantal form. Root II חלל in the Piel means to profane or desecrate — violating what is sacred, whether God's name (Lev 19:12), the Sabbath (Exod 31:14), or a sanctuary (Ezek 7:24). Root I חלל in the Hifil means to begin, deriving from the Arabic sense of 'untying, loosening, opening' — starting something new by releasing it from its prior state. The connection may lie in the idea of removing the sacred boundary that marks something as set apart, thus either 'profaning' it or 'opening' it for use. German 'entweihen' (desecrate) and 'anfing' (began) show how sharply the two senses diverge, yet Spanish 'profanar' and 'comenzar' sit side by side throughout the Hebrew Bible.
4. Piel: use fruit, treat as common — A specialized Piel agricultural-legal usage: to treat newly planted fruit as common, i.e., to 'de-consecrate' produce after its period of orlah (uncircumcision). Deuteronomy 20:6 asks 'who has planted a vineyard and not yet used its fruit (חִלְּלוֹ)?' — referring to the fifth-year release after three years of forbidden fruit and one of sacred offering. Deuteronomy 28:30 threatens the curse of planting but never enjoying. Jeremiah 31:5 promises restoration when planters 'shall use the fruit.' Spanish 'la disfrutarás' (you will enjoy it) captures the positive release from sacred restriction. This sense bridges the profane and begin meanings — the fruit transitions from sacred to common, 'beginning' its availability for ordinary use. 4×
AR["تَتَمَتَّعُ-بِهِ","وَيَتَمَتَّعُونَ","يُحَلِّلُهُ","يُحَلِّلْهُ"]·ben["আর-উপভোগ-করেছে","তুমি-তা-উপভোগ-করবে","সে-সাধারণ-ব্যবহারে-আনবে-তা","সে-সাধারণ-ব্যবহারে-আনেছে-তা"]·DE["du-use-sein-Frucht","hat-used-sein-Frucht","soll-use-sein-Frucht","und-entweihen"]·EN["and-they-will-enjoy","has-used-its-fruit","shall-use-its-fruit","you-use-its-fruit"]·FR["a-used-son-fruit","devra-use-son-fruit","et-profaner","tu-use-son-fruit"]·heb["ו-חיללו","חיללו","יחללנו","תחללנו"]·HI["उसे-सामान्य-बनाएगा।","और-खाएँगे","खाएगा-उससे","खाया-है-उससे"]·ID["dan-akan-menikmati","menikmati-hasilnya"]·IT["dovra-use-suo-frutto","e-profanare","ha-used-suo-frutto","tu-use-suo-frutto"]·jav["lan-nikmati","ngraosaken-piyambakipun","panjenengan-raosaken","sampun-ngraosaken-piyambakipun"]·KO["그것을-쓰지-말지니라","그리고-즐겼다","누렸다-그것을","누리리라-그것을"]·PT["a-aproveite","a-aproveitou","e-desfrutaram","usarás-seu-fruto"]·RU["воспользуешься-им","и-будут-пользоваться","начал-пользоваться-им","начнёт-пользоваться-им"]·ES["la-disfrutarás","la-disfrute","la-disfrutó?","y-disfrutaron"]·SW["akalianza","lianza","na-walivuna","utalifurahia"]·TR["kullanacaksın-onu","kullandı-onu","kullanır-onu","ve-yararlandılar"]·urd["اور-کھائیں-گے","اُسے-حلال-کرے","اُسے-حلال-کیا","فائدہ-اُٹھائےگا-اُس-سے"]
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
1. Piel: profane, defile (active) — The Piel intensive 'profane, defile, desecrate' — the primary active cultic sense with 65 occurrences. Leviticus concentrates the usage: profaning the Sabbath (Exod 31:14), God's name (Lev 19:12, 20:3), one's daughter by prostitution (Lev 19:29), or priestly holiness (Lev 21). Ezekiel echoes the theme with Jerusalem's profanation of the sanctuary. German 'entweihen' and Spanish 'profanar' consistently render this sense. The verb presupposes the holiness code — something can only be profaned if it first belongs to the sacred realm, making this verb the opposite of קדש (to consecrate). 65×
AR["بِتَدْنِيسِ","دَنَّسَتَا","دَنَّسُوا","لِتَدْنِيسِ","لِيُدَنِّسَ","وَ-يُدَنِّسُونَ","وَ-يُنَجِّسونَ","وَيُدَنِّسُونَ","يُدَنَّسَ","يُدَنِّسُوا","يُدَنِّسْ"]·ben["অপবিত্র-করতে","অপবিত্র-করবে","অপবিত্র-করল","অপবিত্র-করেছে-তারা","অপবিত্র-হয়","আর-অপবিত্র-করবে","আর-তারা-অপবিত্র-করবে","ও-অপবিত্র-করবে"]·DE["[לחלל]","entweihen","er-soll-entweihen","sie-soll-entweihen","und-entweihen"]·EN["and-profane","and-they-shall-defile","and-they-shall-profane","he-shall-profane","they-profaned","they-shall-profane","to-be-profaned","to-defile","to-profane"]·FR["et-profaner","il-devra-profaner","ils-devra-profaner","pour-il-a-profané","profaner"]·heb["היחל","ו-חיללו","חיללו","יחלל","יחללו","ל-החל","ל-חלל"]·HI["अपवित्र-करके","अपवित्र-करने-के-लिए","अपवित्र-करे","अपवित्र-करें","अपवित्र-किया","अपवित्र-किया-उन्होंने","अपवित्र-हो","और-अपवित्र-करेंगे","और-वे-अपवित्र-करेंगे","के-लिए-अपवित्र-करना"]·ID["dan-mereka-akan-menajiskan","dan-mereka-akan-mencemarkan","dia-menajiskan","dinajiskan","mereka-menajiskan","mereka-najiskan","untuk-menajiskan"]·IT["e-profanare","egli-dovra-profanare","essi-dovra-profanare","profanare"]·jav["dipun-najisaken","kangge-najisaken","kanggé-najisaken","lan-najisaken","lan-sami-najisaken","lan-tiyang-tiyang-punika-najisaken","najisaken","piyambakipun-najisaken","sami-najisaken","sami-najisaken.","supados-ngasoraken"]·KO["그리고-더럽혀라","그리고-더럽히리라","그리고-더럽힐-것이다-그들이","더럽혀지게","더럽혔다","더럽히려고","더럽히리라-그들은","더럽힐-것이다-그는","로-더럽히므로","에게-더럽히기"]·PT["e-profanarão","para-profanar","profanaram","profanará","profanarão","ser-profanado"]·RU["и-за-","и-осквернят","и-сказал","идолами-их","излить","осквернит","оскверниться","оскверняй","оскверняйте","оскверняли","оскверняя","перед-глазами","чтобы-осквернить"]·ES["para-profanar","profanaron","profanará","profanarán","ser-profanado","y-profanarán"]·SW["atanajisi","kunajisi","na-watalinajisi","na-watanajisi","najisiwe","walinajisi","walizinajisi","watanajisi"]·TR["-kirletmek-için","kirletmek","kirletmek-için","kirlettiler","kutsallığını-bozacak","kutsallığını-bozacaklar","küçümsensin","ve-kirletecekler","ve-murdar-edecekler"]·urd["اور-ناپاک-کریں-گے","بے-ادبی-کرنے-کو","بے-حرمتی-کریں-گے","بے-حرمتی-کرے-گا","بےحرمت-کیا","بےحرمت-کیے","بےحرمت-ہو","رسوا-کرنے-کے-لیے","ناپاک-کرنے-کے-لیے"]
2. Hifil: begin, start — The Hifil inchoative 'begin, start' — 56 occurrences making it the second most frequent sense. Genesis 4:26 records humanity beginning to call on the LORD's name; Genesis 6:1 marks when humankind 'began' to multiply; Genesis 9:20 introduces Noah as the one who 'began' to be a farmer. Spanish 'comenzó/empezó' and French 'commença' render this uniformly. The Arabic cognate خَلَّ (untie, loosen, make free) illuminates the semantic bridge: to begin is to 'open up' an activity, releasing it into existence. This sense is morphologically distinct (Hifil stem) from the Piel profane sense. 56×
AR["ابْتَدَأَ","ابْتَدَأُوا","ابْتِدَائِهِمْ","بَدَأَ","بَدَأَتْ","بَدَأَهُ","بَدَأُوا","وَ-بَدَأَ"]·ben["আরম্ভ-করল","আরম্ভ-করলেন","এবং-শুরু-করল","তারা-শুরু-করল","শুরু-করল","শুরু-করলেন","শুরু-করে","শুরু-করেছিল","শুরু-হয়েছে"]·DE["[החלו]","anfing","began","begann","begann-er","entweihen","er-began","fing-an","und-begann"]·EN["and-began","began","he-began","they-began","they-had-begun"]·FR["began","commença","et-commença","il-began","il-commença","profaner"]·heb["החל","החלה","ו-יחל"]·HI["आरम्भ-किया","उन्होंने आरंभ किया था","उन्होंने-शुरू-किया","उसने-शुरू-किया","और-शुरू-किया","काम-शुरू-किया","लग-रही-थीं","शुरू-किया","शुरू-हुआ","शुरूकिया","हेखेल"]·ID["dan-mulai","ia-mulai","memulai","memulai-mereka","mereka-mulai","mulai","mulailah"]·IT["cominciò","e-comincio","egli-cominciò","profanare"]·jav["dipun-wiwiti","kawiwitan","lan-wiwit","miwiti","piyambakipun-wiwit","sami-wiwit","wiwit","wiwitan","wiwiti"]·KO["그가-시작했다","그리고-시작했다","시작되었다","시작하셨다","시작하였다","시작한","시작했다"]·PT["começaram","começou","e-começou"]·RU["быть","и-начал","начал","начали"]·ES["comenzaron","comenzó","empezó","que-comenzaron","y-comenzó"]·SW["alianza","hechel","hechelּwּ","huanza","ilianza","kufanya","na-alianza","wakaanza","walianza","walipoanza"]·TR["basladilar","başladı","başladılar","başlatı","ve-başladı"]·urd["اور-شروع-کیا","شروع-کیا","شروع-کیا-تھا-انہوں-نے","شروع-ہوئے","شروع-ہوا"]
3. Nifal/Pual: be profaned (passive) — Nifal and Pual passive forms: to be profaned, defiled, or desecrated — the passive counterpart of sense 1 with 7 occurrences. Ezekiel dominates: 'my holy places were profaned' (Ezek 7:24), 'you shall be profaned in the sight of the nations' (Ezek 22:16), 'her priests have profaned and I am profaned among them' (Ezek 22:26). Isaiah 48:11 asks 'how should my name be profaned?' Spanish 'serás profanada' and German 'entweihen' in passive constructions render these forms. Leviticus 21:4 and 21:9 provide legal contexts where priestly sanctity is passively compromised. 7×
AR["تَنَجَّسَ","فَتَدَنَّسْتُ","لِ-يُدَنِّسَهُ","وَ-يَرِثونَ","وَتُدَنَّسِينَ","يُدَنَّسُ","ٱلْمُدَنَّسَ"]·ben["অপবিত্র-করতে-নিজেকে","অপবিত্র-হল","অপবিত্রিত","অবমাননা-হবে","আর-তারা-অধিকার-করবে","এবং-অপবিত্র-হবে-তুমি","এবং-অপবিত্র-হয়েছি-আমি"]·DE["entweihen","und-entweihen","zu-entweihen-sich-selbst"]·EN["and-I-am-profaned","and-shall-be-profaned","and-you-shall-be-profaned","it-was-profaned","should-it-be-profaned","the-profaned","to-profane-himself"]·FR["et-profaner","profaner","à-profaner-lui-même"]·heb["ה-מחולל","ו-אחל","ו-נחלת","ו-ניחלו","יחל","ל-החלו","נחל"]·HI["अपवित्र-हुआ","अपवित्र-हो","अपवित्र-होने-के-लिए","और-अपवित्र-हुआ-मैं","और-अशुद्ध-होगी-तू","और-वे-अपवित्र-करेंगे"]·ID["dan-Aku-dinajiskan","dan-akan-dinajiskan","dan-engkau-akan-dinajiskan","dinajiskan,","itu-dinajiskan","untuk-menajiskannya","yang-dicemarkan"]·IT["a-profanare-se-stesso","e-eredità-di","e-profanare","profanare","torrente"]·jav["Lan-panjenengan-badhe-dipun-najisaken","badhé-kanista","dipun-najisaken","ingkang-kanajisaken","kangge-najisaken-awakipun.","lan-Kawula-dipun-najisaken","lan-dipunnajisaken"]·KO["그-더럽혀진","그리고-더럽혀졌다","그리고-더럽혀지리라","더럽혀졌다","더럽혀지겠느냐","에-더럽히다-그를"]·PT["E-serás-profanada","e-serão-profanados","e-sou-profanado","foi-profanado","o-profanado","para-profanar-se","seria-profanado"]·RU["и-будешь-осквернена","и-осквернятся","и-от-суббот","ибо","осквернится","оскверняя-себя","осквернённое"]·ES["Y-serás-profanada","el-profanado","fue-profanado","para-profanarse","será-profanado?","y-fui-profanado","y-serán-profanados"]·SW["Na-utanajisiwa","kujinajisi","lililonajisiwa","linajisi","na-nimenajisiwa","na-patanajisiwa","pamenajisiwa"]·TR["kirletildi","kirletilmiş-olan","kufredilsin","kutsallığını-bozmak-için","ve-hor-görüldüm","ve-hor-görüleceksin","ve-murdar-olacak"]·urd["اور-بےحرمت-ہو-گی","اور-بےحرمت-ہوا","اور-ناپاک-ہوں-گے","بے-حرمتی-کرنے-کے-لیے","بے-حرمتی-کیے-گئے","ناپاک-ہو","ناپاک-ہوا"]
5. Hifil: profane, break (covenant) — A rare Hifil causative of the profane root (distinct from the Hifil 'begin'): to cause to be profaned, to violate or break a vow or covenant. Numbers 30:2 stipulates that a man 'shall not profane (יַחֵל) his word' — he must keep his oath intact. Ezekiel 39:7 records God's declaration 'I will not let my holy name be profaned (אַחֵל) any more.' Spanish 'profanará' and 'profanaré' render these consistently as causative desecration. The distinction from sense 1 (Piel) is both morphological (Hifil stem) and semantic (focus on covenant violation rather than cultic defilement). 2×
AR["أُدَنِّسُ","يُنَكِّثُ"]·ben["অপবিত্র-হতে-দেব","ভঙ্গ-করবে"]·DE["entweihen","er-soll-Umbruch"]·EN["he-shall-break","will-I-profane"]·FR["il-devra-briser","profaner"]·heb["אחלל","יחל"]·HI["मैं-अपवित्र-होने-दूंगा","वह-तोड़ेगा"]·ID["Aku-akan-membiarkan-dinajiskan","melanggar"]·IT["egli-dovra-rompere","profanare"]·jav["Ingsun-ngidini-najisaken","kedah-nerak"]·KO["그는-어길지니라","더럽히지않겠다"]·PT["profanarei","profanará"]·RU["нарушит","позволю-осквернять"]·ES["profanará","profanaré"]·SW["linajisiwe","nje"]·TR["bozacak","kirleteceğim"]·urd["توڑے","میں-بے-حرمتی-ہونے-دوں-گا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
��� III. [חָלַל] vb. pollute, defile, profane; Hiph. also begin (lit. untie, loosen, open, v. Arabic) (Arabic خَلَّ untie, undo, become free, lawful, free from obligation or tie; iv. make lawful; x. esteem lawful or free, profane, desecrate, violate; NH חלל be profane, desecrated (also Pi. Hiph. transit.), cf. Aramaic חֲלַל; ܚܰܠܶܠ Pa. is purify, ܐܰܚܶܠ Aph. is profane)— Niph. Pf. נִחָ֑ל Ez 25:3,…