2463. Chelbon
Lexical Summary
Chelbon: Helbon

Original Word: חֶלְבּוֹן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Chelbown
Pronunciation: khel-bone'
Phonetic Spelling: (khel-bone')
KJV: Helbah
NASB: Helbon
Word Origin: [from H2459 (חֶלֶב חֵלֶב - fat)]

1. fruitful
2. Chelbon, a place in Syria

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Helbah

From cheleb; fruitful; Chelbon, a place in Syria -- Helbah.

see HEBREW cheleb

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as cheleb
Definition
a place in Aram (Syria)
NASB Translation
Helbon (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
חֶלְבּוֺן proper name, of a location place whence wine came (to Tyre) ׳יֵין ח Ezekiel 27:18; so also Assyrian proper name, of a territory –ilbunim or Hilbunu, see SchrCOT and Dl in Co. Modern –albûn, northwest from Damascus, WetzstZMG xi. 1857, 490 f. BdPal 341.

Topical Lexicon
Geographical Setting

Chelbon (transliterated “Helbon” in English versions) designates a locality celebrated for its vineyards in the region north-west of Damascus, nestled in the eastern slopes of the Anti-Lebanon range. Its elevated terraces, cool nights, and limestone soil produced a distinctive, full-bodied vintage prized in antiquity.

Historical Background

Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian tablets list the wine of Chelbon among tribute items, and classical writers such as Strabo describe “Chalybonian wine” served at the Persian court. These extra-biblical notices corroborate Ezekiel’s snapshot of a bustling, multinational marketplace in the seventh and sixth centuries BC, when Phoenician merchants sourced luxury goods from every corner of the Near East.

Biblical Usage

Chelbon appears once, in Ezekiel’s dirge over Tyre:

“Damascus was also your customer because of your abundant goods and your many riches, trading with you the wine of Helbon and wool of Sahar.” (Ezekiel 27:18)

Within the prophet’s catalogue of Tyre’s trading partners, Chelbon’s wine stands beside precious metals, ivory, and purple cloth, signifying both quality and economic importance.

Trade and Commerce

1. Premium Status: While many wines circulated, Chelbon’s was distinct enough to be a named commodity. Its mention among luxury exports underscores the affluence of Tyre’s clientele and the interconnectedness of Syro-Phoenician trade routes.
2. Damascus as Broker: The verse presents Damascus as intermediary, implying overland caravans moving jars of Chelbon’s wine southward to Tyre’s harbor, whence it could sail across the Mediterranean.
3. Economic Judgment: Ezekiel’s oracle foretells Tyre’s fall; thus Chelbon’s celebrated commerce becomes an emblem of earthly wealth soon to be shattered (Ezekiel 27:34-36).

Theological and Ministry Implications

1. Fleeting Splendor: Chelbon’s renowned vintage, once poured in royal courts, vanished with Tyre’s destruction. The passing of material glory illustrates Psalm 103:15-16: “As for man, his days are like grass… the wind passes over it, and it is gone.”
2. Creator’s Provision: Scripture consistently presents wine—when received gratefully—as a gift that “gladdens the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15). Chelbon’s fertile hills testify to the Lord’s common grace in creation.
3. Accountability of Nations: Tyre enriched itself through global trade yet ignored divine standards. Chelbon’s wine, therefore, becomes part of the evidence in God’s courtroom, reminding nations today that economic success does not exempt from righteousness (Proverbs 14:34).

Typological Insights

1. Covenant Symbolism: Wine later becomes the emblem of the New Covenant in Christ’s blood (Matthew 26:27-29). The contrast between Chelbon’s perishable wine and the imperishable cup of salvation accentuates Hebrews 8:6—“a better covenant, established on better promises.”
2. Joy versus Judgment: Prophets often juxtapose feasting wine with coming wrath (Isaiah 22:13-14). Chelbon’s mention inside a lament positions even the finest earthly joy under the shadow of divine judgment, foreshadowing the eschatological “cup of His fury” for the unrepentant (Revelation 14:10).

Contemporary Relevance

• Discipleship and Wealth: Like Tyre, modern believers navigate global commerce. Chelbon urges stewardship: use God-given resources for kingdom purposes, not self-exaltation (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
• Cultural Engagement: Recognizing the goodness of creation—including art, cuisine, and viticulture—Christians may affirm excellence while discerning idolatry.
• Evangelistic Bridge: Archaeological links between Scripture and history (e.g., tablets naming Chalybonian wine) provide tangible entry points for defending biblical reliability.

Chelbon’s solitary biblical appearance, therefore, opens a window onto ancient economics, prophetic theology, and practical discipleship, reminding the church that every bottle, balance sheet, and bargaining table ultimately belongs to the Lord of glory.

Forms and Transliterations
חֶלְבּ֖וֹן חלבון chelBon ḥel·bō·wn ḥelbōwn
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Ezekiel 27:18
HEB: ה֑וֹן בְּיֵ֥ין חֶלְבּ֖וֹן וְצֶ֥מֶר צָֽחַר׃
NAS: because of the wine of Helbon and white
KJV: in the wine of Helbon, and white
INT: wealth of the wine of Helbon wool and white

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2463
1 Occurrence


ḥel·bō·wn — 1 Occ.

2462
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