Original Word: חֶלְאָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: chel'ah
Pronunciation: khay-lah
Phonetic Spelling: (khel-aw')
Definition: Sickness, disease
Meaning: disease, rust

scum

From chala'; properly, disease; hence, rust -- scum.

see HEBREW chala'

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
rust
NASB Translation
rust (5).

I. [חֶלְאָה] noun feminine rust (perhaps as filth see above) — חֶלְאָתָהּ Ezekiel 24:6,12 + Ezekiel 24:11; Ezekiel 24:12 (strike out Co internal grounds) + Ezekiel 24:6 חֶלְאָתָהֿ (compare Ges^{§ 91}, 1; R. 2) rust on metal pot, symbol of impurity of Jerusalem.

Word Origin: Derived from the root חָלָא (chalah), which means to be weak, sick, or diseased.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • While there is no direct Greek equivalent for חֶלְאָה in the Strong's Concordance, the concept of disease or corruption can be related to Greek terms such as νόσος (nosos, Strong's Greek 3554), meaning disease or sickness, and σαπρός (sapros, Strong's Greek 4550), meaning rotten or corrupt. These terms capture similar themes of decay and moral corruption found in the Hebrew usage of חֶלְאָה.

Usage: The word חֶלְאָה appears in the Hebrew Bible to describe physical disease or the metaphorical concept of rust, symbolizing decay or corruption. It is used in contexts that highlight the consequences of sin or moral degradation.

Context: • The term חֶלְאָה is found in the Old Testament, where it is used to convey the idea of disease or rust. In Ezekiel 24:6, 11, 12, the word is used metaphorically to describe the rust on a pot, symbolizing the moral and spiritual corruption of Jerusalem. The imagery of rust is particularly potent, as it signifies something that eats away at the integrity of an object, much like sin or moral decay erodes the spiritual health of a community or individual.
• In Ezekiel 24:6 (BSB), the verse states: "Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot now encrusted, whose rust will not come off! Empty it piece by piece without casting lots for its contents.’" Here, the rust represents the persistent sin and corruption that cannot be easily removed.
• The use of חֶלְאָה in these passages serves as a powerful metaphor for the inescapable and pervasive nature of sin, illustrating the need for divine intervention and purification.

וְחֶ֨לְאָתָ֔הּ וחלאתה חֶלְאָתָ֔הּ חֶלְאָתָ֣ה חֶלְאָתָֽהּ׃ חלאתה חלאתה׃ chelaTah ḥel’āṯāh ḥel·’ā·ṯāh veChelaTah wə·ḥel·’ā·ṯāh wəḥel’āṯāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts