Etymology of הָלַךְ

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Mahlon Smith
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Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by Mahlon Smith »

Etymology Question. In parsing out הָלַךְ, I noticed that it is somehow related to another root, יָלַךְ. Does anyone have an idea how these two roots are related?
Isaac Fried
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Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by Isaac Fried »

The act is at once one of the commonest, yet, seems to me to be of great generality. It is not just 'walk, sway the legs to propel the body one step at a time in order to gain distance', but is rather of the extended meaning of 'took off, left, gone.'
I tend to think that the radical letters are but לך LK, and that the initial י Y of ילך YLK, and ה H of הלך HLK are vestiges of an attached, and later forgotten, personal pronoun היא HIY, brought in to relate the act to the actor.

Otherwise, the act appears to be related to שלך $ALAK, as in השליך HI$LIYK = HI-$L-IY-K, 'sent forth, propeled, threw, cast, hurled', as in Nu. 35:20; a grammatical form containing the two personal pronouns היא HIY, one external, for the performer of the act, and the other internal, for the beneficiary of the act.

In the form שלח $ILAX = $-I-LAX, as in Gen. 28:6, the sole personal pronoun היא HIY for the performer of the act is placed within the root. This inside PP HIY contracted to the mere vowel -I- to avoid an internal non-radical consonant. All this, testifying to the fact that the grammatical constructions called בנינים BINYANIYM are to some extent arbitrary.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Jemoh66
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Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by Jemoh66 »

Here's a nice outlay from this link: http://www.studylight.org/lexicons/hebr ... cgi?n=3212

1264) kl (לכ LK) AC: Walk CO: Message AB: ?: The pictograph l is a picture of shepherd staff, the k is a picture of the palm of the hand. Combined these mean "staff in the palm". A nomad traveled on foot with a staff in his hand to provide support in walking as well as a weapon to defend against predators or thiefs. (eng: walk - with an added w)

D) kal (לאכ LAK) AC: Walk CO: Messenger AB: ?: One who walks for another.

am) kalm (מלאכ MLAK) - Messenger: [Hebrew and Aramaic] KJV (216): angel, messenger, ambassador - Strongs: H4397 (מַלְאָךְ), H4398 (מַלְאַךְ)

af3) tfkalm (מלאכות MLAKWT) - Message: KJV (1): message - Strongs: H4400 (מַלְאָכוּת)

kf1) ekalm (מלאכה MLAKH) - Work: As a message through action. KJV (167): work, business, workmanship, goods, cattle, stuff, thing - Strongs: H4399 (מְלָאכָה)

F) kle (הלכ HLK) AC: Travel CO: Journey AB: ?

V) kle (הלכ HLK) - Walk: To walk a journey or lifestyle, customs. [Hebrew and Aramaic] [df: Kwx] KJV (507): (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hitpael, Piel, Participle) walk, away, along, go, come - Strongs: H1946 (הוּךְ), H1980 (הָלַךְ), H1981 (הֲלַךְ)

Nm ) kle (הלכ HLK) - I. Travel: II. Custom:A payment for traveling. [Aramaic only] KJV (5): custom, traveler, drop - Strongs: H1982 (הֵלֶךְ), H1983 (הֲלָךְ)

bm) kile (הליכ HLYK) - Step: For walking up an incline. KJV (1): step - Strongs: H1978 (הָלִיךְ)

bf1) ekile (הליכה HLYKH) - Procession: The walk or lifestyle of an individual or company. KJV (7): way, goings, company, walk - Strongs: H1979 (הֲלִיכָה)

am) klem (מהלכ MHLK) - Journey: A place to walk. KJV (5): walk, journey - Strongs: H4108 (מַהְלֵךְ), H4109 (מַהֲלָךְ)

idf1) ekflet (תהלוכה THLWKH) - Walk: KJV (1): go - Strongs: H8418 (תַּהֲלוּכָה)

L) kli (ילכ YLK) AC: Walk CO: ? AB: ?

V) kli (ילכ YLK) - Walk: KJV (1043): (vf: Paal, Hiphil) go, walk, come, depart, away, follow, get, lead, brought, carry, bring - Strongs: H3212 (יָלַךְ)

Note the first set of letters (e.g. V) kli) is in Paleo Script on the site.

Jonathan E. Mohler
Springfield, MO
Jonathan E Mohler
Studying for a MA in Intercultural Studies
Baptist Bible Theological Seminary
kwrandolph
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Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by kwrandolph »

Jemoh66 wrote:Here's a nice outlay from this link: http://www.studylight.org/lexicons/hebr ... cgi?n=3212



Jonathan E. Mohler
Springfield, MO
Actually you wanted this link:

http://www.studylight.org/lexicons/hebr ... gi?n=01980

This is not an endorsement of his site, as he included in his discussion the following words, which don’t fit:

מלאך messenger, envoy, ambassador, one sent and empowered to accomplish a task, contrast to ‎ציר messenger, one who carries messages (⇐ who goes back and forth), convulsion, hinge (⇐ the action of going back and forth)

מלאכה work done for profit, as part of his profession

מלאכות message Hg 1:13, Ps 73:28, 1C 28:19

לאך is not found in the Bible.

He also doesn’t acknowledge that in Hebrew, the verb הלך is an irregular verb, therefore lists the irregular forms as separate entries.

Karl W. Randolph.
Isaac Fried
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Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by Isaac Fried »

There is no denying that the Hebrew letter כ kaf is a picture of the palm of the hand, and that ל lamed depicts something tall; maybe a staff, a stout stick, a pole, a shepherd's crook, or the like.

Were it my powers, I would write the Hebrew word for 'walk', הלח with a ח for the two legs. For dogs and cats I would write חלח while for a centipede ( מרבה רגליים ) I would write חחלחח giving thereby Hebrew orthography the evocative picturesque slant it deserves.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Jemoh66
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Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by Jemoh66 »

kwrandolph wrote: actually you wanted this link:

http://www.studylight.org/lexicons/hebr ... gi?n=01980
I'm not sure what your point is here; it was the exact same info.
kwrandolph wrote: This is not an endorsement of his site, as he included in his discussion the following words, which don’t fit:

‎מלאך messenger, envoy, ambassador, one sent and empowered to accomplish a task, contrast to ‎ציר messenger, one who carries messages (⇐ who goes back and forth), convulsion, hinge (⇐ the action of going back and forth)

‎מלאכה work done for profit, as part of his profession

‎מלאכות message Hg 1:13, Ps 73:28, 1C 28:19

לאך is not found in the Bible.
I agree, especially with regards to מלאכה; I don't see any semantic connection between work and go, walk, etc... unless work was tied to a nomadic lifestyle which included herding the herds. But I found it interesting and somewhat thorough and a worthy addition to the conversation.


Jonathan E Mohler
Springfield, MO
Jonathan E Mohler
Studying for a MA in Intercultural Studies
Baptist Bible Theological Seminary
Jemoh66
Posts: 307
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 11:03 pm

Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by Jemoh66 »

Isaac Fried wrote:There is no denying that the Hebrew letter כ kaf is a picture of the palm of the hand, and that ל lamed depicts something tall; maybe a staff, a stout stick, a pole, a shepherd's crook, or the like.

Were it my powers, I would write the Hebrew word for 'walk', הלח with a ח for the two legs. For dogs and cats I would write חלח while for a centipede ( מרבה רגליים ) I would write חחלחח giving thereby Hebrew orthography the evocative picturesque slant it deserves.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
I do find the pictographs of ancient semitic fascinating, however, I don't agree with the idea that primordial roots derived their meaning from images. Language is spoken, then written. God did not send Adam a letter, or daily text messages; He spoke to Adam. God writes for the first time at Sinai. By then, Hebrew is a well travelled tongue.

Jonathan E Mohler
Springfield, MO
Jonathan E Mohler
Studying for a MA in Intercultural Studies
Baptist Bible Theological Seminary
Isaac Fried
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Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by Isaac Fried »

I agree. The Hebrew word is not a picture. The Hebrew word חמור XAMOR, 'ass', for instance, is certainly not a picture of the beast, the letter ר R being in the shape of the head notwithstanding.

There is also no denying that speech came first. So what did God say to Adam (assuming He was the first to speak) on their first parley? I was not present, but I can imagine God pointing to the fruit of the tree of knowledge, booming in His best Hebrew על-על AL-AL, meaning to call attention and say: the thing on, or up upon the tree. Adam turned his head, perked up his ears, listened good to the commotion, and liked right there and then the beautiful idea of calling out for things. Then he repeated this novel invention in Eve's attentive ears, pointing to the fruit high on the tree, distinctly dictating this, fraught with meaning, musical AL-AL.
It is possible that God did utter something less distinguishable, but Adam heard AL, and that was good enough.

Then, leisurely ambling hand in hand through the lush garden they observed a bird perched high up upon a branch, and mutually acknowledged it by exclaiming in unison AL-AL, all the while jubilantly wallowing in the pleasure of listening to their own sing-song. Then a tall camel trotted by on his way to the desert of Eden, and again, impressed by his stature, they both called out in agreement and understanding AL-AL (later גמל ), to share, and vocally bond, in the excitement of the sudden observation of a soaring neck.
They got it! They had language! Almost.

They still needed a call to designate themselves, so it occurred to them to identify Adam by "U", the booming muu sound of the bull, and Eve by "I", the thin tweet of the bird. Now, as Eve climbed the tree to get a closer look at the forbidden yet enticing fruit, Adam gleefully exclaimed אִי עַל "I AL", 'she is up', while when he went up, she delightfully squealed "U AL", 'he is up'.

At this point they had firmly grasped both the idea and the practice of a language; the rest came quick and easy.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
kwrandolph
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Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by kwrandolph »

Jemoh66 wrote:I do find the pictographs of ancient semitic fascinating, however, I don't agree with the idea that primordial roots derived their meaning from images. Language is spoken, then written. God did not send Adam a letter, or daily text messages; He spoke to Adam. God writes for the first time at Sinai. By then, Hebrew is a well travelled tongue.

Jonathan E Mohler
Springfield, MO
We shouldn’t speculate where history is silent.

According to the history recorded in Genesis, mankind was created with the full set of verbal and intellectual skills, so why not also a written language already as firmware when he was created?

Furthermore, according to an ancient literary style, Genesis 1:1–2:4 would have been a written document written by God to give to Adam. Then Adam wrote Genesis 2:5–5:2. Then when Moses compiled Genesis, he may have edited some sections, eliminated duplications, but included the literary markers to indicate which sources he had for his information. Therefore, we can’t rule out that God gave writing already to Adam.

As for pictograph, that could merely be a mnemonic device, much like we still use where hearing is hard such as in a noisy environment, so a person may say “M-A-N, M and in monkey, A as in apple, N as in napkin.” but where the writing had the forms to make it easier to remember.

Karl W. Randolph.
Mark Lightman
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Re: Etymology of הָלַךְ

Post by Mark Lightman »

kwrandolph wrote:...according to an ancient literary style, Genesis 1:1–2:4 would have been a written document written by God to give to Adam. Then Adam wrote Genesis 2:5–5:2. Then when Moses compiled Genesis, he may have edited some sections, eliminated duplications, but included the literary markers to indicate which sources he had for his information. Therefore, we can’t rule out that God gave writing already to Adam.
Hi, Karl.

My own Hebrew reading of Genesis would tend to support this. There is no doubt that you have different styles, (which, if nothing else, to a beginner like me present themselves as different levels of difficulty!) and if one is to posit multiple authors, it makes more sense to talk about authors we know about rather than to construct hypothetical documents.
We shouldn’t speculate where history is silent.

את האמת אמרת
Mark Lightman
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