Lexical Summary
chalaqlaqqoth: Slippery places, smoothness, flattery
Original Word:חֲלַקְלַקָּה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:chalaqlaqqah
Pronunciation:kha-lak-lak-KOTH
Phonetic Spelling:(khal-ak-lak-kaw')
KJV: flattery, slippery
NASB:hypocrisy, intrigue, slippery, slippery paths
Word Origin:[by reduplication fromH2505 (חָלַק - To divide)]
1. (properly) something very smooth
2. i.e. a treacherous spot
3. (figuratively) blandishment
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
flattery, slippery
By reduplication fromchalaq; properly, something very smooth; i.e. A treacherous spot; figuratively, blandishment -- flattery, slippery.
see HEBREWchalaq
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originby redupl. from
chalaqDefinitionsmoothness
NASB Translationhypocrisy (1), intrigue (1), slippery (1), slippery paths (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
;
slipperinessPsalm 35:6;Jeremiah 23:12.
fine promisesDaniel 11:21; compareDaniel 11:34.
Topical Lexicon
OverviewStrong’s Hebrew 2519 appears in four passages that cluster around two metaphorical domains: hazardous pathways (Psalm 35:6;Jeremiah 23:12) and deceptive speech or political intrigue (Daniel 11:21;Daniel 11:34). In both domains the word underscores the insecurity of wicked schemes and the certainty of divine justice.
Psalm 35:6 – Divine Retribution on Persecutors
David’s imprecatory petition, “May their path be dark and slippery, as the angel of the LORD pursues them” (Psalm 35:6), frames the term as an instrument of judgment. The imagery turns the battlefield against those who hunt the righteous. Instead of secure footing, persecutors receive a treacherous course patrolled by the angel of the LORD. The context reassures sufferers that God actively intervenes against malicious enemies, turning the tables by removing the stability they presumed.
Jeremiah 23:12 – Judgment on False Shepherds
“Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be driven away into the darkness and there they will fall” (Jeremiah 23:12). Here the prophet targets priests and prophets who have corrupted worship with adultery and idolatry (Jeremiah 23:11). Their public credibility masks a spiritual precipice. The same leaders who promise peace to Judah are shown to inhabit an unseen slope toward divine wrath. The verse illustrates a consistent prophetic pattern: those entrusted with truth but trafficking in lies eventually stumble in the very darkness they ushered in.
Daniel 11 – Political Intrigue and Eschatological Tension
Daniel 11:21 introduces a “contemptible person” who “will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom through intrigue.” Verse 34 adds that many will “join them by intrigue.” In the historical foreground the passage depicts the rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who captured the Seleucid throne through diplomatic charm and calculated alliances. The broader prophecy anticipates future antichrist figures who manipulate nations by the same methods. The use of the word in Daniel extends the metaphor from physical peril to crafty persuasion—smooth words that win allegiance yet veil oppression.
Key Themes
• Divine sovereignty: whether the word pictures a slick road or slick rhetoric, God remains in control, ensuring that deception does not go unchecked (Psalm 35:8;Daniel 11:45).
• Moral causation: wickedness generates its own downfall; the slippery way is both consequence and judicial sentence (Jeremiah 2:19).
• The vulnerability of human power: political maneuvering that appears unstoppable is, in reality, precarious (Daniel 11:40 – 45).
Practical Ministry Implications
1. Discernment in Leadership: Jeremiah’s warning urges pastors and teachers to avoid the “smooth” message that flatters sin. Sound doctrine guards both pulpit and pew from the slide toward judgment (2 Timothy 4:3 – 4).
2. Intercessory Confidence:Psalm 35 authorizes believers to entrust vengeance to God, who can reverse an oppressor’s advantages without compromising righteousness (Romans 12:19).
3. Eschatological Vigilance:Daniel 11 equips the Church to recognize and resist political or religious movements that gain influence through enticing promises rather than truth (1 John 2:18 – 27).
Christological Connections
Jesus Christ embodies the antithesis of חֲלַקְלַקָּה. His words are gracious yet never manipulative (Luke 4:22); His path leads through suffering to resurrection glory, untainted by deceit (1 Peter 2:22). At His return He will overthrow every kingdom built on intrigue (Revelation 19:11 – 16). Thus the term ultimately drives readers to seek stability in the Messiah, “the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:4).
Forms and Transliterations
בַּחֲלַקְלַקּֽוֹת׃ בחלקלקות׃ וַחֲלַקְלַקּ֑וֹת וחלקלקות כַּחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת֙ כחלקלקות ba·ḥă·laq·laq·qō·wṯ bachalaklakKot baḥălaqlaqqōwṯ ka·ḥă·laq·laq·qō·wṯ kachalaklakkOt kaḥălaqlaqqōwṯ vachalaklakKot wa·ḥă·laq·laq·qō·wṯ waḥălaqlaqqōwṯ
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