Lexical Summary
chaliphah: Change, exchange, relief, renewal
Original Word:חלִיפָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:chaliyphah
Pronunciation:khä-lee-fä'
Phonetic Spelling:(khal-ee-faw')
KJV: change, course
NASB:changes, change, hardship, relays
Word Origin:[fromH2498 (חָלַף - changed)]
1. alternation
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
change, course
Fromchalaph; alternation -- change, course.
see HEBREWchalaph
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
chalaphDefinitiona change
NASB Translationchange (2), changes (8), hardship (1), relays (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (from idea of
replacing, changing, substituting, compare Arabic, Aramaic) — suffix
Job 14:14; plural absolute
Judges 14:19 3t.; construct
id.Judges 14:13;
2 Kings 5:5;
Genesis 45:22 2t.;
Genesis 45:22;
Judges 14:12; —
change of raimentGenesis 45:22 (twice in verse), elsewhereJudges 14:12,13;2 Kings 5:5,22,23; so withoutJudges 14:19.
relays1 Kings 5:28; compareJob 10:17 (Di).
, under figure ofrelief from military serviceJob 14:14.
changing, varying, of course of lifePsalm 55:20 of the wicked,with whom are no changings, i.e. they do evil incessantly, steadily ("" ) so Kmp Hu De Sch and others; but the expression is peculiar and obscure; Calvvicissitudes; Hengstdischarges; text perhaps corrupt.
Topical Lexicon
Overview of Biblical UsageThe noun occurs twelve times and clusters around two observable spheres: tangible exchanges of clothing and intangible cycles of service, trial, or renewal. Together these settings unveil a biblical theology of change—whether external garments or internal seasons—always under God’s sovereign oversight.
Clothing Bestowed as Honor and Covenant Token
•Genesis 45:22 shows Joseph clothing his brothers, signaling reconciliation and the restoration of family bonds. Garments become a visible pledge of grace (“He gave to all of them a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave…five changes of clothes”).
• Samson’s wager hinges on “thirty changes of clothes” (Judges 14:12-19). The prize of garments elevates the riddle to a matter of honor; failure demands costly recompense, underscoring that God-given wisdom triumphs over Philistine pride.
• Naaman journeys with “ten changes of clothes” (2 Kings 5:5) as diplomatic tribute. After his healing, Gehazi’s deceitful request for “two changes of clothes” (2 Kings 5:22-23) turns a symbol of gratitude into an occasion for judgment.
Throughout Scripture, gifted garments foreshadow the covering of sin with righteousness (Isaiah 61:10) and anticipate the wedding clothes supplied by the King (Matthew 22:11-14).
Patterns of Service and Ordered Rotation
1 Kings 5:14 applies the term to Solomon’s labor force: “He sent them to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month.” Alternating crews prevent exhaustion, mirror Sabbath rhythms, and reveal divine wisdom in administration. The same principle later structures priestly courses (Luke 1:8), reminding ministries today to balance diligence with rest.
Seasons of Trial and Hope of Renewal
Job laments “hardship upon hardship” (Job 10:17), perceiving life as relentless changes of affliction. Yet faith pierces through: “All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes” (Job 14:14). The concept embraces both present instability and future transformation, aligning with Paul’s assurance that mortality will be “swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:4).
Warning against Spiritual Stagnation
Psalm 55:19 diagnoses the wicked: “because they do not change and they do not fear God.” Refusing holy change is evidence of hardened hearts and invites divine discipline. The verse balances Job’s yearning for change; righteous hope contrasts with rebellious immobility.
Theological Threads
1. Divine Provision: Every gift of clothing ultimately points to the Lord who “garments” His people with salvation.
2. Stewardship of Time and Labor: Rotational service illustrates leadership that protects workers and sustains long-term worship.
3. Sanctified Change: Trials, renewals, and moral repentance are part of God’s redemptive process; believers embrace change under Scripture’s authority.
4. Judgment on Unchangeableness: A refusal to change when confronted by truth is tantamount to rejecting the fear of God.
Ministry Application
• Practice generous hospitality; tangible gifts can become instruments of reconciliation like Joseph’s garments.
• Structure teams in sustainable rotations, reflecting Solomon’s shifts.
• Teach congregations to interpret life’s seasons throughJob 14:14, fostering patient hope in resurrection power.
• PreachPsalm 55:19 as a call to continual repentance, guarding against complacency.
Christological Reflection
The repeated motif of exchanged garments anticipates the Gospel exchange at the cross: the Sinless One bearing our filthy rags that we might be “clothed with Christ” (Galatians 3:27). All biblical “changes” converge on the ultimate transformation promised at His return, when “we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
Forms and Transliterations
הַחֲלִיפ֔וֹת החליפות חֲלִיפ֔וֹת חֲלִיפ֖וֹת חֲלִיפ֣וֹת חֲלִיפ֥וֹת חֲלִיפָתִֽי׃ חֲלִפ֣וֹת חֲלִפ֥וֹת חֲלִפֹ֥ת חליפות חליפתי׃ חלפות חלפת chalifaTi chaliFot ha·ḥă·lî·p̄ō·wṯ ḥă·lî·p̄ā·ṯî ḥă·li·p̄ō·wṯ ḥă·lî·p̄ō·wṯ ḥă·li·p̄ōṯ hachaliFot haḥălîp̄ōwṯ ḥălîp̄āṯî ḥălip̄ōṯ ḥălip̄ōwṯ ḥălîp̄ōwṯ
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