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Discover the meanings of thousands of Biblical names in Abarim Publications' Biblical Name Vault: Hali

Hali meaning

חלי

Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Hali.html

🔼The name Hali: Summary

Meaning
Jewel, Pierced Thing
Etymology
From the verb חלל (halal), to pierce.

🔼The name Hali in the Bible

The name Hali occurs only one time in the Bible. It's the name of a town that came to be situated in the territory allotted to the tribe of Asher (Joshua 19:25). This town called Hali plays no further role in the Bible, and its location is unknown today.

🔼Etymology of the name Hali

The name Hali is spelled and pronounced identical to the noun חלי (hali), meaning ornament, from root חלה (hala):

Excerpted from: Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary
חלל

The verb חלל (halal) means to pierce. Adjective חלל (halal) means (fatally) pierced. Noun חלה (halla) denotes a kind of donut. Noun חלון (hallon) describes a deliberate hole in a wall for ventilation and illumination. Noun חליל (halil) denotes a holed musical instrument like a flute or pipe, and the denominative verb חלל (halal) means to play the pipe. Noun מחלה (mehilla) appears to refer to a kind of geological depression or hollow comparable to a cave.

Special or fancy items were typically not damaged in any way, and piercing or otherwise compromising or altering items demonstrated their commonness or profaneness. Noun חל (hol) means profaneness or commonness. Adjective חלל (halal) and noun חלילה (halila) both mean profaned. The noun תחלה (tehilla) means beginning or first, which seems to argue that a whole new thing can only be brought about when an old way or old situation (no matter how highly regarded) is pierced and profaned.

Verb חלה (hala) means to be skewered in the sense of to be weak, sick or wounded. Noun חלי (holi) means wound or sickness. Noun מחלה (mahaleh) means disease.

Perhaps a whole other verb חלה (hala) means to appease or entreat, although entreating and piercing may be considered similar actions. Noun מחלת (mahalath) is a kind of song, perhaps a piercing, entreating affair, or perhaps some profane ditty, a song about common things, or perhaps even a song that was typically meant to be altered or build upon or expanded at any artist's discretion.

Perhaps a whole third verb חלה (hala) may have spoken of adorning, although most adorning was obviously achieved by piercing holes in things to hang them up. Prior to the invention of glue, items such as beads and brooches were attached by merit of strings and bores. Nouns חלי (hali) and חליה (helya) refers to ornaments and jewelry.

Similar to the first of the verbs חלה (hala), verb חלא (hala') means to be sick or diseased. Plural noun תחלאים (tahalu'im) means sickness(es) or disease(s).

Perhaps a whole other verb חלא (hala') may have meant to defile. It's not used in the Bible but it would explain the noun חלאה (hel'a), rust or filth.

🔼Hali meaning

For a meaning of the name Hali, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Necklace and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names proposes Ornament or Jewel. BDB Theological Dictionary does not interpret our name but does confirm that it is identical to חלי (hali), meaning ornament.