H2461. chalab

חָלָב‎ noun masculine milk (Late Hebrew id. (and verb denominative); Aramaic חַלָבָּא‎, , Phoenician חלב‎; Arabic noun fresh milk, verb milk; Assyrian alibu, milk, see Dl^{Pr 174}; Ethiopic ) — ׳ח‎ absolute Genesis 18:18 35t. + Ezekiel 34:3 (see below); construct חֲלֵב‎ Exodus 23:19 5t.; suffix חֲלָבִי‎ Song of Solomon 5:1, חֲלָבֵךְ‎ Ezekiel 25:4; — milk:

a. as common food Genesis 18:8 (J; distinct from חֶמְאָה‎ curd, q. v.), צאֹן חֲלֵב‎ Deuteronomy 32:14 (poetry; distinct from בָּקָר חֶמְאַת‎); in Judges 5:25 חָלָב‎ is used parallel with חֶמְאָה‎; elsewhere חֶמְאָה‎ seems to be produced from חָלָב‎: — חֶמְאָה יוֺצִיא חָלָב מִיץ‎ Proverbs 30:33 a pressing (squeezing) of milk produces curd; חֶמְאָה יאֹכַל חָלָב עֲשׂוֺת מֵרֹב‎ Isaiah 7:22 because of abundant yield of milk he shall eat curd; compare also הֶחָלָב חֲרִצֵי‎ 1 Samuel 17:18 cuts of milk, i.e. cheeses; it was received in buckets or pails (עֲטִינָיו‎) Job 21:24 (see Ew De Di VB), and kept in skins (ח ׳נאֹוד‎) Judges 4:19; men drank it (שׁתה‎) Ezekiel 25:4 (compare השׁקה‎ Judges 4:19), but also ate it (אכל‎), if emendation הֶחָלָב‎ Ezekiel 34:3 (for הַחֵלֶב‎) is right, ᵑ9 ᵐ5‎ Bo Hi-Sm Co, and others; it was poured out, see simile of formation of the embryo כֶח ׳הֲלֹא תַּתִּיכֵנִי‎ Job 10:10 hast thou not poured me out like milk? specifically (1) לְלַחְמְךָ עִזִּים חֲלֵב‎ Proverbs 27:27 milk of goats for thy food (RS^{Semitic i. 204}). (2) with אֵם‎ mother's milk: of kid אִמּוֺ בַּחֲלֵב גְּדִי לֹאתְֿבַשֵּׁל‎ Exodus 23:19 = 34:26 (JE) = Deuteronomy 14:21, compare ח ׳טְלֵה‎ 1 Samuel 7:9 sucking lamb (for sacrifice); but also of human beings מֵח ׳גְּמוּלֵי‎ Isaiah 28:9 weaned from milk ("" מִשָּׁדָ֫יִם עַתִּיקֵי‎); figurative in promise to Zion גּוֺיִם חֲלֵב וְיָנַקְתְּ‎ 60:16 and thou shalt suck the milk of nations ("" מְלָכִים וְשֹׁד תִּינָ֑קִי‎). (3) ׳ח‎ with wine, as especially delicacy Song of Solomon 5:1 (see De), figurative of ׳י‎s choicest blessings Isaiah 55:1. (4) often in phrase of productiveness of land of Canaan (דְּבַשׁ‎) וּדְבָ֫שׁ חָלָב זָבַת‎ flowing with milk and honey Exodus 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3; Numbers 13:27; 14:8; 16:13-14, (all J E), Leviticus 20:24 (H), Deuteronomy 6:3; 11:9; 26:9, 15; 27:3; 31:20; Joshua 5:6; Jeremiah 11:5; 32:22; Ezekiel 20:6, 15; in Messianic time the hills ח ׳תֵּלַכְנָה‎ Joel 4:18 ("" עָסִיס הֶהָרִים יִטְּפוּ‎); figurative of charms of loved one וְח ׳דְּבַשׁ לְשׁוֺנֵךְ תַּחַת‎ Song of Solomon 4:12 honey and milk are under thy tongue.

b. milk as white מֵח ׳לְבֶןשִֿׁנַּיִם‎ Genesis 49:12 white of teeth, from milk; מֵח ׳צַחוּ‎ Lamentations 4:7 they were whiter than milk ("" מִשֶּׁלֶג זַכּוּ‎); so also probably of eyes (iris) בֶּח ׳רֹחֲצוֺת‎ Song of Solomon 5:12 bathed in milk, i.e. the white of the eye. — On milk as not used by Israel in sacrifice see RS^{Semitic 204}.

II. חלב‎ (√of following; perhaps compare Assyrian —alâbu, be covered, VR Cant 8:83 Lyon^{Manual, Gloss}, —allibu, cover, clothe IR:18, 68 —allubtu, clothing, Lyon^{Sargontexte 14}, —itlupatu, na—lapu (read b for p) Schr^{COT Gloss}).