חָלָב

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 1 Mos 18,18 + 35 t. + Ezk 34,3 (see below); construct חֲלֵב 2 Mos 23,19 + 5 t.; suffix חֲלָבִי Hoj 5,1, חֲלָבֵךְ Ezk 25,4 — milk:
\ \ a. as common food 1 Mos 18,8 (J; distinct from חֶמְאָה curd, q. v.), חֲלֵב צאֹן 5 Mos 32,14 (poetry; distinct from חֶמְאַת בָּקָר); in Dom 5,25 חָלָב is used parallel with חֶמְאָה; elsewhere חֶמְאָה seems to be produced from חָלָב: — מִיץ חָלָב יוֺצִיא חֶמְאָה Ord 30,33 a pressing (squeezing) of milk produces curd; מֵרֹב עֲשׂוֺת חָלָב יאֹכַל חֶמְאָה Es 7,22 because of abundant yield of milk he shall eat curd; compare also חֲרִצֵי הֶחָלָב 1 Sam 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 (׳נאֹוד ח) Dom 4,19 men drank it (שׁתה) Ezk 25,4 (compare השׁקה Dom 4,19), but also ate it (אכל), if emendation הֶחָלָב Ezk 34,3 (for הַחֵלֶב) is right, ᵐ5 ᵑ9 Bo Hi-Sm Co, and others; it was poured out, see simile of formation of the embryo תַּתִּיכֵנִי ׳הֲלֹא כֶח Job 10,10 hast thou not poured me out like milk? specifically (1) חֲלֵב עִזִּים לְלַחְמְךָ Ord 27,27 milk of goats for thy food (RS^{Semitic i. 204}). (2) with אֵם mother's milk: of kid לֹאתְֿבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֺ 2 Mos 23,19 = 2 Mos 34,26 (JE) = 5 Mos 14,21, compare ׳טְלֵה ח 1 Sam 7,9 sucking lamb (for sacrifice); but also of human beings ׳גְּמוּלֵי מֵח Es 28,9 weaned from milk (|| עַתִּיקֵי מִשָּׁדָ֫יִם); figurative in promise to Zion וְיָנַקְתְּ חֲלֵב גּוֺיִם Es 60,16 and thou shalt suck the milk of nations (|| תִּינָ֑קִי וְשֹׁד מְלָכִים). (3) ׳ח with wine, as especially delicacy Hoj 5,1 (see De), figurative of ׳י's choicest blessings Es 55,1. (4) often in phrase of productiveness of land of Canaan (דְּבַשׁ) זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָ֫שׁ flowing with milk and honey 2 Mos 3,8; 2 Mos 3,17; 2 Mos 13,5; 2 Mos 33,3; 4 Mos 13,27; 4 Mos 14,8; 4 Mos 16,13; 4 Mos 16,14 (all J E), 3 Mos 20,24 (H), 5 Mos 6,3; 5 Mos 11,9; 5 Mos 26,9; 5 Mos 26,15; 5 Mos 27,3; 5 Mos 31,20; Jos 5,6; Jer 11,5; Jer 32,22; Ezk 20,6; Ezk 20,15 in Messianic time the hills ׳תֵּלַכְנָה ח Joel 4,18 (|| יִטְּפוּ הֶהָרִים עָסִיס); figurative of charms of loved one תַּחַת לְשׁוֺנֵךְ ׳דְּבַשׁ וְח Hoj 4,12 honey and milk are under thy tongue.
\ \ b. milk as white ׳לְבֶןשִֿׁנַּיִם מֵח 1 Mos 49,12 white of teeth, from milk; ׳צַחוּ מֵח Klg 4,7 they were whiter than milk (|| זַכּוּ מִשֶּׁלֶג); so also probably of eyes (iris) ׳רֹחֲצוֺת בֶּח Hoj 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}.