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 Songs 5:1, חֲלָבֵךְ Ezekiel 25:4; — milk:

a. as common food Genesis 18:8 (J; distinct from חֶמְאָה curd, q. v.), חֲלֵב צאֹן Deuteronomy 32:14 (poetry; distinct from חֶמְאַת בָּקָר); in Judges 5:25 חָלָב is used parallel with חֶמְאָה; elsewhere חֶמְאָה seems to be produced from חָלָב: — מִיץ חָלָב יוֺצִיא חֶמְאָה Proverbs 30:33 a pressing (squeezing) of milk produces curd; מֵרֹב עֲשׂוֺת חָלָב יאֹכַל חֶמְאָה Isaiah 7:22 because of abundant yield of milk he shall eat curd; compare also חֲרִצֵי הֶחָלָב 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 (׳נאֹוד ח) 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, 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 Proverbs 27:27 milk of goats for thy food (RS^{Semitic i. 204}). (2) with אֵם mother's milk: of kid לֹאתְֿבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֺ Exodus 23:19 = Exodus 34:26 (JE) = Deuteronomy 14:21, compare ׳טְלֵה ח 1 Samuel 7:9 sucking lamb (for sacrifice); but also of human beings ׳גְּמוּלֵי מֵח Isaiah 28:9 weaned from milk ("" עַתִּיקֵי מִשָּׁדָ֫יִם); figurative in promise to Zion וְיָנַקְתְּ חֲלֵב גּוֺיִם Isaiah 60:16 and thou shalt suck the milk of nations ("" תִּינָ֑קִי וְשֹׁד מְלָכִים). (3) ׳ח with wine, as especially delicacy Songs 5:1 (see De), figurative of ׳יs choicest blessings Isaiah 55:1. (4) often in phrase of productiveness of land of Canaan (דְּבַשׁ) זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָ֫שׁ flowing with milk and honey Exodus 3:8,17; Exodus 13:5; Exodus 33:3; Numbers 13:27; Numbers 14:8; Numbers 16:13,14 (all J E), Leviticus 20:24 (H), Deuteronomy 6:3; Deuteronomy 11:9; Deuteronomy 26:9,15; Deuteronomy 27:3; Deuteronomy 31:20; Joshua 5:6; Jeremiah 11:5; Jeremiah 32:22; Ezekiel 20:6,15; in Messianic time the hills ׳תֵּלַכְנָה ח Joel 4:18 ("" יִטְּפוּ הֶהָרִים עָסִיס); figurative of charms of loved one תַּחַת לְשׁוֺנֵךְ ׳דְּבַשׁ וְח Songs 4:12 honey and milk are under thy tongue.

b. milk as white ׳לְבֶןשִֿׁנַּיִם מֵח Genesis 49:12 white of teeth, from milk; ׳צַחוּ מֵח Lamentations 4:7 they were whiter than milk ("" זַכּוּ מִשֶּׁלֶג); so also probably of eyes (iris) ׳רֹחֲצוֺת בֶּח Songs 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}).