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 Gen 18:18 + 35 t. + Ezek 34:3 (see below); construct חֲלֵב Exod 23:19 + 5 t.; suffix חֲלָבִי Song 5:1, חֲלָבֵךְ Ezek 25:4 — milk:
  a. as common food Gen 18:8 (J; distinct from חֶמְאָה curd, q. v.), חֲלֵב צאֹן Deut 32:14 (poetry; distinct from חֶמְאַת בָּקָר); in Judg 5:25 חָלָב is used parallel with חֶמְאָה; elsewhere חֶמְאָה seems to be produced from חָלָב: — מִיץ חָלָב יוֺצִיא חֶמְאָה Prov 30:33 a pressing (squeezing) of milk produces curd; מֵרֹב עֲשׂוֺת חָלָב יאֹכַל חֶמְאָה Isa 7:22 because of abundant yield of milk he shall eat curd; compare also חֲרִצֵי הֶחָלָב 1Sam 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) Judg 4:19 men drank it (שׁתה) Ezek 25:4 (compare השׁקה Judg 4:19), but also ate it (אכל), if emendation הֶחָלָב Ezek 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 Prov 27:27 milk of goats for thy food (RS^{Semitic i. 204}). (2) with אֵם mother's milk: of kid לֹאתְֿבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֺ Exod 23:19 = Exod 34:26 (JE) = Deut 14:21, compare ׳טְלֵה ח 1Sam 7:9 sucking lamb (for sacrifice); but also of human beings ׳גְּמוּלֵי מֵח Isa 28:9 weaned from milk (|| עַתִּיקֵי מִשָּׁדָ֫יִם); figurative in promise to Zion וְיָנַקְתְּ חֲלֵב גּוֺיִם Isa 60:16 and thou shalt suck the milk of nations (|| תִּינָ֑קִי וְשֹׁד מְלָכִים). (3) ׳ח with wine, as especially delicacy Song 5:1 (see De), figurative of ׳י's choicest blessings Isa 55:1. (4) often in phrase of productiveness of land of Canaan (דְּבַשׁ) זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָ֫שׁ flowing with milk and honey Exod 3:8; Exod 3:17; Exod 13:5; Exod 33:3; Num 13:27; Num 14:8; Num 16:13; Num 16:14 (all J E), Lev 20:24 (H), Deut 6:3; Deut 11:9; Deut 26:9; Deut 26:15; Deut 27:3; Deut 31:20; Josh 5:6; Jer 11:5; Jer 32:22; Ezek 20:6; Ezek 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 Song 4:12 honey and milk are under thy tongue.
  b. milk as white ׳לְבֶןשִֿׁנַּיִם מֵח Gen 49:12 white of teeth, from milk; ׳צַחוּ מֵח Lam 4:7 they were whiter than milk (|| זַכּוּ מִשֶּׁלֶג); so also probably of eyes (iris) ׳רֹחֲצוֺת בֶּח Song 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}.