Lexical Definition

‎מַחֲלֹקֶת‎ machălôqeth (makh-al-o'-keth) division ^H:N-F
from ‎חָלַק‎

company, course, division, portion. See also ‎סֶלַע הַמַּחְלְקוֹת‎.

• a section (of Levites, people or soldiers)

1) division, course, class, share, allotment
1a) division, part
1b) division, class, course
1b1) of priests, Levites (technical term of organisation)

See Greek: διαίρεσις · διαμερισμός · ἐφημερία · μερισμός

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: mach.le.qah (‎מ‎ַ‎ח‎ְ‎ל‎ְ‎ק‎ָ‎ה‎ "class" מַחְלְקָה)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎מַחֲלֹ֫קֶת‎ noun feminine division, course (almost wholly Chronicles) — ‎׳‎‎מ‎ absolute 1Chr 27:1; 1Chr 27:2 construct 1Chr 27:4 suffix ‎מַחֲלֻקְתּוֺ‎ 1Chr 27:2 + 14 t. 1Chr 27 absolute ‎מַחְלְקוֺת‎ 1Chr 23:6 + 6 t. Chronicles + 1Sam 23:28 (see below); construct id. 1Chr 26:12 + 5 t. Chronicles + Neh 11:36 suffix ‎מַחְלְקוֺתֵיכֶם‎ 2Chr 35:4 ‎מַחְלְקוֺתֵיהֶם‎ 2Chr 31:16; 2Chr 31:17 ‎מַחְלְקוֺתָם‎ 1Chr 24:1 + 3 t. in Chronicles; ‎מַחְלְקֹתָם‎ Josh 11:23; Josh 12:7; Josh 18:10; Ezek 48:29 —

1. division, part, of land assigned to the several tribes of Israel Josh 11:23; Josh 12:7 ( both D) Josh 18:10 (J E; others, divisions of Israel, but see) Ezek 48:29.

2. techn. term of organization of priests and Levites (late), 1Chr 23:6; 1Chr 24:1; 1Chr 26:1; 1Chr 26:12; 1Chr 26:19; 2Chr 8:14 (twice in verse); 2Chr 31:2 (twice in verse); 2Chr 35:4; 2Chr 35:10; Neh 11:36 + 25 t. in Chronicles, + (of royal officials) 1Chr 28:1 — ‎סֶלַע הַמַּחְלְקוֺת‎ proper name 1Sam 23:28 was popularly connected with this √, = rock of divisions, where Saul and David parted from neighbourhood of each other (Dr) so Vrss Th and others; Bö Klo, where their forces lay divided from each other; originally connection was perhaps with II. ‎חלק‎, smooth, slippery; Ges De W Ke and others explanation here as rock of escapes, but this meaning for ‎חלק‎ dubious.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References