ha.lakh denotes a levy named with tribute and poll tax, whether withheld, paid to rulers, or exempted.

The term occurs as one of a set of levies alongside tribute and poll tax: it is said to be withheld if a city is rebuilt, paid to ruling kings, and barred from imposition on temple personnel.

1. A levy within listed royal taxes · dominant

   In Ezra 4:13 and Ezra 4:20, the singular absolute noun is listed with tribute and poll tax: the APB renders the clauses as taxes that would not be given if the city were rebuilt and as taxes given to kings ruling across the river. In Ezra 7:24, the same form occurs in the prohibition against imposing such charges on priests and other servants of the house.

   Ezra 4:13Ezra 4:20Ezra 7:24

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the term in tax lists as “custom” in Ezra 4:13 and Ezra 4:20, but as “toll” in Ezra 7:24. These are verse-level presentations rather than fixed lexical equivalents.