חֹדֶשׁ
𐤇𐤃𐤔
chôdesh
H2320 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The visible new crescent of the moon marking the start of a month; by extension, the period between successive new moons constituting a calendrical month. The term fundamentally refers to a discrete point in the lunar cycle, but develops a broader sense indicating the entire lunar month in Israelite calendrical reckoning.
Semantic Range
new moon (visible crescent), first day of the lunar month, beginning of a month, entire lunar month as a calendrical period, monthly (adjective or adverbial sense)
Root / Etymology
From the root חָדַשׁ (ḥ-d-sh), meaning 'to be new' or 'to renew.' The noun חֹדֶשׁ is formed as a derivative meaning 'new thing' or 'renewal,' here with specific reference to the repeated renewal of the lunar cycle, thus 'new moon.' The meaning 'month' arises secondarily from the period demarcated by each new moon.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Israelite calendar, חֹדֶשׁ referred first and foremost to the new crescent moon, whose sighting initiated the counting of a new month. This event carried ritual and festival significance and determined cultic observances, such as the offerings for new moon days (cf. Numbers 28:11–15). Over time, especially in exilic and post-exilic periods as calendrical systems became more regularized, חֹדֶשׁ increasingly came to denote the entire lunar month as a time period. Some English translations obscure the original lunar aspect by exclusively rendering it 'month,' whereas in many biblical passages the reference is specifically to the celebration or observance of the new moon (e.g., 1 Samuel 20). In the Pentateuch and early monarchy, the new moon was a time of both cultic and civil importance. Related roots such as יֶרַח (yerach) also mean 'month,' but yerach emphasizes the aspect of the full lunar cycle, and can also mean 'moon' as a celestial body, whereas חֹדֶשׁ is tied specifically to the renewal or beginning marked by the new moon's appearance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָדַשׁ; the new moon; by implication, a month; month(-ly), new moon.
Bantu Hebrew
| Language | Bantu Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bemba | Umwenshi | Moon, month |
Root Family
חדשׁ (ḥ-d-sh) — newness, renewal, restoration
Word Forms
25 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2320-15 |
לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ | lachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
of the month | to the new-moon | 92 |
H2320-01 |
בַּ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ | bachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
in the month | in the new-moon cycle | 53 |
H2320-11 |
חֹ֥דֶשׁ | chodesh | HNcmsc |
month | renewal-moon | 43 |
H2320-10 |
חֳדָשִׁ֗ים | chodashim | HNcmpa |
months | new-moons | 29 |
H2320-12 |
הַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ | hachodesh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the month | the new-moon | 19 |
H2320-18 |
לְ/חֹ֥דֶשׁ | lechodesh | HR/Ncmsa |
of the month | for the renewed-moon | 7 |
H2320-04 |
בְּ/חֹ֖דֶשׁ | bechodesh | HR/Ncmsc |
in the month | in new-moon renewal | 6 |
H2320-20 |
וּ/בַ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ | uvachodesh | HC/Rd/Ncmsa |
And in the month | and in the new-moon | 6 |
H2320-25 |
וְ/לֶ֣/חֳדָשִׁ֔ים | velechodashim | HC/Rd/Ncmpa |
and for the new moons | and for the new-moons | 4 |
H2320-07 |
חָדְשֵׁי/כֶם֒ | chadesheykhem | HNcmpc/Sp2mp |
of your months | your new-moons | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
283 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2320-01 |
Genesis 7:11 | בַּ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ | bachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
in the month | in the new-moon cycle |
H2320-15 |
Genesis 7:11 | לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ | lachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
of the month | to the new-moon |
H2320-01 |
Genesis 8:4 | בַּ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ | bachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
in the month | in the new-moon cycle |
H2320-15 |
Genesis 8:4 | לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ | lachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
of the month | to the new-moon |
H2320-12 |
Genesis 8:5 | הַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ | hachodesh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the month | the new-moon |
H2320-15 |
Genesis 8:5 | לַ/חֹ֔דֶשׁ | lachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
of the month | to the new-moon |
H2320-15 |
Genesis 8:13 | לַ/חֹ֔דֶשׁ | lachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
of the month | to the new-moon |
H2320-20 |
Genesis 8:14 | וּ/בַ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ | uvachodesh | HC/Rd/Ncmsa |
And in the month | and in the new-moon |
H2320-15 |
Genesis 8:14 | לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ | lachodesh | HRd/Ncmsa |
of the month | to the new-moon |
H2320-11 |
Genesis 29:14 | חֹ֥דֶשׁ | chodesh | HNcmsc |
a month | renewal-moon |