מוֹעֵד

𐤌𐤅𐤏𐤃

môwʻêd

H4150 noun

SILEX Entry

Root יעד to appoint, designate, fix (a time/place)

Definition

Designated time or season; an appointed meeting, especially one established by prior arrangement. In the context of cultic practice, refers particularly to set festivals or religious convocations observed at established times, as well as the time or place of such gatherings.

Semantic Range

appointed time, fixed season, appointed festival, set feast, period designated for a purpose, gathering/meeting (religious or civic), appointed place (especially divine-human meeting point), the tent of meeting, assembly

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root יָעַד (yaʿad), meaning 'to appoint, to fix, to designate.' The noun מוֹעֵד functions as the nominal form for an arranged or fixed time, meeting, or event. The feminine form מוֹעָדָה (moʿadāh) occurs less frequently. Its lexical derivation from יָעַד provides a link to the meaning of deliberate designation or appointment.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מוֹעֵד occurs frequently in priestly and cultic texts, where it denotes the established times for festivals or religious gatherings (Lev 23; Num 28:2; Num 9:2-3). It is most prominently featured in formulations like עוֹלַת תָּמִיד בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ ('regular burnt offering at its appointed time'). The word is also used broadly for any fixed time or appointment (Gen 17:21; Exod 9:5). In the priestly tradition, מוֹעֵד can refer to the designated place of meeting between the deity and the Israelite representative, particularly the tent of meeting (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד). In later periods, the meaning shifted toward 'festival' or 'set feast,' but the underlying sense of appointed time or meeting remains. English translations such as 'feast' or 'festival' may over-narrow the meaning; the term fundamentally refers to any appointed time or place, whether or not a celebratory gathering is implied. The related term חַג (chag) is more specifically used for festival celebrations marked by rejoicing. In post-exilic and Second Temple literature, 'moed' sometimes broadens to mean festivals generically, or even synagogal gatherings, but this is a development from the original context of appointed, divinely designated times and meeting places.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מֹעֵד; or (feminine) מוֹעָדָה; (2 Chronicles 8:13), from יָעַד; properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally ayear; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand); appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn(-ity), synogogue, (set) time (appointed).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

יעד (y-ʿ-d) — appoint, designate, fix, set (time/place)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3133 יוֹעֵד Yahweh appoints
H3259 יָעַד the appointed ones
H3260 יֶעְדִּי Yahweh-has-appointed
H4151 מוֹעָד in his appointed assemblies
H4152 מוּעָדָה the appointed place

Word Forms

30 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4150-22 מוֹעֵ֣ד moed HNcmsa of meeting appointed time 161
H4150-09 לַ/מּוֹעֵ֣ד lamoed HRd/Ncmsa at the appointed time to the appointed time 12
H4150-18 מוֹעֲדֵ֣י moadey HNcmpc appointed times appointed-times of 7
H4150-05 בְּ/מוֹעֲדֽ/וֹ bemoado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms at its appointed time at his appointed-time 6
H4150-12 לְ/מוֹעֵד֙ lemoed HR/Ncmsa at the appointed time for an appointed time 6
H4150-07 הַ/מּוֹעֵ֖ד hamoed HTd/Ncmsa the appointed time the appointed time 3
H4150-15 מוֹעֲדָֽ/י moaday HNcmpc/Sp1cs my appointed feasts my appointed-times 2
H4150-04 בְּ/מֹעֲדֵי/כֶ֑ם bemoadeykhem HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp in your appointed seasons in your appointed-times 2
H4150-24 וּ/לְ/מ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים ulemoadim HC/R/Ncmpa and-for-festivals and for appointed times 2
H4150-29 וְ/לַ/מֹּעֲדִ֑ים velamoadim HC/Rd/Ncmpa and for the appointed feasts and to the appointed times 2

Occurrences in Scripture

223 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4150-24 Genesis 1:14 וּ/לְ/מ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים ulemoadim HC/R/Ncmpa for seasons and for appointed times
H4150-09 Genesis 17:21 לַ/מּוֹעֵ֣ד lamoed HRd/Ncmsa at the appointed time to the appointed time
H4150-09 Genesis 18:14 לַ/מּוֹעֵ֞ד lamoed HRd/Ncmsa At the appointed time to the appointed time
H4150-09 Genesis 21:2 לַ/מּוֹעֵ֕ד lamoed HRd/Ncmsa at the appointed time to the appointed time
H4150-22 Exodus 9:5 מוֹעֵ֣ד moed HNcmsa an appointed time appointed time
H4150-10 Exodus 13:10 לְ/מוֹעֲדָ֑/הּ lemoadah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs at its appointed time for her appointed-time
H4150-12 Exodus 23:15 לְ/מוֹעֵד֙ lemoed HR/Ncmsa at the appointed time for an appointed time
H4150-22 Exodus 27:21 מוֹעֵד֩ moed HNcmsa of meeting appointed time
H4150-22 Exodus 28:43 מוֹעֵ֗ד moed HNcmsa of meeting appointed time
H4150-22 Exodus 29:4 מוֹעֵ֑ד moed HNcmsa of meeting appointed time