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חַג

𐤇𐤂

chag

H2282 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A communal festival or pilgrim feast celebrated by the Israelite community, typically characterized by prescribed rituals, processions, and offerings at a central sanctuary. The term refers specifically to major calendar feasts involving pilgrimage, such as the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Booths. In some contexts, may also include the celebratory sacrifices or festival activities themselves.

Semantic Range

pilgrimage festival, communal religious feast, ritual sacrificial celebration, festival sacrifice, formal celebration involving movement or procession

Root / Etymology

From the root חָגַג (ḥ-g-g), meaning 'to make a pilgrimage,' 'to celebrate a festival,' or 'to move in a circle (as in procession or dance).' The noun חַג denotes the occasion that is celebrated, especially one involving collective religious observance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, חַג primarily denotes the three major pilgrimage festivals (שָׁלוֹשׁ רְגָלִים): Unleavened Bread (Pesach), Weeks (Shavuot), and Booths (Sukkot), during which Israelites were commanded to come to the central sanctuary. The term is distinct from מוֹעֵד (mo‘ed), which refers more generally to appointed times or assemblies and can include non-pilgrimage religious observances. In later Jewish and Christian translations, חַג is often rendered simply as 'feast' or 'festival,' but such translations may not adequately reflect its distinct association with collective pilgrimage and ritual celebration. Over time, the term also came to refer more broadly to celebratory sacred occasions beyond the originally prescribed festivals. Use of חַג in exilic and post-exilic literature sometimes reflects evolving cultic practice, where the emphasis on pilgrimage diminished and the ritual or liturgical aspects of the festival gained prominence. The term is not equivalent to the later English term 'holiday,' nor should it be conflated with the designation of later religious observances, which developed new meanings in subsequent centuries.

Translation Consistency

primary "festival" 38 occurrences

Festival is the most natural, broadly accurate English noun to cover H2282’s typical sense of the major communal/pilgrim feasts (Unleavened Bread, Weeks, Booths) including their rituals and sacrificial activities. It captures both the celebratory and institutional aspects better than 'pilgrimage' (which emphasizes the journey) or 'feast' (which focuses mainly on food). Using 'festival' ensures consistent, clear rendering across all occurrences.

Alternatives (12 occurrences):
"pilgrimage-festival of" (8x) "pilgrimage-festival" (3x) "feast" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or חָג; from חָגַג; a festival, or a victim therefor; (solemn) feast (day), sacrifice, solemnity.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

חגג (Chagi) — to celebrate, to make pilgrimage, to dance in a circle

Root חגג to celebrate, to make pilgrimage, to dance in a circle
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2283 חָגָא to whirling terror
H2287 חָגַג my festival-celebration
H2291 חַגִּי the Festive-descendant
H2294 חַגִּית Festive Woman

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2282-04 חָ֡ג chag HNcmsa feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of 31
H2282-02 בֶּ/חָ֑ג bechag HRd/Ncmsa in the feast in the pilgrimage-festival of in the pilgrimage-festival of 7
H2282-14 וּ/בְ/חַ֥ג uvechag HC/R/Ncmsc and in feast and in pilgrimage-festival and in pilgrimage-festival 4
H2282-15 וְ/חַ֤ג vechag HC/Ncmsc and-Feast and pilgrimage-festival of and pilgrimage-festival of 4
H2282-08 חַגֵּי/כֶ֑ם chageykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp of your feasts your pilgrimage festivals your pilgrimage festivals 3
H2282-11 הֶ/חָ֡ג hechag HTd/Ncmsa the feast the pilgrimage festival the pilgrimage festival 3
H2282-01 בַּ/חַגִּ֤ים bachagim HRd/Ncmpa at the feasts in the pilgrimage festivals in the pilgrimage festivals 1
H2282-03 בְּ/חַגֶּ֑/ךָ bechagekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms in your feast in your pilgrimage festival in your pilgrimage festival 1
H2282-05 חַגָּ֖/הּ chagah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her festival her pilgrimage-festival her pilgrimage-festival 1
H2282-06 חַגַּ֖יִ/ךְ chagayikhe HNcmpc/Sp2fs your feasts your pilgrimage festivals your pilgrimage festivals 1

Occurrences in Scripture

62 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2282-04 Exodus 10:9 חַג chag HNcmsc a feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Exodus 12:14 חַ֣ג chag HNcmsa a feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Exodus 13:6 חַ֖ג chag HNcmsa feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Exodus 23:15 חַ֣ג chag HNcmsc Feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-15 Exodus 23:16 וְ/חַ֤ג vechag HC/Ncmsc and-the-feast and pilgrimage-festival of and pilgrimage-festival of
H2282-15 Exodus 23:16 וְ/חַ֤ג vechag-2 HC/Ncmsc and-feast and pilgrimage-festival of and pilgrimage-festival of
H2282-09 Exodus 23:18 חַגִּ֖/י chagi HNcmsc/Sp1cs of My feast my pilgrimage-festival my feast
H2282-04 Exodus 32:5 חַ֥ג chag HNcmsa a feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Exodus 34:18 חַ֣ג chag HNcmsc Feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-15 Exodus 34:22 וְ/חַ֤ג vechag HC/Ncmsc and-Feast and pilgrimage-festival of and pilgrimage-festival of
H2282-15 Exodus 34:22 וְ/חַג֙ vechag-2 HC/Ncmsc and-Feast and pilgrimage-festival of and pilgrimage-festival of
H2282-04 Exodus 34:25 חַ֥ג chag HNcmsc feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Leviticus 23:6 חַ֥ג chag HNcmsc feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Leviticus 23:34 חַ֧ג chag HNcmsc Feast of pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Leviticus 23:39 חַג chag HNcmsc feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Leviticus 23:41 חַ֣ג chag HNcmsa feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Numbers 28:17 חָ֑ג chag HNcmsa feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Numbers 29:12 חַ֛ג chag HNcmsa a feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Deuteronomy 16:10 חַ֤ג chag HNcmsc the Feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Deuteronomy 16:13 חַ֧ג chag HNcmsc feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-03 Deuteronomy 16:14 בְּ/חַגֶּ֑/ךָ bechagekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms in your feast in your pilgrimage festival in your pilgrimage festival
H2282-02 Deuteronomy 16:16 בְּ/חַ֧ג bechag HR/Ncmsc at feast in the pilgrimage-festival of in the pilgrimage-festival of
H2282-14 Deuteronomy 16:16 וּ/בְ/חַ֥ג uvechag HC/R/Ncmsc and at feast and in pilgrimage-festival and in pilgrimage-festival
H2282-14 Deuteronomy 16:16 וּ/בְ/חַ֣ג uvechag-2 HC/R/Ncmsc and at feast and in pilgrimage-festival and in pilgrimage-festival
H2282-02 Deuteronomy 31:10 בְּ/חַ֥ג bechag HR/Ncmsc in the festival in the pilgrimage-festival of in the pilgrimage-festival of
H2282-04 Judges 21:19 חַג chag HNcmsc feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-02 1 Kings 8:2 בֶּ/חָ֑ג bechag HRd/Ncmsa in the feast in the pilgrimage-festival of in the pilgrimage-festival of
H2282-11 1 Kings 8:65 הֶ/חָ֡ג hechag HTd/Ncmsa the feast the pilgrimage festival the pilgrimage festival
H2282-04 1 Kings 12:32 חָ֡ג chag HNcmsa a feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-12 1 Kings 12:32 כֶּ/חָ֣ג kechag HRd/Ncmsa like the feast like a pilgrimage-festival like a pilgrimage festival
H2282-04 1 Kings 12:33 חָג֙ chag HNcmsa a feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-10 Isaiah 29:1 חַגִּ֥ים chagim HNcmpa feasts pilgrimage festivals pilgrimage festivals
H2282-04 Isaiah 30:29 חָ֑ג chag HNcmsa a festival pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-01 Ezekiel 45:17 בַּ/חַגִּ֤ים bachagim HRd/Ncmpa at the feasts in the pilgrimage festivals in the pilgrimage festivals
H2282-04 Ezekiel 45:21 חָ֕ג chag HNcmsa feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-11 Ezekiel 45:23 הֶ/חָ֜ג hechag HTd/Ncmsa of the feast the pilgrimage festival the pilgrimage festival
H2282-02 Ezekiel 45:25 בֶּ/חָ֔ג bechag HRd/Ncmsa he shall do in the pilgrimage-festival of in the pilgrimage-festival of
H2282-13 Ezekiel 46:11 וּ/בַ/חַגִּ֣ים uvachagim HC/Rd/Ncmpa and-in-the-feasts and in the pilgrimage festivals and in the pilgrimage festivals
H2282-05 Hosea 2:13 חַגָּ֖/הּ chagah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her festival her pilgrimage-festival her pilgrimage-festival
H2282-04 Hosea 9:5 חַג chag HNcmsc of the feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-08 Amos 5:21 חַגֵּי/כֶ֑ם chageykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your festivals your pilgrimage festivals your pilgrimage festivals
H2282-08 Amos 8:10 חַגֵּי/כֶ֜ם chageykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your-feasts your pilgrimage festivals your pilgrimage festivals
H2282-06 Nahum 2:1 חַגַּ֖יִ/ךְ chagayikhe HNcmpc/Sp2fs your feasts your pilgrimage festivals your pilgrimage festivals
H2282-04 Zechariah 14:16 חַ֥ג chag HNcmsc the feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Zechariah 14:18 חַ֥ג chag HNcmsc feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-04 Zechariah 14:19 חַ֥ג chag HNcmsc the feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
H2282-08 Malachi 2:3 חַגֵּי/כֶ֑ם chageykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp of your feasts your pilgrimage festivals your pilgrimage festivals
H2282-07 Psalms 81:4 חַגֵּֽ/נוּ chagenu HNcmsc/Sp1cp of our feast our pilgrimage-festival of our festival
H2282-04 Psalms 118:27 חַ֥ג chag HNcmsa the-festival pilgrimage festival of festival
H2282-04 Ezra 3:4 חַ֥ג chag HNcmsc the feast pilgrimage festival of pilgrimage festival of
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