חָדָה
𐤇𐤃𐤄
châdâh
H2302 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To rejoice or be joyful; to express gladness. The verb denotes an active state of joy, often in association with community expressions of happiness or festive celebration. In some contexts, it carries the nuance of making others rejoice, that is, to cause gladness, or to celebrate jointly.
Semantic Range
to rejoice, to be cheerful, to celebrate, to make joyful, to exult, to join in gladness
Root / Etymology
From the root חדה (ח-ד-ה), possibly meaning 'to rejoice' as an intensive or active process, though the root is rare in Biblical Hebrew. There may be an underlying sense of emotional intensification or collective joy, as suggested by parallel usage in related Semitic languages, but the exact etymology beyond this specific usage is uncertain due to the verb's rarity.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָדָה is a rare verb in the Hebrew Bible, attested primarily in later biblical or poetic texts (e.g., Job 3:6; Job 20:18; Isaiah 14:8). It overlaps in meaning with שָׂמַח (sameach), the common verb 'to rejoice', but חָדָה often carries a sense of exultation or exuberant celebration, sometimes involving communal or ritual contexts. In some Syriac and Aramaic cognates, the root points to joy or gladness as well. Standard English translations often render it as 'rejoice' or 'be glad,' but may not capture its potential nuance of communal or intensified joy. Its use is distinct from lexical terms for simple happiness or pleasure, such as עַלֵּי ('to exult'), and works more specifically for marked, public expressions of delight. The use of חָדָה mostly disappears in the Second Temple period and is largely absent from post-biblical Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to rejoice; make glad, be joined, rejoice.
Bantu Hebrew
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חדה (ḥ-d-h) — to rejoice, to express joy, to exult, to cause to rejoice
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2302-01 |
תְּחַדֵּ֥/הוּ | techadehu | HVpi2ms/Sp3ms |
you gladden him | you cause him to rejoice | 1 | |
H2302-03 |
יִ֭חַדְּ | yichade | HVqj3ms |
be joined | let him rejoice | 1 | |
H2302-02 |
וַ/יִּ֣חַדְּ | vayichade | HC/Vqw3ms |
And Jethro rejoiced | and he rejoiced | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2302-02 |
Exodus 18:9 | וַ/יִּ֣חַדְּ | vayichade | HC/Vqw3ms |
And Jethro rejoiced | and he rejoiced | |
H2302-01 |
Psalms 21:7 | תְּחַדֵּ֥/הוּ | techadehu | HVpi2ms/Sp3ms |
you gladden him | you cause him to rejoice | |
H2302-03 |
Job 3:6 | יִ֭חַדְּ | yichade | HVqj3ms |
be joined | let him rejoice |