חֲדִי
𐤇𐤃𐤉
chădîy
H2306 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Breast, especially the chest or breast of a human or animal; frequently used in sacrificial and ritual language for the portion of an animal given as a priestly share. In Aramaic contexts, it refers specifically to the front of the torso, both anatomically and in ritual allocations.
Semantic Range
breast (of human or animal), chest, portion of animal (in sacrificial/ritual context)
Root / Etymology
From the root חזה (to see, look, gaze), attested in both Hebrew and Aramaic. In this nominal form, the word functions as a noun meaning 'breast' (the part seen or prominent on the chest), corresponding to the Hebrew חָזֶה. The derivation builds metaphorically on the idea of something visible, projecting, or prominent.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term חֲדִי (chădîy) appears in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, notably in Ezra 7:34, in contexts describing the division of animal sacrifices, where the breast was allotted to priests. Its usage mirrors that of its Hebrew counterpart חָזֶה, which is more common in Torah sacrificial legislation. The term always refers to a physical and anatomical part, not to an emotional or poetic center (unlike the Hebrew לֵב, 'heart'). In ritual texts, the breast (חֲדִי) is part of the prescribed priestly portion. English translations typically render it simply as 'breast,' but may obscure the technical or ritual significance. There is no evidence that the word carried metaphorical meanings in biblical or Second Temple Aramaic; its use was concrete and specific to the context of sacrifices.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to חָזֶה; a breast; breast.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חזה (ḥ-z-h) — to see, to look, to appear
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2335 | חוֹזַי | Visionary-One |
| H2370 | חֲזָא | he beheld |
| H2371 | חֲזָאֵל | El-has-seen |
| H2372 | חָזָה | in visionary seeing |
| H2373 | חָזֶה | front breast |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2306-01 |
חֲד֥וֹ/הִי | chadohi | ANcmsc/Sp3ms |
breast | his breast | its breast | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2306-01 |
Daniel 2:32 | חֲד֥וֹ/הִי | chadohi | ANcmsc/Sp3ms |
breast | his breast | its breast |