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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.

Translation Consistency

primary "new moon" 5 occurrences

חֹדֶשׁ primarily names the visible new crescent and the start of the lunar month and is often extended to mean the whole calendrical month. "New moon" preserves the original lunar/ritual sense while remaining natural English and can be inflected regularly (new-moon, new moons, at the new moon, monthly) for all occurrences, ensuring consistent rendering across the text.

Alternatives (45 occurrences):
"new-moon" (17x) "month" (16x) "new-moon cycle" (9x) "new-moons" (2x) "new moons of" (1x)

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 mwenshi Moon, month
Bemba umweshi moon/month
Chichewa mwezi moon; month
Kikuyu mweri moon; month
Kongo Ngodè the moon

See all 17 languages →

Root Family

חדשׁ (chôdesh) — to make new, to renew, to restore

Root חדשׁ to make new, to renew, to restore

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2320-15 לַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month 92
H2320-01 בַּ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle 53
H2320-11 חֹ֣דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsa month renewal-moon new-moon 43
H2320-10 חֳדָשִׁ֑ים chodashim HNcmpa months new-moons new-moons 29
H2320-12 הַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ hachodesh HTd/Ncmsa the month the new-moon the new-moon 19
H2320-18 לְ/חֹ֥דֶשׁ lechodesh HR/Ncmsa of the month for the renewed-moon of the month 7
H2320-04 בְּ/חֹ֔דֶשׁ bechodesh HR/Ncmsa in the month in new-moon renewal in the month 6
H2320-20 וּ/בַ/חֹ֥דֶשׁ uvachodesh HC/Rd/Ncmsa And in the month and in the new-moon 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 and for the new-moons 4
H2320-07 חָדְשֵׁי/כֶ֤ם chadesheykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp of your months your new-moons your new-moons 3

Occurrences in Scripture

283 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2320-01 Genesis 7:11 בַּ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-15 Genesis 7:11 לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon to the new-moon
H2320-01 Genesis 8:4 בַּ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-15 Genesis 8:4 לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-12 Genesis 8:5 הַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ hachodesh HTd/Ncmsa the month the new-moon the new-moon
H2320-15 Genesis 8:5 לַ/חֹ֔דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-15 Genesis 8:13 לַ/חֹ֔דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-20 Genesis 8:14 וּ/בַ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ uvachodesh HC/Rd/Ncmsa And in the month and in the new-moon and in the new moon
H2320-15 Genesis 8:14 לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-11 Genesis 29:14 חֹ֥דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsc a month renewal-moon a month
H2320-10 Genesis 38:24 חֳדָשִׁ֗ים chodashim HNcmpa months new-moons new-moons
H2320-12 Exodus 12:2 הַ/חֹ֧דֶשׁ hachodesh HTd/Ncmsa this month the new-moon the new-moon
H2320-10 Exodus 12:2 חֳדָשִׁ֑ים chodashim HNcmpa of months new-moons new-moons
H2320-16 Exodus 12:2 לְ/חָדְשֵׁ֖י lechadeshey HR/Ncmpc of months for new-moons of for new moons of
H2320-15 Exodus 12:3 לַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of-month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-15 Exodus 12:6 לַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon to the new-moon
H2320-15 Exodus 12:18 לַ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-15 Exodus 12:18 לַ/חֹ֖דֶשׁ lachodesh-2 HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-04 Exodus 13:4 בְּ/חֹ֖דֶשׁ bechodesh HR/Ncmsc in the month in new-moon renewal in the month
H2320-01 Exodus 13:5 בַּ/חֹ֥דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-15 Exodus 16:1 לַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon to the new-moon
H2320-01 Exodus 19:1 בַּ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-11 Exodus 23:15 חֹ֣דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsc month renewal-moon new-moon
H2320-11 Exodus 34:18 חֹ֣דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsc month renewal-moon new-moon
H2320-04 Exodus 34:18 בְּ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ bechodesh HR/Ncmsc in the month in new-moon renewal in the new moon
H2320-12 Exodus 40:2 הַ/חֹ֥דֶשׁ hachodesh HTd/Ncmsa of the month the new-moon the new-moon
H2320-15 Exodus 40:2 לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon to the month
H2320-01 Exodus 40:17 בַּ/חֹ֧דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-15 Exodus 40:17 לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-01 Leviticus 16:29 בַּ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-15 Leviticus 16:29 לַ/חֹ֜דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon to the new-moon
H2320-01 Leviticus 23:5 בַּ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new moon cycle
H2320-15 Leviticus 23:5 לַ/חֹ֖דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the new moon
H2320-15 Leviticus 23:6 לַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of-the-month to the new-moon of the new moon
H2320-01 Leviticus 23:24 בַּ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa In the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-15 Leviticus 23:24 לַ/חֹ֗דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon to the new-moon
H2320-15 Leviticus 23:27 לַ/חֹדֶשׁ֩ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-15 Leviticus 23:32 לַ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa day of the month to the new-moon to the new-moon
H2320-15 Leviticus 23:34 לַ/חֹ֤דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-15 Leviticus 23:39 לַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-01 Leviticus 23:41 בַּ/חֹ֥דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-01 Leviticus 25:9 בַּ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ bachodesh HRd/Ncmsa in-the month in the new-moon cycle in the new-moon cycle
H2320-15 Leviticus 25:9 לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of-the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-11 Leviticus 27:6 חֹ֗דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsa of a month renewal-moon new-moon
H2320-15 Numbers 1:1 לַ/חֹ֨דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa day of the month to the new-moon of the month
H2320-15 Numbers 1:18 לַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ lachodesh HRd/Ncmsa of the month to the new-moon to the new-moon
H2320-11 Numbers 3:15 חֹ֥דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsa of a month renewal-moon new-moon
H2320-11 Numbers 3:22 חֹ֖דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsa a month renewal-moon new-moon
H2320-11 Numbers 3:28 חֹ֖דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsa month renewal-moon new-moon
H2320-11 Numbers 3:34 חֹ֖דֶשׁ chodesh HNcmsa of a month renewal-moon new-moon
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