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H2302

חָדָה

châdâh /khaw-daw'/ Ask about this word
a primitive root
to rejoice
make glad, be joined, rejoice.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of châdâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word châdâh, represented by H2302, is a primitive root meaning to rejoice, make glad, or be joined. It is a rare term, appearing only 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. Despite its infrequent use, it conveys a significant range of meaning, from the joy experienced in response to God's actions to the state of being connected or included.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The uses of H2302 illustrate its different facets. In Exodus, "Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel," linking joy directly to God's deliverance Exodus 18:9. In Psalms, the psalmist declares to God, "thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance," connecting rejoicing with the very presence of God Psalms 21:6. In a contrasting sense, Job uses the term in his lament, wishing for the night of his birth to "not be joined unto the days of the year," showing that the word can also signify inclusion or belonging Job 3:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of the joy described by H2302:

  • H2896 ṭôwb (good): Jethro's rejoicing is a response to the "goodness" of the Lord Exodus 18:9. This word, meaning good, beautiful, or joyful, establishes that God's benevolent character is a primary source of gladness, as seen in the call to "taste and see that the LORD is good" Psalms 34:8.
  • H5337 nâtsal (deliver): The joy in Exodus 18:9 is specifically because God had delivered Israel. This word means to snatch away, rescue, or save, highlighting that rejoicing is often rooted in God's acts of salvation. The psalmist similarly declares that God delivered him from all his fears Psalms 34:4.
  • H8057 simchâh (gladness): In Psalms 21:6, H2302 is used to create a state of gladness. This word for joyfulness or mirth is often associated with the fullness of joy found in God's presence Psalms 16:11.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2302 is evident in its few appearances. It frames joy not as a simple emotion, but as a response to divine realities.

  • Joy in Divine Action: The clearest example is Jethro's reaction to God's work. His joy is an acknowledgment of God's power and goodness H2896 in delivering H5337 His people Exodus 18:9. This presents rejoicing as a form of worship and testimony.
  • Joy in Divine Presence: The experience in Psalms 21:6 is one of being made glad directly by God's "countenance." This points to the theological truth that the ultimate source of joy is communion with God himself.
  • The Opposite of Joy: Job's desire for a day to "not be joined" H2302 reveals the negative counterpart to joy: exclusion and separation Job 3:6. Being cut off from the ordered sequence of time is a curse, reinforcing that being "joined" in fellowship and life is a blessing.

Summary

In summary, H2302 châdâh is a concise but powerful word. Though used sparingly, it captures a spectrum of meaning from the active rejoicing that stems from God's saving deeds to the state of gladness found in His presence. It demonstrates that true biblical joy is inextricably linked to the character, presence, and redemptive work of God.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • תְּחַדֵּ
  • יִּחַדְּ
  • יִחַדְּ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus, Job, and Psalms (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

1
Exodus
1
Job
1
Psalms

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.