English · KJV
H2330

חוּד

chûwd /khood/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningproperly, to tie a knot, i.e. (figuratively) to propound a riddle
KJV usageput forth.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chûwd — 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 chûwd, represented by H2330, is a primitive root meaning to "put forth." It appears just 4 times in 4 unique verses. Its definition, "properly, to tie a knot, i.e. (figuratively) to propound a riddle," indicates it describes the action of presenting a complex puzzle or challenge.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The usage of H2330 is concentrated in two key narratives. In the book of Judges, it is used exclusively in the story of Samson's riddle. Samson challenges his companions, stating, "I will now put forth a riddle unto you" Judges 14:12, and they later tell him, "Put forth thy riddle" Judges 14:13. The term is also used when Samson's wife confronts him for having "put forth a riddle" to her people Judges 14:16. In a prophetic context, God instructs Ezekiel, "Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel" Ezekiel 17:2.

Related Words & Concepts

The meaning of H2330 is clarified by words it is consistently paired with:

  • H2420 chîydâh (riddle): Derived directly from H2330, this word means a puzzle, hard question, or dark saying. In every instance, the action of "putting forth" H2330 is immediately followed by the object being a "riddle" H2420, as seen in Samson's challenge Judges 14:12 and God's instruction to Ezekiel Ezekiel 17:2.
  • H4912 mâshâl (parable): This word for a proverb or pithy maxim is used in parallel with H2420 in the command to Ezekiel, who is told to "put forth a riddle, and speak a parable" Ezekiel 17:2. This links the act of propounding a riddle with the delivery of a metaphorical teaching.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H2330 lies in its function as a method for communication that requires deep thought and interpretation.

  • A Test of Wisdom: In the story of Samson, the act of "putting forth" a riddle serves as a test of wits and loyalty, establishing a challenge between individuals Judges 14:12.
  • Divine Communication: The term is elevated when used by God, who commands Ezekiel to "put forth a riddle" Ezekiel 17:2. This shows that riddles and parables are chosen instruments for conveying divine messages to the house of Israel.
  • Prophetic Metaphor: By being paired with both "riddle" H2420 and "parable" H4912, the action of H2330 is established as a formal way of presenting a difficult or symbolic truth that is not meant to be understood literally at first glance.

Summary

In summary, H2330 is a specific and rare verb that describes the act of propounding a challenge, specifically a riddle. Its use in scripture, though infrequent, appears in both human interactions as a test and in divine instruction as a method for delivering a prophetic parable. It highlights a form of communication that veils truth in metaphor, demanding that the listener engage in interpretation to understand the message being put forth.

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 4 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.

  • חוּד
  • אָחוּדָה
  • חַדְתָּ

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.

H2420 חִידָה from חוּד; a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maxim; dark saying (sentence, speech), hard question, prover H4912 מָשָׁל apparently from מָשַׁל in some original sense of superiority in mental action; properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metap

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 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Judges (3 verses); never once in the other 37.

3
Judges
1
Ezekiel

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.