English · KJV
H8462

תְּחִלָּה

tᵉchillâh /tekh-il-law'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom חָלַל in the sense of opening
Meaninga commencement; rel. original (adverb, -ly)
KJV usagebegin(-ning), first (time).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tᵉchillâh — 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 tᵉchillâh, represented by H8462, denotes a commencement or beginning. Its definition comes from a root sense of opening. It appears 22 times across 21 unique verses and is used to mark the start of an action, a period of time, or the first in a sequence.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H8462 establishes a starting point for various events. It marks the commencement of agricultural seasons, such as "the beginning of harvest" 2 Samuel 21:10 and specifically the "beginning of barley harvest" Ruth 1:22. It is also used to ask who will go up "first" to battle (Judges 1:1, Judges 20:18). The term can refer to the start of a royal administration, as in "the beginning of his reign" Ezra 4:6, or to a previous state of being, like Abram's tent being where it had been "at the beginning" Genesis 13:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help define the concept of beginnings and endings:

  • H7223 riʼshôwn (first, in place, time or rank): This word is often used alongside H8462 to emphasize a return to an original state, as in God's promise to restore judges "as at the first" and counselors "as at the beginning" Isaiah 1:26.
  • H319 ʼachărîyth (the last or end, hence, the future): This term is used as a direct contrast, framing a complete duration of an event, such as when the beginning of a fool's words is contrasted with the end of his talk Ecclesiastes 10:13.
  • H7105 qâtsîyr (harvest): This word frequently appears with H8462 to specify the event that is starting, providing a concrete context for the commencement (2 Samuel 21:9, Ruth 1:22).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H8462 is significant, often pointing to foundational truths and divine action.

  • Foundation of Wisdom: The most prominent theological use states that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" Proverbs 9:10, establishing reverence for God as the starting point for all true knowledge.
  • Divine Initiative: The word marks the start of God's revelation, as seen in "The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea" Hosea 1:2. It also highlights God's immediate response to His people, with an angel telling Daniel, "At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth" Daniel 9:23.
  • Prophetic Restoration: The term is used to signify a future hope where God will restore Israel's counselors "as at the beginning," linking the concept of commencement with divine renewal and faithfulness Isaiah 1:26.

Summary

In summary, H8462 is more than a simple temporal marker. It functions to structure biblical narratives, from the start of a harvest to the first move in a battle. Theologically, it points to the foundational principles of wisdom, the initiation of divine revelation, and the promise of future restoration, showing how the concept of a "beginning" is central to understanding God's relationship with humanity.

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 noun across 21 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • תְּחִלָּה
  • תְחִלַּת

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.

H7223 רִאשׁוֹן or רִאשֹׁן; from רִאשָׁה; first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun); ancestor, (that were) before(-time), beg H319 אַחֲרִית from אַחַר; the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity; (last, latter) end (time), hinder (utter) -most, length, H7105 קָצִיר from קָצַר; severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the time, the reaper, or figuratively; also a limb (of a tree,

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 21 verses across 13 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis (4 verses); never once in the other 26.

4
Genesis
2
Judges
1
Ruth
3
2 Samuel
1
2 Kings
1
Ezra
1
Nehemiah
1
Proverbs
1
Ecclesiastes
1
Isaiah
3
Daniel
1
Hosea
1
Amos

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.