English · KJV
H2304

חֶדְוָה

chedvâh /khed-vaw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom חָדָה
Meaningrejoicing
KJV usagegladness, joy.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chedvâh — 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 chedvâh, represented by H2304, translates to gladness or joy. It is derived from a root word meaning rejoicing. This specific term is used sparingly in scripture, appearing only 2 times across 2 unique verses, yet its context provides a significant understanding of joy as a divine attribute and source of strength.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two appearances of H2304 anchor its meaning in the presence and power of God. In 1 Chronicles 16:27, gladness is listed with strength H5797, glory H1935, and honour H1926 as a quality found "in his place," describing the atmosphere of God's presence. In Nehemiah 8:10, the concept is presented as a vital resource for God's people. They are instructed to celebrate a holy day and not be sorry H6087, because "the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the nature of this divine joy:

  • H1935 hôwd (grandeur; beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, majesty): This word appears alongside H2304 in 1 Chronicles 16:27, highlighting that the gladness found in God's presence is connected to His divine majesty.
  • H1926 hâdâr (magnificence, i.e. ornament or splendor; beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, majesty): Also used in 1 Chronicles 16:27, this term further associates God's gladness with His splendor and glory.
  • H5797 'ôz (strength in various applications; force, security, majesty, praise): This word is directly linked to H2304 in both of its occurrences, either as a parallel attribute in God's presence 1 Chronicles 16:27 or as the direct result of His joy Nehemiah 8:10.
  • H6087 'âtsab (to worry, pain or anger; be sorry): In Nehemiah 8:10, the people are explicitly told not to be sorry, setting up a direct contrast between human grief and the strength-giving joy that comes from the LORD.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2304 is centered on joy as a spiritual reality originating from God.

  • A Source of Divine Strength: The primary theological point comes from Nehemiah 8:10, which declares that the joy of the LORD is the people's strength. It is not merely an emotion but a source of spiritual power and security.
  • An Attribute of God's Presence: Based on 1 Chronicles 16:27, gladness is an intrinsic characteristic of God's dwelling. To be in His presence is to be in a place of strength and gladness.
  • A Commanded Act of Worship: The joy in Nehemiah 8:10 is not passive. It is expressed through active celebration: eating, drinking, and sharing with others. This joy is a deliberate response to God's holiness, commanded as an alternative to sorrow.

Summary

In summary, though rare, H2304 chedvâh provides a powerful definition of a joy that is profoundly theological. It is not a fleeting human feeling but a divine quality inherent to God's presence. This gladness is presented as a source of supernatural strength and a commanded act of worship, demonstrating how joy itself can be a sacred duty and a gift from 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 noun across 2 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.

  • חֶדְוָה
  • חֶדְוַת

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.

H5797 עֹז or (fully) עוֹז; from עָזַז; strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise); boldness, loud, might, H1935 הוֹד from an unused root; grandeur (i.e. an imposing form and appearance); beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, g H1926 הָדָר from הָדַר; magnificence, i.e. ornament or splendor; beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, ma H6087 עָצַב a primitive root; properly, to carve, i.e. fabricate or fashion; hence (in a bad sense) to worry, pain or anger; displea

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Chronicles and Nehemiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
1 Chronicles
1
Nehemiah

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.