חַג (chag)
chag
feast
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 47 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun chag refers to a festival or pilgrim gathering, marking a time when Israelites assembled for worship and celebration. It appears frequently in the Torah, particularly in Exodus and Deuteronomy, where it designates the major annual feasts that structured the religious calendar. These were not merely social events but sacred obligations requiring communal participation.
Its meaning extends beyond the date itself to include the sacrifices offered during these times. For instance, Psalm 118:27 speaks of binding the festival sacrifice with cords, linking the celebration directly to the ritual offerings. This dual sense of gathering and offering highlights how worship involved both presence and provision.
The word derives from a root suggesting movement or dancing, reflecting the joyous nature of these assemblies. In 2 Chronicles 5:3, it is used specifically for the Feast of Tabernacles, showing its application to specific holy days. Translators often render it as "feast," capturing both the festive atmosphere and the solemnity of the occasion.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word chag describes more than a simple holiday; it captures the rhythm of sacred gathering. In ancient Israel, these feasts were not optional social events but deep spiritual obligations. They marked time around God's acts of deliverance and provision, reminding the people that their history was shaped by divine faithfulness.
When you read about holding a feast to Yahweh, think of the joyous assembly of families, servants, and strangers together. It was a time when community and worship intertwined. The word connects the physical gathering with the spiritual offering, showing that true celebration involves both presence and sacrifice. These moments were designed to anchor the heart in gratitude.
For your own life, this invites you to pause and recognize the seasons of grace. Just as Israel marked their year with holy convocations, you can find meaning in setting aside time for reflection and thanksgiving. It is an invitation to celebrate not just for yourself, but in fellowship with others, acknowledging the blessings that sustain your journey.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 47 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] festival of16×
- a festival10×
- and/ at/ [the] festival of4×
- and/ [the] festival of4×
- at/ [the] festival of3×
- at the/ festival3×
- the/ festival2×
- feasts/ your2×
- like the/ festival1×
- festivals/ your1×
- festivals1×
- festival sacrifice/ my1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חַ֥ג10×
- חַג\־5×
- חַ֣ג4×
- חַ֧ג3×
- וּ/בְ/חַ֥ג3×
- וְ/חַ֤ג3×
- חָג֙2×
- חָ֑ג2×
- חַגֵּי/כֶ֑ם2×
- בֶּ/חָ֑ג2×
- בְּ/חַ֧ג2×
- כֶּ/חָ֣ג\׀1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 12:14
This day shall be a memorial for you. You shall keep it as a feast to Yahweh. You shall keep it as a feast throughout your generations by an ordinance forever.
This verse establishes the feast as a permanent memorial ordinance, linking the celebration directly to the memory of deliverance from Egypt.
-
Deuteronomy 16:14
You shall rejoice in your feast, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates.
Here the word emphasizes the inclusive joy of the feast, requiring the participation of servants and strangers alongside the family.
-
Leviticus 23:39
“‘So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of Yahweh seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
This occurrence ties the feast specifically to the harvest gathering, highlighting the connection between agricultural provision and worship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chag mean in the Bible?
How is chag different from other words for celebration?
Where does this word appear most often?
Every Occurrence (47 verses across 15 books)
Exodus 10 verses
Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. We will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our…
Exodus 12:14This day shall be a memorial for you. You shall keep it as a feast to Yahweh. You shall keep it as a feast throughout…
Exodus 13:6Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Yahweh.
Exodus 23:15You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the…
Exodus 23:16And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at…
Exodus 23:18“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread. The fat of my feast shall not remain all night…
Exodus 32:5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast…
Exodus 34:18“You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the…
Exodus 34:22“You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s…
Exodus 34:25“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread. The sacrifice of the feast of the Passover shall…