חֹ֫דֶשׁ (cho.desh)
cho.desh
month
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 191 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun chodesh refers to both the new moon and the lunar month that follows it. Derived from a root meaning "to be new," it captures the idea of renewal, marking the start of each cycle with the appearance of the crescent moon. In ancient Israel, this was not merely a calendar marker but a significant religious observance, often accompanied by trumpet blasts and special sacrifices as described in Numbers 28 and 29.
While it primarily denotes the time period of approximately twenty-nine or thirty days, the word retains its connection to the initial sighting. This dual sense appears in passages like Exodus 12:2, where God commands Moses to designate this month as the beginning of the year for Israel. The term is central to the biblical calendar, structuring festivals and historical narratives from Genesis through Esther.
Translators typically render chodesh simply as "month," but the underlying imagery of newness remains important. It reflects a worldview where time was measured by celestial signs rather than abstract numbers. This focus on the visible moon grounded the community’s rhythm in the natural order, reinforcing the belief that God ordered both creation and history.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word chodesh points to a fresh beginning, rooted in the appearance of the new moon. In ancient Israel, this was not just a calendar marker but a moment of renewal and divine order. God used these cycles to structure sacred time, inviting His people to pause, reflect, and remember His faithfulness.
When Exodus 12:2 declares this month as the beginning of the year, it marks a pivotal shift from slavery to freedom. This rhythm of new moons grounded the community in the natural world while pointing to God’s sovereignty over history. It reminds us that every cycle offers an opportunity for grace and reset.
For your faith life, chodesh invites you to see time as a gift rather than a burden. Just as the moon renews its light each month, God provides new mercies daily. This perspective helps us find hope in routine and purpose in the passage of days.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 191 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of the/ month65×
- in the/ month50×
- months26×
- a month13×
- for the/ month10×
- the/ month7×
- [is] [the] month of7×
- month6×
- in/ [the] month of6×
- the/ new moon5×
- and/ in the/ month5×
- a new moon4×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ28×
- בַּ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ20×
- חֹ֣דֶשׁ15×
- לַ/חֹ֑דֶשׁ13×
- בַּ/חֹ֥דֶשׁ10×
- לַ/חֹ֥דֶשׁ8×
- חֹ֥דֶשׁ7×
- חֹ֖דֶשׁ7×
- לַ/חֹ֔דֶשׁ6×
- חֳדָשִׁ֑ים6×
- חֳדָשִֽׁים\׃5×
- הַ/חֹ֣דֶשׁ5×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 12:2
“This month shall be to you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you.
This verse establishes the lunar month as the starting point for Israel’s religious calendar, marking their transition from slavery to freedom.
-
Leviticus 23:24
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, there shall be a solemn rest for you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
Here chodesh structures a solemn rest and trumpet blast, showing how time was set apart for holy convocation and remembrance.
-
Genesis 8:4
The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains.
The ship resting in the seventh month uses the lunar cycle to mark a period of waiting and eventual restoration after the flood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word chodesh mean?
Why is chodesh important in the Old Testament?
How is chodesh different from a modern calendar month?
Every Occurrence (191 verses across 24 books)
Genesis 7 verses
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the…
Genesis 8:4The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains.
Genesis 8:5The waters receded continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of…
Genesis 8:13In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth.…
Genesis 8:14In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.
Genesis 29:14Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.
Genesis 38:24About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold,…