Dictionary:חדה/0

חדה

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חדה

Part of Speech	Verb
Occurrences	3
Possible Meanings	Rejoice Tremble Be a part of Be unique
Related Words	חֶדְוָה

Possible Meanings

The verb appears in only three instances in Tanakh, and there is some ambiguity as to its meaning in the different cases:

1. Rejoice

• Biblical verses – תְּחַדֵּהוּ in Tehillim 21:7 – The context is one of joy.
• Additional data – Cf. Assyrian hadu – to be happy, and Aramaic חדי – to rejoice.
• Cf. the noun חֶדְוָה.

2. Tremble

• Biblical verses –
• Additional data –

3. Be a part of

• Biblical verses –
• Additional data –

4. Be unique

• Biblical verses –
• Additional data –

Disputed Cases

וַיִּחַדְּ – Shemot 18:9

• Rejoiced – This is the opinion of most commentators including OnkelosShemot 18:9About Onkelos, Targum Pseudo-JonathanShemot 18:9About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Machberet MenachemMachberet s.v. חדAbout Menachem b. Saruk, RashiShemot 18:9About Rashi, Lekach TovShemot 18:9About Lekach Tov.¹
• Trembled – This is the Septuagint'sShemot 18:9About the Septuagint translation.²

יִחַדְּ – Iyyov 3:5

• Rejoice – This is the interpretation of RashiIyyov 3:5About Rashi, R. TamIyyov 3:5About R. Tam, Ibn EzraIyyov 3:5About Ibn Ezra, and others.
• Be a part of – Talmid RashiIyyov 3:5About Talmid Rashi, alternative possibility in Ibn EzraIyyov 3:5About Ibn Ezra, RalbagIyyov 3:5About Ralbag.³
• Be unique – RashbamIyyov 3:5About Rashbam.

Semantic Evolution

Intra-Biblical

Rabbinic Hebrew

Modern Hebrew

¹ See Encounters with Foreign Leaders for the parallel that Y. Avishur notes between וַיִּחַדְּ in the Yitro story and וַיִּשְׂמַח in the Hiram story in Melakhim I 5:21.

² It is unclear, though, whether this is the Septuagint's translation of וַיִּחַדְּ or whether it had a variant text which read ויחרד – see Shemot 18 Textual Variants for elaboration. Cassuto Shemot 18:9 argues that the LXX is merely engaged in exegesis and is connected to Shemuel's opinion in Bavli SanhedrinSanhedrin 94aAbout the Bavli that Yitro got goosebumps (חדודים). Other Rabbinic interpretations relate וַיִּחַדְּ to Yitro's conversion or circumcision. See the two options in Tanchuma (Buber)Yitro 5About Tanchuma (Buber) that Yitro recognized the singularity of God (from the root אחד/יחד) and that he became Jewish (יהודי), and see Rav in Bavli SanhedrinSanhedrin 94aAbout the Bavli that Yitro circumcised himself with a sharp sword (from the root חד). For more on whether Yitro converted, see Yitro's Religious Identity.

³ Cf. the similar juxtaposition of תָּבֹא and תֵּחַד in Bereshit 49:6.