Lexical Summary chadah: To rejoice, to be glad Original Word: חָדָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance make glad, be joined, rejoice A primitive root; to rejoice -- make glad, be joined, rejoice. Brown-Driver-Briggs II. [חָדָה] verb rejoice (Assyrian —adû DlPr 153; Aramaic  , חֲדָא) — Qal Imperfect3masculine singular וַיִּ֫חַדְּ Exodus 18:9 (E), and Jethro rejoiced over (עַל of thing); jussive אַליִֿ֫חַדְּ Job 3:6 let it not rejoice among (בְּ) the days of the year, i.e. not take its place joyfully among them (figurative of day of Job's birth). — Klo proposes וְלֹא חָדוּבְּ֗֗֗ 1 Samuel 6:19 for וַיַּךְבְּ֗֗֗ compare also Dr Pi`el Imperfect suffix (causative) תְּחַדֵּהוּ בְשִׂמְחְה Psalm 21:7 thou makest him joyful (Che cheerest him) with gladness ("" תְּשִׁיתֵהוּ בְרָכוֺת). Topical Lexicon Summary of Biblical Usage The verb חָדָה occurs three times in the Old Testament and consistently relates to the experience or withholding of joy that flows from the Lord’s dealings with His people. It embraces both the exuberant response to divine salvation and the forlorn desire that joy might never dawn in a time of agony. The Joy of Deliverance (Exodus 18:9) “Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, whom He had rescued from the hand of the Egyptians.” In Midian, the priest Jethro hears Moses recount the plagues, the Passover, and the crossing of the Red Sea. His response is not merely polite approval but deep, personal delight birthed by recognition of Yahweh’s saving power. The joy expressed by חָדָה underscores that those who witness God’s redemption—whether Israelite or Gentile—are moved to praise. It also models the missionary impulse of Israel’s history: as the nations observe the Lord’s mighty acts they are drawn into His worship (compare Joshua 2:10–11; Psalm 67:3–4). The Absence of Joy in Suffering (Job 3:6) “That night—may thick darkness seize it; may it not rejoice among the days of the year; may it not enter into any of the months.” Job’s lament on the ash heap turns the verb inside out. He curses the night of his birth, yearning that no song or celebration accompany it. Suffering so overwhelms him that he longs for an existence devoid of any trace of gladness. The text preserves both Job’s integrity (he speaks honestly before God) and the reality that human anguish can eclipse, though never destroy, the believer’s capacity for joy. Job’s petition is never granted; the calendar keeps his birthday, hinting that God’s sovereign purposes stand above even the darkest despair (Job 42:2). Messianic Blessing and Royal Joy (Psalm 21:6) “Surely You have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence.” A royal psalm placed on the lips of David celebrates covenant faithfulness. The king’s gladness springs from God Himself: “the joy of Your presence.” Here חָדָה is not momentary excitement but a settled, ongoing felicity sustained by communion with the Lord. The verse anticipates the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ, whose resurrection secures “eternal blessings” and makes Him “glad” forever before the Father (Hebrews 1:9; Acts 2:28). Believers, united to Christ, participate in that same joy (John 15:11). Theology of Joy in the Covenant 1. Source: Joy is rooted in God’s character and acts—His deliverance (Exodus 18), His presence (Psalm 21), and His unassailable sovereignty in suffering (Job 42:2, 5). Practical Ministry Applications • Worship Services: Public testimony, like Moses’ report to Jethro, fuels congregational rejoicing. Regular recounting of God’s works cultivates a culture of praise. Connections with New Testament Joy The Septuagint often translates חָדָה with χαίρω, a verb central to Gospel proclamation. Angels announce, “I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Jesus commands, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Paul exhorts, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). These passages echo the Old Testament’s depiction of joy as a response to God’s redemptive work, now climactically revealed in Christ’s death and resurrection. Conclusion Strong’s Hebrew 2302 charts a theological arc from celebratory astonishment at deliverance, through the eclipse of joy in suffering, to the everlasting gladness secured by God’s covenant presence. Its sparse occurrences serve as strategic signposts, directing readers to see joy not as a human achievement but as a divine gift, ultimately fulfilled in the Messiah and shared with all who trust in Him. Forms and Transliterations וַיִּ֣חַדְּ ויחד יִ֭חַדְּ יחד תְּחַדֵּ֥הוּ תחדהו tə·ḥad·dê·hū techadDehu təḥaddêhū vaiYichad way·yi·ḥad wayyiḥad yi·ḥad Yichad yiḥadLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 18:9 HEB: וַיִּ֣חַדְּ יִתְר֔וֹ עַ֚ל NAS: Jethro rejoiced over all KJV: And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness INT: rejoiced Jethro over Job 3:6 Psalm 21:6 3 Occurrences |
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