2321. Chodesh
Lexical Summary
Chodesh: Hodesh

Original Word: חֹדֶשׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Chodesh
Pronunciation: kho'-desh
Phonetic Spelling: (kho'-desh)
KJV: Hodesh
NASB: Hodesh
Word Origin: [the same as H2320 (חוֹדֶשׁ - month)]

1. Chodesh, an Israelitess

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Hodesh

The same as chodesh; Chodesh, an Israelitess -- Hodesh.

see HEBREW chodesh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from chadash
Definition
an Isr. woman
NASB Translation
Hodesh (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. חֹ֫דֶשׁ proper name, feminine a wife of Shaharaim of Benjamin 1 Chronicles 8:9, ᵐ5 Ἁδα, ᵐ5L Βαδαα (so 1 Chronicles 8:8 = בַּעֲרָה).

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Occurrence

1 Chronicles 8:9 presents חֹדֶשׁ (Hodesh) as the second wife of Shaharaim, a Benjamite living in Moab after he “sent away” his earlier wives. The verse reads: “By his wife Hodesh he fathered Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam”. Although the name appears only once, its placement in the Chronicler’s genealogy ties it to the broader purposes of 1 Chronicles: affirming tribal continuity and covenant faithfulness after the exile.

Historical Background

1 Chronicles was compiled for a post-exilic community anxious to reclaim its identity. Genealogies functioned as legal documents validating land rights, priestly descent, and tribal responsibilities. The mention of Hodesh in the genealogy of Benjamin underlines two historical realities:
• Benjamin’s fortunes were not extinguished by exile or earlier civil strife; his descendants endured and multiplied (1 Chronicles 8:1–40).
• Moab served as a temporary refuge for Israelites at different periods (Ruth 1:1; 1 Samuel 22:3–4). Shaharaim’s residence there hints at ongoing interactions across the Jordan and the resilience of tribal lines even in foreign settings.

Theological Themes

Newness and Restoration. Hodesh derives from the Hebrew root connected with “new moon” and “month,” concepts bound to cycles of renewal. While she herself is a historical individual, her name subtly echoes the Chronicler’s larger message: God brings new beginnings to His covenant people. The genealogy moves from exile-shadowed histories to renewed hopes centred on worship in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 9:1–2).

Covenantal Fidelity. By recording seemingly obscure figures, Scripture underscores that every person in God’s covenant account matters. The single appearance of Hodesh testifies that no life is too small for divine remembrance (cf. Malachi 3:16).

Ministry Implications

Genealogies Encourage Faithfulness. Modern readers often skip lists of names, yet they reveal God’s meticulous care over generations. Pastors and teachers can draw on Hodesh’s mention to stress that the Lord values hidden service and quiet faithfulness in family lines.

Identity in Christ. Just as post-exilic Israel looked back to ancestral records for legitimacy, believers look to their adoption in Christ for ultimate identity (Galatians 4:4–7). Hodesh’s genealogical inclusion reminds congregations that spiritual lineage, not social prominence, defines worth.

Cross-References

• God’s concern for individual women in genealogies: Tamar (Genesis 38), Rahab (Joshua 2; Matthew 1:5), Ruth (Ruth 4; Matthew 1:5).
• The “new” motif fulfilled in Christ: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• Chronicles’ emphasis on restoration: 1 Chronicles 9:1–3; 2 Chronicles 36:22–23.

By noting Hodesh amid Benjamin’s descendants, Scripture weaves personal accounts into the larger tapestry of redemption, affirming that God’s purposes advance through every generation—often in the quiet faithfulness of those who appear only once in its pages.

Forms and Transliterations
חֹ֣דֶשׁ חדש Chodesh ḥō·ḏeš ḥōḏeš
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Chronicles 8:9
HEB: וַיּ֖וֹלֶד מִן־ חֹ֣דֶשׁ אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ אֶת־
NAS: By Hodesh his wife
KJV: And he begat of Hodesh his wife,
INT: became By Hodesh his wife of Jobab

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2321
1 Occurrence


ḥō·ḏeš — 1 Occ.

2320
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