2420. chidah

Strong's Lexicon

chidah: Riddle, Enigma, Dark Saying, Parable

Original Word: חִידָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: chiydah
Pronunciation: khee-DAH
Phonetic Spelling: (khee-daw')
Definition: Riddle, Enigma, Dark Saying, Parable
Meaning: a puzzle, a trick, conundrum, sententious maxim

Word Origin: Derived from the root חוּד (chud), meaning "to tie a knot" or "to puzzle."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G3850 (παραβολή, parabolē): Often translated as "parable," this Greek term is used in the New Testament to describe the teaching method of Jesus, which involved stories with deeper spiritual meanings.

- G1340 (διήγησις, diēgēsis): Refers to a narrative or account, sometimes used in the context of explaining a riddle or parable.

Usage: The Hebrew word "chidah" refers to a riddle or enigmatic saying that requires deep thought and insight to understand. It is often used in the context of wisdom literature and prophetic messages, where the meaning is not immediately apparent and requires discernment. In the Bible, "chidah" is used to convey complex truths or to challenge the listener to seek deeper understanding.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, riddles and enigmatic sayings were a common form of entertainment and intellectual challenge. They were used by sages and wise men to convey wisdom and provoke thought. In the biblical context, riddles often served as a means to communicate divine truths in a way that required contemplation and spiritual insight. The use of riddles in the Bible reflects the value placed on wisdom and understanding in Hebrew culture.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a riddle, an enigmatic, perplexing saying or question
NASB Translation
dark sayings (2), difficult questions (2), insinuations (1), intrigue (1), riddle (10), riddles (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

חִידָה noun feminine riddle, enigmatic, perplexing saying or question; — absolute ׳ח Judges 14:12 6t.; suffix חִידָתִי Judges 14:18; Psalm 49:5; חִידָֽתְךָ Judges 14:13; plural absolute חִידוֺת 1 Kings 10:1 4t.; חִידֹת Numbers 12:8; suffix חִידֹתָם Proverbs 1:6; —

1 riddle = dark, obscure utterance Numbers 12:8 (J E; opposed to מֶּהאֶֿלמֶּֿה and מַרְאֶה); of something put indirectly and needing interpretation; — an allegory ׳חוד ח Ezekiel 17:2 ("" מְשֹׁל מָשָׁל); allegorical and figurative sayings Proverbs 1:6 ("" מְלִיצָה מָשָׁל and בְרֵי חֲכָמִים Di); enigmatic sentences and comparisons, declaring fate of Chaldeans Habakkuk 2:6 (+ מְלִיצָה; "" מָשָׁל), perplexing moral problem Psalm 49:5 (with מָּתַח open, propound; "" מָשָׁל), a lesson taught indirectly Psalm 78:2 (מִנִּי קֶדֶם ׳ח, with הִבִּיעַ; "" מָשָׁל).

2 riddle, enigma, to be guessed, in Judges 14:

a. with vb. חוּד Judges 14:12,13,16 propound a riddle.

b. with vb. הִגִּיד tell (give answer to) a riddle Judges 14:14,15,17,19.

c. with vb. מצא find out a riddle Judges 14:18.

3 perplexing questions by which queen of Sheba put Solomon to the test (נִסָּה) 1 Kings 10:1 2Chronicles 9:1.

4 with הֵבִין skilled in double-dealing Daniel 8:23 (Bev).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

dark saying sentence, speech, hard question, proverb, riddle

From chuwd; a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maxim -- dark saying (sentence, speech), hard question, proverb, riddle.

see HEBREW chuwd

Forms and Transliterations

בְּחִידֽוֹת׃ בְחִיד֜וֹת בְחִידֹ֔ת בחידות בחידות׃ בחידת הַ֣חִידָ֔ה הַֽחִידָ֥ה הַחִידָ֑ה הַחִידָ֖ה החידה וְחִידֹתָֽם׃ וחידתם׃ חִ֝יד֗וֹת חִיד֣וֹת חִידָ֑ה חִידָ֖ה חִידָתְךָ֖ חִידָתִֽי׃ חִידֽוֹת׃ חידה חידות חידות׃ חידתי׃ חידתך bə·ḥî·ḏō·wṯ ḇə·ḥî·ḏō·wṯ ḇə·ḥî·ḏōṯ bechiDot ḇəḥîḏōṯ bəḥîḏōwṯ ḇəḥîḏōwṯ chiDah chidateCha chidaTi chiDot ha·ḥî·ḏāh hachiDah haḥîḏāh ḥî·ḏā·ṯə·ḵā ḥî·ḏā·ṯî ḥî·ḏāh ḥî·ḏō·wṯ ḥîḏāh ḥîḏāṯəḵā ḥîḏāṯî ḥîḏōwṯ vechiDot vechidoTam wə·ḥî·ḏō·ṯām wəḥîḏōṯām

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 12:8
HEB: וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה
NAS: Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds
KJV: even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude
INT: openly not dark the form of the LORD

Judges 14:12
HEB: נָּ֥א לָכֶ֖ם חִידָ֑ה אִם־ הַגֵּ֣ד
NAS: propound a riddle to you; if
KJV: unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly
INT: propound now A riddle if will indeed

Judges 14:13
HEB: ל֔וֹ ח֥וּדָה חִידָתְךָ֖ וְנִשְׁמָעֶֽנָּה׃
NAS: to him, Propound your riddle, that we may hear
KJV: unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear
INT: said Propound your riddle may hear

Judges 14:14
HEB: יָכְל֛וּ לְהַגִּ֥יד הַחִידָ֖ה שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים׃
NAS: not tell the riddle in three
KJV: days expound the riddle.
INT: could tell the riddle three days

Judges 14:15
HEB: לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־ הַ֣חִידָ֔ה פֶּן־ נִשְׂרֹ֥ף
NAS: so that he will tell us the riddle, or
KJV: that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn
INT: your husband will tell the riddle or will burn

Judges 14:16
HEB: וְלֹ֣א אֲהַבְתָּ֔נִי הַֽחִידָ֥ה חַ֙דְתָּ֙ לִבְנֵ֣י
NAS: me; you have propounded a riddle to the sons
KJV: me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children
INT: not love A riddle have propounded to the sons

Judges 14:17
HEB: הֱצִיקַ֔תְהוּ וַתַּגֵּ֥ד הַחִידָ֖ה לִבְנֵ֥י עַמָּֽהּ׃
NAS: She then told the riddle to the sons
KJV: upon him: and she told the riddle to the children
INT: pressed told the riddle to the sons of her people

Judges 14:18
HEB: לֹ֥א מְצָאתֶ֖ם חִידָתִֽי׃
NAS: You would not have found out my riddle.
KJV: ye had not found out my riddle.
INT: not have found my riddle

Judges 14:19
HEB: הַחֲלִיפ֔וֹת לְמַגִּידֵ֖י הַחִידָ֑ה וַיִּ֣חַר אַפּ֔וֹ
NAS: [of clothes] to those who told the riddle. And his anger
KJV: of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger
INT: the changes told the riddle burned and his anger

1 Kings 10:1
HEB: וַתָּבֹ֥א לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ בְּחִידֽוֹת׃
NAS: to test him with difficult questions.
KJV: to prove him with hard questions.
INT: came to test difficult

2 Chronicles 9:1
HEB: אֶת־ שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה בְחִיד֜וֹת בִּירֽוּשָׁלִַ֗ם בְּחַ֣יִל
NAS: Solomon with difficult questions. She had a very
KJV: Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem,
INT: to test Solomon difficult to Jerusalem retinue

Psalm 49:4
HEB: אֶפְתַּ֥ח בְּ֝כִנּ֗וֹר חִידָתִֽי׃
NAS: I will express my riddle on the harp.
KJV: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
INT: will express the harp my riddle

Psalm 78:2
HEB: פִּ֑י אַבִּ֥יעָה חִ֝יד֗וֹת מִנִּי־ קֶֽדֶם׃
NAS: I will utter dark sayings of old,
KJV: I will utter dark sayings of old:
INT: my mouth will utter dark at of old

Proverbs 1:6
HEB: דִּבְרֵ֥י חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים וְחִידֹתָֽם׃
NAS: of the wise and their riddles.
KJV: of the wise, and their dark sayings.
INT: the words of the wise and their riddles

Ezekiel 17:2
HEB: אָדָ֕ם ח֥וּד חִידָ֖ה וּמְשֹׁ֣ל מָשָׁ֑ל
NAS: propound a riddle and speak
KJV: put forth a riddle, and speak
INT: of man propound A riddle and speak A parable

Daniel 8:23
HEB: פָּנִ֖ים וּמֵבִ֥ין חִידֽוֹת׃
NAS: Insolent and skilled in intrigue.
KJV: and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
INT: countenance and skilled intrigue

Habakkuk 2:6
HEB: יִשָּׂ֔אוּ וּמְלִיצָ֖ה חִיד֣וֹת ל֑וֹ וְיֹאמַ֗ר
NAS: him, Even mockery [and] insinuations against him And say,
KJV: against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say,
INT: take mockery insinuations and say Woe

17 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2420
17 Occurrences

bə·ḥî·ḏō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
ḥî·ḏāh — 2 Occ.
ḥî·ḏā·ṯə·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ḥî·ḏā·ṯî — 2 Occ.
ḥî·ḏō·wṯ — 3 Occ.
ha·ḥî·ḏāh — 5 Occ.
ḇə·ḥî·ḏōṯ — 2 Occ.
wə·ḥî·ḏō·ṯām — 1 Occ.