Lexical Summary
chadah: To rejoice, to be glad
Original Word:חָדָה
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:chadah
Pronunciation:khaw-DAW
Phonetic Spelling:(khaw-daw')
KJV: make glad, be joined, rejoice
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to rejoice
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
make glad, be joined, rejoice
A primitive root; to rejoice -- make glad, be joined, rejoice.
Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. [] (Assyrian
—adû Dl
Pr 153; Aramaic
, ) —
Imperfect3masculine singularExodus 18:9 (E), and Jethrorejoiced over ( of thing); jussiveJob 3:6let it not rejoice among () the days of the year, i.e. not take its place joyfully among them (figurative of day of Job's birth). — Klo proposes1 Samuel 6:19 for compare also Dr
Imperfect suffix (causative)Psalm 21:7thou makest him joyful (Checheerest him)with gladness ("" ).
Topical Lexicon
Summary of Biblical UsageThe 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 (compareJoshua 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).
2. Scope: It may be experienced by Israelites, kings, converts from the nations, and even the suffering righteous.
3. Sustainability: While trials may obscure joy, they cannot nullify it; divine purpose guarantees its ultimate triumph (Psalm 30:5;Isaiah 35:10).
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.
• Pastoral Care:Job 3 teaches that seasons of lament belong within faith. Leaders must allow sorrow without chastising absence of immediate joy, trusting God to restore gladness in due time.
• Discipleship:Psalm 21 encourages believers to anchor happiness not in circumstance but in the presence of God obtained through Christ; practices such as prayer, Scripture meditation, and corporate worship nurture this awareness.
• Evangelism: Jethro’s joy illustrates that the nations are invited to delight in the accounts of salvation; sharing testimonies remains a potent missional tool.
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 yiḥad
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