What does חָגַג (ḥāgag) mean in the Bible?
חָגַג (ḥāgag): Circular motion ritualized: to celebrate festivals through sacred processions marking covenant community identity
Hebrew · H2287
חָגַג
Properly, to move in a circle , i.e. (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication, to be giddy
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חָגַג H2287
Pronunciation ḥāgag
What does חָגַג (ḥāgag) mean in the Bible?
חָגַג (ḥāgag): Circular motion ritualized: to celebrate festivals through sacred processions marking covenant community identity
Full entry for חָגַג (H2287) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2287?
The BSB source-word alignment has 16 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include you are to celebrate (3), to celebrate (2), - (1), and celebrating (1), and to celebrate (1).
Where does חָגַג (ḥāgag) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 5:1. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (4), Leviticus (3), Zechariah (3), Psalms (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It you are to celebrate 3× Leviticus 23:39, Leviticus 23:41
to celebrate 2× Zechariah 14:18, Zechariah 14:19
- 1× Exodus 12:14
and celebrating 1× 1 Samuel 30:16
and to celebrate 1× Zechariah 14:16
and you are to celebrate 1× Exodus 12:14
and you shall observe 1× Numbers 29:12
Celebrate 1× Nahum 1:15
procession 1× Psalms 42:4
so that they may hold a feast 1× Exodus 5:1
They reeled 1× Psalms 107:27
you are to celebrate a feast 1× Exodus 23:14
you shall celebrate a feast 1× Deuteronomy 16:15
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 5:1 וְיָחֹ֥גּוּ to so that they may hold a feast Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural Exodus 12:14 וְחַגֹּתֶ֥ם to and you are to celebrate Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Exodus 12:14 תְּחָגֻּֽהוּ׃ to - Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | third person masculine singular Exodus 23:14 תָּחֹ֥ג to you are to celebrate a feast Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Leviticus 23:39 תָּחֹ֥גּוּ to you are to celebrate Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Leviticus 23:41 וְחַגֹּתֶ֤ם to You are to celebrate Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Leviticus 23:41 תָּחֹ֥גּוּ to you are to celebrate Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Numbers 29:12 וְחַגֹּתֶ֥ם to and you shall observe Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Deuteronomy 16:15 תָּחֹג֙ to you shall celebrate a feast Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 1 Samuel 30:16 וְחֹ֣גְגִ֔ים to and celebrating Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 5:1
Aligned rows 16
Books represented 8
Exodus 4 Leviticus 3 Numbers 1 Deuteronomy 1 1 Samuel 1 Psalms 2 Nahum 1 Zechariah 3
Source forms
וְחַגֹּתֶ֥ם 2x wə·ḥag·gō·ṯem Exodus 12:14, Numbers 29:12
לָחֹ֖ג 2x lā·ḥōḡ Zechariah 14:18, Zechariah 14:19
תָּחֹ֥גּוּ 2x tā·ḥōg·gū Leviticus 23:39, Leviticus 23:41
וְחֹ֣גְגִ֔ים 1x wə·ḥō·ḡə·ḡîm 1 Samuel 30:16
וְחַגֹּתֶ֤ם 1x wə·ḥag·gō·ṯem Leviticus 23:41
וְיָחֹ֥גּוּ 1x wə·yā·ḥōg·gū Exodus 5:1
וְלָחֹ֖ג 1x wə·lā·ḥōḡ Zechariah 14:16
חָגִּ֧י 1x ḥāg·gî Nahum 1:15
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural 3x Exodus 12:14, Leviticus 23:41, Numbers 29:12
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct 2x Zechariah 14:18, Zechariah 14:19
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural 2x Leviticus 23:39, Leviticus 23:41
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2x Exodus 23:14, Deuteronomy 16:15
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x Exodus 5:1
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 1x 1 Samuel 30:16
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct 1x Zechariah 14:16
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular 1x Nahum 1:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Circular motion ritualized: to celebrate festivals through sacred processions marking covenant community identity
Source Gloss
properly, to move in a circle , i.e. (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication, to be giddy
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Circular motion ritualized: to celebrate festivals through sacred processions marking covenant community identity
properly, to move in a circle, i.e. (specifically) to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication, to be giddy BDB: make a pilgrimage Usage: celebrate, dance, (keep, hold) a (solemn) feast (holiday), reel to and fro.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 1 Aligned forms 7
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 7×
Imperfect Deut 16:15 · Exod 23:14 · Lev 23:39 · Lev 23:41 · Ps 107:27 5×
Sequential imperfect Nah 2:1 1×
Participle active Ps 42:5 1×
Word Origins
חָגַג is built from these roots:
חָגָא H2283
חוּג H2328
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain