Hodesh

Hodesh is a personal name of Hebrew origin, mentioned only once in the Old Testament. The name derives directly from the Hebrew word חׂדֶשׁ (chodesh), meaning “new moon” or “month.” In biblical culture, the new moon marked the beginning of each lunar month and was a time of religious observance, signaled by the blowing of trumpets and special sacrifices (Numbers 10:10, 28:11–15). The name thus carries connotations of renewal, cyclical time, and sacred festivals.

Biblical Reference

In the Hebrew Bible, Hodesh appears in the genealogical lists of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:1–40). Specifically, she is named as one of the wives of Shaharaim, a Benjamite who fathered children with both Hodesh and another wife, Hushim. Among her children are listed five sons: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, and Jeuz. However, because of the paucity of contextual details—the text simply records her name in passing—scholars often consider Hodesh * a minor figure in the biblical narrative. The passage reads: “And Shaharaim became the father of children in the country of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. And he fathered from Hodesh his wife: Jobab and Zibia and Mesha and Malcam” (1 Chronicles 8:8).

Related Forms

A variant form of the name is Chodesh, which appears in Biblical Hebrew and carries the same meaning. Unlike Hodesh, which is inherently feminine, Chodesh is typically used as a masculine name in some contexts, although its use as a personal name is extremely rare.

Cultural and Linguistic Context

Personal names drawn from the Hebrew calendar—such as Yerach (“moon”) or Rosh Chodesh (“new month”)—appear occasionally in the Bible, but Hodesh is virtually unique in being directly derived from the word for “new moon.” The concept of the new moon as a marker of holy time has persisted across Jewish tradition and into mystical thought, but the name Hodesh never passed into widespread usage in modern languages. It remains a distinct and rare example of a Biblical female name linked to the lunar cycle.

• Meaning: “new moon, month” (Hebrew)
• Origin: Biblical Hebrew
• Type: Personal (female)
• Usage Regions: English Bible (Greek/Latin heritage); directly from the Old Testament