---
title: חִידָה — riddle · The Tanakh dictionary
description: חִידָה (2420), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 17 times: riddle. BDB 1906: n.f. riddle, enigmatic, perplexing saying or question. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# חִידָה

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«חִידָה» in the Tanakh dictionary: **riddle** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 17 times · **Key:** 2420 · **BDB:** חִידָה

### Glosses

riddle (8); riddles (3); a.riddle (2)

### Meaning (OSHB)

riddle [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1495/2420/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

n.f. riddle, enigmatic, perplexing saying or question [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1495/2420/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** n.f. riddle, enigmatic, perplexing saying or question;—abs. ח׳ Ju 14:12 + 6 times; sf. חִידָתִי Ju 14:18 ψ 49:5; חִידָֽתְךָ Ju 14:13; pl. abs. חִידוֹת 1 K 10:1 + 4 times; חִידֹת Nu 12:8; sf. חִידֹתָם Pr 1:6;— riddle = dark, obscure utterance Nu 12:8 (JE; opp. פֶּה־אֶל־פֶּה and מַרְאֶה); of something put indirectly and needing interpretation;—an allegory חוד ח׳ Ez 17:2 (‖ מְשֹׁל מָשָׁל); allegor. and fig. sayings Pr 1:6 (‖ מְלִיצָה מָשָׁל and דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים); enigmat. sentences and comparisons, declaring fate of Chaldeans Hb 2:6 (+ מְלִיצָה; ‖ מָשָׁל), perplexing moral problem ψ 49:5 (c. פָּתַח open, propound; ‖ מָשָׁל), a lesson taught indirectly ψ 78:2 (ח׳ מִנִּי קֶדֶם, c. הִבִּיעַ; ‖ מָשָׁל). riddle, enigma, to be guessed, in Ju 14: with vb. חוּד Ju 14:12, 13, 16 propound a riddle. with vb. הִגִּיד tell (give answer to) a riddle Ju 14:14, 15, 17, 19. with vb. מצא find out a riddle Ju 14:18. perplexing questions by which queen of Sheba put Sol. to the test (נִסָּה) 1 K 10:1 = 2 Ch 9:1. with הֵבִין skilled in double-dealing Dn 8:23 (Bev).

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 17 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (7 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (5 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «חִידָה» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1495/2420/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Psalms 78:2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.78.2/)

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אֶפְתְּחָ֣ה בְמָשָׁ֣ל פִּ֑י אַבִּ֥יעָה חִ֝יד֗וֹת מִנִּי־קֶֽדֶם׃

*Word for word:* I.will.open in a.parable mouth my I.will.pour.forth riddles from antiquity

*JPS 1917:* I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter dark sayings concerning days of old;

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[Psalms 49:5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.49.5/)

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אַטֶּ֣ה לְמָשָׁ֣ל אָזְנִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֥ח בְּ֝כִנּ֗וֹר חִידָתִֽי׃

*Word for word:* I.will.incline to a.proverb ear my I.will.open with a.harp riddle my

*JPS 1917:* I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

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