Hebrew word · H2318

חָדַשׁ

chadesh

to renew

In the intensive (Piel) form: make new, renew, restore, repair. It is used for restoring something that existed but decayed or broke, and also for making something fresh.

Appears 10 times in 10 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. · Updated October 24, 2026

What it means

1) to be new, renew, repair

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to renew, make anew

1a2) to repair

1b) (Hithpael) to renew oneself

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Psalm 51:10

Range of meaning: In the intensive (Piel) form: make new, renew, restore, repair. It is used for restoring something that existed but decayed or broke, and also for making something fresh.
Against the English: 'Renew' in all major versions is accurate. English readers may not notice how concrete the word is: it is the verb for rebuilding.
Used elsewhere in the period: 1 Sam 11:14 ('let us renew the kingship'); 2 Chr 24:4, 12 (Joash 'restoring' the Temple); Isa 61:4 ('they shall repair the ruined cities'); Lam 5:21 ('renew our days as of old'); Ps 104:30 ('you renew the face of the ground', in parallel with 'they are created', bara). The LXX has ἐγκαίνισον (enkainison, 'renew, inaugurate'), related to enkainia, the word used for the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in John 10:22.

From the study of Isaiah 61:4

Range of meaning: In this form it means to renew or repair: to make something old or damaged fresh and usable again. Related to ḥādāsh 'new' and ḥōdesh 'new moon', the moon renewed each month.
Against the English: BSB/NIV 'renew'; KJV/WEB 'repair'. 'Repair' captures the building work. 'Renew' keeps the link with 'new' and the wider theme of newness in Isaiah 40–66.
Used elsewhere in the period: 2 Chr 24:4, 12 (Joash repairs the temple); 2 Chr 15:8 (Asa renews the altar); 1 Sam 11:14 ('renew the kingship'); Ps 51:10 (renew a right spirit); Lam 5:21 ('renew our days as of old').

From the study of Psalm 103:5

Range of meaning: 'To be new' and, in other forms, 'to make new, restore, repair.' Uses include renewing the kingdom (1 Sam 11:14), repairing the temple (2 Chr 24:4, 12), rebuilding ruined cities (Isa 61:4), 'renew a steadfast spirit within me' (Ps 51:10) and 'renew our days as of old' (Lam 5:21). The related noun ḥodesh is the 'new moon', the moon renewed each month.
Against the English: 'Renewed' is a good rendering. The form here is reflexive-passive, 'renews itself / is made new', which the YLT's 'renew itself' preserves.
Used elsewhere in the period: The new-moon link (ḥodesh) shows the Hebrew idea of renewal as a cycle of returning freshness rather than a brand-new creation. Lam 5:21 uses the same verb for restoring a former, better state.

Where it appears

1 Samuel · 1

1 Samuel 11:14 וּנְחַדֵּ֥שׁ so we may renew

Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.”

2 Chronicles · 3

2 Chronicles 15:8 וַיְחַדֵּשׁ֙ and he renewed

When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.

Here: 'He made new again': repaired or rebuilt something worn or damaged, so it could be used properly again. The same verb is used for repairing the temple (2 Chr 24:4, 12).
2 Chronicles 24:4 לְחַדֵּ֖שׁ to renew

Some time later, Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 24:12 לְחַדֵּ֖שׁ to renew

Then the king and Jehoiada would give the money to those who supervised the labor on the house of the LORD to hire stonecutters and carpenters to restore the house of the LORD, as well as workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the LORD.

Job · 1

Job 10:17 תְּחַדֵּ֬שׁ you renew

You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.

Psalms · 3

Psalm 51:10 חַדֵּ֥שׁ renew

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Here: An imperative from a verb form that means 'make new': restore something to a fresh, sound state, as people repaired the Temple or rebuilt ruined cities. It pairs with 'create': bring into being, make new again.
Psalm 103:5 תִּתְחַדֵּ֖שׁ it renews itself

who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Here: A reflexive-passive form: 'becomes new again' or 'is made fresh.' Its subject is 'your youth.' The verb describes restoring something to its original fresh state, as in 'renew our days as of old' (Lam 5:21) or the restoring of a temple (2 Chr 24:4). It is the result of God's satisfying: being fed with good makes your youth come back.
Psalm 104:30 וּ֝תְחַדֵּ֗שׁ and you may renew

When You send Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.

Here: 'And you renew.' The intensive form means to make something fresh again: to repair or restore what existed and wore out. The picture is seasonal and repeated: the land that had browned and emptied is made new.

Isaiah · 1

Isaiah 61:4 וְחִדְּשׁוּ֙ and they will renew

They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.

Here: Related to ḥādāsh, 'new'. This form means to make something old serviceable again, to repair or renew it. Elsewhere it is used for repairing the temple and the altar. These cities are restored, not replaced.

Lamentations · 1

Lamentations 5:21 חַדֵּ֥שׁ renew

Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,

Here: A second command. In this intensive form the verb usually means putting something worn or broken back in working order, as when a temple is repaired or a kingship reaffirmed. It does not mean replacing it with something brand new.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.