Hebrew word · H2549

חֲמִישִׁי

chamishi

fifth

'Fifth', the ordinal number from ḥamesh, 'five'. It is used for the fifth day, month, year, son, and so on.

Appears 45 times in 44 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

ordinal number, 5th

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 Genesis 1:23

Range of meaning

'Fifth', the ordinal number from ḥamesh, 'five'. It is used for the fifth day, month, year, son, and so on.

Against the English

BSB, KJV and NIV say 'the fifth day'. WEB and NASB say 'a fifth day', and YLT has 'day fifth'. The Hebrew has no article. Day one uses the cardinal number ('day one', yom eḥad, v. 5), days two to five have ordinals without the article, and days six and seven get the article (hashishi, v. 31; hashviʿi, 2:2–3).

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Bible's dated lists the article usually goes with the ordinal (e.g., bayyom hashviʿi, 'on the seventh day'). That makes its absence here noticeable. Hebrew grammars do note that ordinals can be understood as definite without the article.

From the study of Leviticus 5:16

Range of meaning

Ordinal "fifth"; as a noun, "a fifth part." In priestly law, "adding its fifth" is a fixed formula for a 20% surcharge.

Against the English

Most versions keep "a fifth." Some modern paraphrases put it as "20 percent," which is clear but loses the formula that links this verse to its parallels.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same surcharge applies to a layperson who unknowingly eats holy food (Lev 22:14), to defrauding a neighbour (Lev 5:24 Hebrew = 6:5 English; Num 5:7), and to buying back vowed or dedicated things (Lev 27:13, 15, 19, 27, 31). Later rabbinic law (Mishnah Bava Metzia 4:7–8; Bavli Bava Metzia 54a) read it as a fifth "from the outside": a fifth of the final total, which works out to a quarter of the original amount. That is a later legal interpretation, not something the verse spells out.

From the study of Numbers 5:7

Range of meaning

'Fifth', the ordinal number used as a fraction: one-fifth part.

Against the English

Most versions say 'a fifth.' NLT turns it into 'an additional 20 percent,' which is clear and is the plain-sense calculation. It leaves out the rabbinic way of calculating it (see debates).

Used elsewhere in the period

The same added fifth appears in Lev 5:16 (misuse of holy things), Lev 6:5 (wronging a neighbour), Lev 22:14 (a layperson eating holy food) and Lev 27 (redeeming dedicated property). The Mishnah (m. Bava Metzia 4:7–8) and Talmud (b. Bava Metzia 54a) treat the 'fifth from outside' as one-fifth of the total, which comes to a quarter of the principal.

Similar words

Where it appears

Genesis · 3
  1. Genesis 1:23 חֲמִישִֽׁי׃ פ fifth

    And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

    Here: An ordinal number from ḥamesh, 'five'. It has no definite article, so it reads literally as 'a fifth day' or 'day five'. The article only appears with days six and seven. The final פ is a scribal mark for an 'open' paragraph break, not a word.

  2. Genesis 30:17 חֲמִישִֽׁי׃ fifth

    And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob.

  3. Genesis 47:24 חֲמִישִׁ֖ית a fifth

    At harvest time, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and food for yourselves and your households and children.”

Leviticus · 9
  1. Leviticus 5:16 חֲמִֽישִׁתוֹ֙ fifth its

    Regarding any holy thing he has harmed, he must make restitution by adding a fifth of its value to it and giving it to the priest, who will make atonement on his behalf with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.

    Here: "Its fifth": a 20% surcharge calculated on the value of what was misused. It is a fixed penalty on top of repayment, so the sanctuary ends up with more than it lost.

  2. Leviticus 6:5 וַחֲמִשִׁתָ֖יו and fifth<s> its

    or anything else about which he has sworn falsely. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value, and pay it to the owner on the day he acknowledges his guilt.

  3. Leviticus 19:25 הַחֲמִישִׁ֗ת <the> fifth

    But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit; thus your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.

  4. Leviticus 22:14 חֲמִֽשִׁיתוֹ֙ fifth its

    If anyone eats a sacred offering in error, he must add a fifth to its value and give the sacred offering to the priest.

  5. Leviticus 27:13 חֲמִישִׁת֖וֹ fifth its

    If, however, the owner decides to redeem the animal, he must add a fifth to its value.

  6. Leviticus 27:15 חֲמִישִׁ֧ית [the] fifth part of

    But if he who consecrated his house redeems it, he must add a fifth to the assessed value, and it will belong to him.

  7. Leviticus 27:19 חֲמִשִׁ֧ית [the] fifth part of

    And if the one who consecrated the field decides to redeem it, he must add a fifth to the assessed value, and it shall belong to him.

  8. Leviticus 27:27 חֲמִשִׁת֖וֹ fifth its

    But if it is among the unclean animals, then he may redeem it according to your valuation and add a fifth of its value. If it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.

  9. Leviticus 27:31 חֲמִשִׁית֖וֹ fifth its

    If a man wishes to redeem part of his tithe, he must add a fifth to its value.

Numbers · 4
  1. Numbers 5:7 וַחֲמִישִׁת֖וֹ and fifth its

    and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution, add a fifth to its value, and give all this to the one he has wronged.

    Here: 'And its fifth': a penalty of one-fifth (20%) of the principal, on top of it.

  2. Numbers 7:36 הַחֲמִישִׁ֔י <the> fifth

    On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the Simeonites, drew near.

  3. Numbers 29:26 הַחֲמִישִׁ֛י <the> fifth

    On the fifth day you are to present nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, all unblemished,

  4. Numbers 33:38 הַחֲמִישִׁ֖י <the> fifth

    At the LORD’s command, Aaron the priest climbed Mount Hor and died there on the first day of the fifth month, in the fortieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt.

Joshua · 1
  1. Joshua 19:24 הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔י <the> fifth

    The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher:

    Here: The ordinal number. Asher's is the fifth of the seven lots drawn at Shiloh for the tribes that had not yet received land (after Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun and Issachar; before Naphtali and Dan).

Judges · 1
  1. Judges 19:8 הַחֲמִישִׁי֮ <the> fifth

    On the fifth day, he got up early in the morning to depart, but the girl’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they waited until late afternoon and the two of them ate.

2 Samuel · 1
  1. 2 Samuel 3:4 וְהַחֲמִישִׁ֖י and [was] the fifth

    his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;

1 Kings · 2
  1. 1 Kings 6:31 חֲמִשִֽׁית׃ fifth

    For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, Solomon constructed doors of olive wood with five-sided doorposts.

  2. 1 Kings 14:25 הַחֲמִישִׁ֖ית <the> fifth

    In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem.

2 Kings · 1
  1. 2 Kings 25:8 הַֽחֲמִישִׁי֙ <the> fifth

    On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles · 10
  1. 1 Chronicles 2:14 הַחֲמִישִֽׁי׃ the fifth

    Nethanel fourth, Raddai fifth,

  2. 1 Chronicles 3:3 הַחֲמִישִׁ֥י the fifth

    the fifth was Shephatiah by Abital; and the sixth was Ithream by his wife Eglah.

  3. 1 Chronicles 8:2 הַחֲמִישִֽׁי׃ ס the fifth

    Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.

  4. 1 Chronicles 12:10 הַחֲמִשִֽׁי׃ the fifth

    Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

  5. 1 Chronicles 24:9 הַחֲמִישִׁ֔י the fifth

    the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

  6. 1 Chronicles 25:12 הַחֲמִישִׁ֣י the fifth

    the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons, and his brothers—12 in all;

  7. 1 Chronicles 26:3 הַחֲמִישִׁי֙ the fifth

    Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh.

    Here: 'The fifth', with the article. It gives his place in the birth order, carrying on the count that started with 'Zechariah the firstborn' in verse 2.

  8. 1 Chronicles 26:4 הַחֲמִישִֽׁי׃ the fifth

    And Obed-edom also had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,

  9. 1 Chronicles 27:8 הַחַמִישִׁי֙ הַחֲמִישִׁ֔י [was] the fifth, <the> fifth

    The fifth, for the fifth month, was the commander Shamhuth the Izrahite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

2 Chronicles · 1
  1. 2 Chronicles 12:2 הַֽחֲמִישִׁית֙ <the> fifth

    In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem

Ezra · 2
  1. Ezra 7:8 הַחֲמִישִׁ֑י <the> fifth

    Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.

  2. Ezra 7:9 הַחֲמִישִׁ֗י <the> fifth

    He had begun the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.

Nehemiah · 1
  1. Nehemiah 6:5 חֲמִישִׁ֖ית fifth

    The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter

Jeremiah · 4
  1. Jeremiah 1:3 הַחֲמִישִֽׁי׃ ס <the> fifth

    and through the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

  2. Jeremiah 28:1 הַחֲמִישִׁ֑י <the> fifth

    In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, near the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people:

  3. Jeremiah 36:9 הַ֠חֲמִשִׁית <the> fifth

    Now in the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a fast before the LORD was proclaimed to all the people of Jerusalem and all who had come there from the cities of Judah.

  4. Jeremiah 52:12 הַֽחֲמִישִׁי֙ <the> fifth

    On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.

Ezekiel · 2
  1. Ezekiel 1:2 הַחֲמִישִׁ֔ית <the> fifth

    On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—

    Here: 'The fifth' year: about 593 BC, counting from the deportation of 597 BC. Five days and five years together give a neat, memorable date.

  2. Ezekiel 20:1 בַּֽחֲמִשִׁי֙ in the fifth [month]

    In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.

    Here: 'In the fifth [month]'. The word 'month' is understood, as it often is in dates. Counting from the spring New Year, the fifth month is midsummer (later called Av), July–August.

Zechariah · 3
  1. Zechariah 7:3 הַחֲמִשִׁ֔י <the> fifth

    by asking the priests of the house of the LORD of Hosts, as well as the prophets, “Should I weep and fast in the fifth month, as I have done these many years?”

    Here: 'The fifth' month (later called Av, July–August). In that month in 587/586 BC the Babylonians burned the temple and Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8–9; Jeremiah 52:12–13). Every listener would have known the date at once.

  2. Zechariah 7:5 בַּחֲמִישִׁ֣י in the fifth [month]

    “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted?

    Here: 'In the fifth [month],' with 'month' understood. This was the month (later called Av) when Nebuchadnezzar's forces burned the temple in 586 BC (2 Kgs 25:8–9).

  3. Zechariah 8:19 הַחֲמִישִׁי֩ the fifth [month]

    “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore you are to love both truth and peace.”

    Here: The fifth month (Av, July–August). It remembered the burning of the temple and the city (2 Kgs 25:8–9). This is the fast the Bethel delegation asked about in 7:3.

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