Hebrew word · H2598

חֲנֻכָּה

chanukah

dedication

Inauguration or dedication: the act of putting something into use for the first time, especially a sacred structure. The root ḥ-n-k is used for 'inaugurating' a new house (Deut 20:5), for the temple (1 Kgs 8:63) and, in a related sense, for 'starting off' or training a child (Prov 22:6).

Appears 8 times in 7 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

dedication, consecration

Aramaic equivalent: cha.nuk.kah (חֲנֻכָּה "dedication" H2597)

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 Numbers 7:84

Range of meaning

Inauguration or dedication: the act of putting something into use for the first time, especially a sacred structure. The root ḥ-n-k is used for 'inaugurating' a new house (Deut 20:5), for the temple (1 Kgs 8:63) and, in a related sense, for 'starting off' or training a child (Prov 22:6). The noun is used for the altar (Num 7:10, 11, 84, 88; 2 Chr 7:9), the temple (Ps 30 title; Aramaic in Ezra 6:16–17) and Jerusalem's wall (Neh 12:27). The weight falls on beginning the thing's use, usually with sacrifices and celebration, not on a vow or a speech.

Against the English

'Dedication' (KJV, BSB, WEB, YLT) is acceptable, but modern English hears a ceremony with a plaque, or an inner act of personal commitment. 'Inauguration' or 'opening' is closer. Here the word stands almost for the gifts themselves (WEB: 'dedication offering').

How it drifted

In English, 'dedicate' moved toward personal devotion ('dedicate your life') and ceremonial naming, which pulls attention away from the concrete Hebrew idea of starting something's working life.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Septuagint (LXX) renders it enkainismos, 'renewal, inauguration,' from kainos, 'new.' 1 Maccabees 4:56–59 deliberately calls the Maccabees' rededication of the defiled altar in 164 BC ho enkainismos tou thysiastēriou, 'the dedication of the altar,' the same phrase as here. That festival became Hanukkah, which John 10:22 calls ta enkainia. The Mishnah (Megillah 3:6) appoints Numbers 7, the chiefs' offerings, as the Torah reading for Hanukkah.

From the study of Nehemiah 12:27

Range of meaning

From the root ḥ-n-k, meaning to inaugurate or initiate something, to start it on its proper use. The noun means the inaugural ceremony of a newly made altar, house, temple or city wall. Related uses of the verb are dedicating a new house (Deut 20:5) or the temple (1 Kgs 8:63), and 'training' or starting a child (Prov 22:6).

Against the English

English 'dedication' can suggest devoting something to a person, or a speech and plaque. The Hebrew focuses on bringing something into use for the first time, which in Israel was always a religious act with sacrifices and purification (vv. 30, 43).

How it drifted

'Dedicate' comes from Latin dedicare (Vulgate dedicatio). Its modern secular use as a ceremonial opening or a book dedication is narrower than the Hebrew.

Used elsewhere in the period

Num 7:10–11, 84, 88 (dedication of the altar); 2 Chr 7:9 (altar under Solomon); Ps 30 heading ('song of the dedication of the house'); Aramaic ḥănukkāh for the second temple in Ezra 6:16–17. The Greek Septuagint uses enkainia, literally 'renewal/inauguration'. The same Greek word names the Maccabean rededication festival (1 Macc 4:56–59; John 10:22), today's Hanukkah.

Where it appears

Numbers · 4

  1. Numbers 7:10 חֲנֻכַּ֣ת [the] dedication of

    When the altar was anointed, the leaders approached with their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.

  2. Numbers 7:11 לַחֲנֻכַּ֖ת for [the] dedication of

    And the LORD said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to present his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

  3. Numbers 7:84 חֲנֻכַּ֣ת [was] [the] dedication of

    So these were the offerings from the leaders of Israel for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold dishes.

    Here: The 'putting into use' of the altar: the gifts and sacrifices that opened its service. Here the word stands almost for the offering itself ('this was the altar-inauguration [gift]').

  4. Numbers 7:88 חֲנֻכַּ֣ת [was] [the] dedication of

    All the livestock sacrificed for the peace offering totaled twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

2 Chronicles · 1

  1. 2 Chronicles 7:9 חֲנֻכַּ֣ת [the] dedication of

    On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for the dedication of the altar had lasted seven days, and the feast seven days more.

Nehemiah · 2

  1. Nehemiah 12:27 וּבַחֲנֻכַּ֞ת חֲנֻכָּ֤ה and at [the] dedication of, dedication

    At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.

    Here: The inauguration of something newly built, putting it into use with ceremony. The verse opens with it, so the whole sentence is framed by the event.

Psalms · 1

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