H2420 H2420
riddle, enigmatic saying — a dark or perplexing utterance requiring interpretation, including allegories and proverbs
Chidah denotes a riddle or enigmatic saying that demands interpretive effort from its hearer. Best known from Samson's wedding riddle in Judges 14, where the word appears seven times as he challenges the Philistines with a dark saying born from personal experience (Judg 14:12-19), the term extends well beyond parlor games. In Numbers 12:8, God distinguishes Moses from other prophets by saying he speaks with him 'mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles' — placing chidah on the obscure end of a revelation spectrum. The Queen of Sheba tests Solomon 'with riddles' (1 Kgs 10:1; 2 Chr 9:1), probing the depths of his divinely given wisdom. Proverbs 1:6 groups chidot alongside mashal ('proverb') and melitsah ('figure'), as the literary stock-in-trade of the wise. Ezekiel 17:2 is commanded to 'propound a riddle and speak an allegory,' and Habakkuk 2:6 applies the term to taunting oracles against Babylon. Psalm 49:4 and 78:2 use it for wisdom teachings that probe life's deepest moral puzzles. Spanish 'enigma,' French 'enigme,' and German 'Raetsel' all capture the sense of deliberate obscurity awaiting resolution.
Senses
1. riddle, enigmatic saying — A riddle, enigmatic utterance, or perplexing saying that requires interpretation — covering literal riddles (Samson's wedding challenge, Judg 14:12-19), tests of wisdom (the Queen of Sheba's riddles to Solomon, 1 Kgs 10:1; 2 Chr 9:1), prophetic allegories (Ezek 17:2; Hab 2:6), obscure modes of divine communication contrasted with direct speech (Num 12:8), and wisdom literature's dark sayings that probe moral complexity (Ps 49:4; 78:2; Prov 1:6). The term is paired with mashal ('proverb') and melitsah ('figure') in its literary-didactic uses. Spanish 'enigma,' French 'enigme,' and German 'Raetsel' all converge on the core sense of deliberate opacity inviting discovery. 17×
AR["أَلغازاً", "أَلْغَازًا", "أُحْجِيَّةً", "أُحْجِيَّتَكَ", "أُحْجِيَّتِي", "الْأَلْغَازِ", "الْأُحْجِيَّةَ-الـ", "الْأُحْجِيَّةِ-الـ", "بِ-أَلْغَازٍ", "بِأَلغازٍ", "بِـ-أَلْغَازٍ", "لُغْزي", "لُغْزًا", "وَ-أَلْغَازِهِمْ"]·ben["-ধাঁধায়", "আমার-ধাঁধা", "ও-তাদের-গূঢ়-কথা", "তোমার-ধাঁধা", "ধাঁধা", "ধাঁধা-আমার", "ধাঁধাগুলি", "ধাঁধাগুলি-", "ধাঁধায়-দিয়ে", "ধাঁধার", "সেই-ধাঁধা", "সেই-ধাঁধার"]·DE["Raetsel", "[בחידות]", "[וחידתם]", "[חידה]", "[חידות]", "dein-Raetsel", "der-Raetsel", "in-riddles", "mein-Raetsel", "mein-riddle", "mit-riddles", "riddles"]·EN["a-riddle", "and-their-riddles", "in-riddles", "my-riddle", "riddle", "riddles", "the-riddle", "with-riddles", "your-riddle"]·FR["[בחידות]", "[חידה]", "avec-riddles", "dans-riddles", "et-leur-וחידתם-eux", "le-énigme", "mon-énigme", "ton-énigme", "énigme", "énigmes"]·heb["ב-חידות", "ב-חידת", "בְּ-חִידוֹת", "ה-חידה", "ו-חידותם", "חידה", "חידות", "חידת-י", "חידתי", "חידתך"]·HI["और-पहेलियाँ-उनकी", "तेरी-पहेली", "पहेलियाँ", "पहेलियों-को", "पहेलियों-में", "पहेलियों-से", "पहेली", "पहेली-के", "भेद-अपना", "मेरी-पहेली"]·ID["dan-teka-teki-mereka", "dengan-teka-teki", "sang-teka-teki", "teka-teki", "teka-tekiku", "teka-tekimu"]·IT["[בחידות]", "[חידה]", "[חידות]", "con-riddles", "e-e-loro-riddles-loro", "enigma", "il-indovinello", "in-riddles", "indovinello", "mio-indovinello", "tuo-indovinello"]·jav["cangkriman", "cangkriman-kula", "cangkriman-panjenengan", "lan-cangkriman", "mawi-cangkriman", "pangertosan", "srana-cangkriman", "wadi", "wonten-ing-cangkriman"]·KO["-에-수수께끼들로", "그-수수께끼", "그리고-수수께끼-들-을", "나의-수수께끼", "내-수수께끼-를", "당신의-수수께끼", "수수꺼렔를", "수수꺽기들-로", "수수께끼-로", "수수께끼-를", "수수께끼들-을", "수수께끼를"]·PT["O-enigma", "com-enigmas", "de-charadas", "e-suas-charadas", "em-enigmas", "enigma", "enigma-meu", "enigma-teu", "enigmas", "meu-enigma", "o-enigma"]·RU["загадками", "загадки", "загадку", "загадку-мою", "загадку-твою", "и-загадок-их."]·ES["con-enigmas", "de-enigmas", "el-enigma", "en-enigmas", "enigma", "enigmas", "mi-enigma", "tu-enigma", "un-enigma", "y-sus-acertijos"]·SW["fumbo-langu", "kitendawili", "kitendawili-chako", "kitendawili-changu", "kwa-mafumbo", "mafumbo", "na-mafumbo-yao", "vitendawili"]·TR["-de-bilmecelerle", "bilmece", "bilmeceler", "bilmeceleri", "bilmecelerle", "bilmecemi", "bilmeceni", "bilmeceyi", "ve-bulmacalarını"]·urd["اور-پہیلیاں-ان-کی", "اپنی-معما", "تیری-پہیلی", "معموں-میں", "معمّوں-سے", "معمّے", "معمے", "میری-پہیلی", "پہیلی", "پہیلیوں-سے"]
Num 12:8, Judg 14:12, Judg 14:13, Judg 14:14, Judg 14:15, Judg 14:16, Judg 14:17, Judg 14:18, Judg 14:19, 1 Kgs 10:1, 2 Chr 9:1, Ps 49:4 (+5 more)
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חִידָה 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;— 1. 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…