Bible Word Study
תַּחְתִּים חׇדְשִׁי
Tachtîym Chodshîy · Tachtim-Chodshi, a place in Palestine
תַּחְתִּים חׇדְשִׁי
Tachtim-Chodshi, a place in Palestine
Definition
Tachtim-Chodshi is a proper noun referring to a specific geographical location in ancient Palestine, mentioned only once in the Old Testament. The name itself appears to be a compound phrase meaning 'lower (places) monthly' or 'lower new moons,' though its exact significance remains uncertain. It is listed among the regions visited by Joab during King David's military census, as recorded in 2 Samuel 24:6. The precise location of this place is unknown to modern archaeology, and it is not mentioned elsewhere in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
This term is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in 2 Samuel 24:6. It appears in a geographical list detailing the route Joab and his officers took while conducting David's controversial census. The context is purely administrative and locational, serving to specify a stop on a military itinerary that went from the Arnon River gorge to Gilead and then to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon.
Etymology
The name is a compound of two elements. The first part, 'Tachtim,' derives from the root תַּחַת (tachat, H8478), meaning 'under, below, instead of,' and likely functions as a plural form meaning 'lower places.' The second part, 'Chodshi,' comes from חֹדֶשׁ (chodesh, H2320), meaning 'new moon' or 'month.' The combined phrase 'lower monthly (places)' is enigmatic; it may refer to a topographical feature, a monthly market, or a cultic site associated with lunar cycles, but its exact derivation is unclear.
Semantic Range
As a place-name, its cultural context is tied to ancient Israelite geography and administration. The inclusion in a census route (2 Samuel 24:6) suggests it was a recognized location, possibly a town, region, or landmark, during the united monarchy. The 'monthly' component might hint at a site of periodic gathering, such as for trade or religious observance connected to the lunar calendar, but this is speculative. Its obscurity highlights how many minor biblical locations are lost to history.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]