Original Word: חֲדַר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Chadar
Pronunciation: khaw-dar'
Phonetic Spelling: (khad-ar')
KJV: Hadar
Word Origin: [another form for H2315 (חֶדֶר - inner room)]

1. chamber
2. Chadar, an Ishmaelite

Hadar

Another form for cheder; chamber; Chadar, an Ishmaelite -- Hadar.

see HEBREW cheder

Word Origin
a scribal error for Hadar, q.v.

Meaning and Scope

חֲדַר (Strong’s 2316) is the unused verbal root behind several nouns and adjectives that speak of an enclosed, hidden, or innermost place (most notably חֶדֶר, “chamber,” Strong’s 2315). Although the verb itself is unattested, its derivatives reveal the semantic field: to surround, conceal, shut in, or shelter. This concept spans literal rooms, the hidden recesses of the human person, and the protective covering of God.

Chambers and Private Rooms

1 Kings 20:30, 2 Kings 6:12, and 2 Chronicles 18:24 illustrate royal or military “inner chambers” used for privacy, counsel, or secrecy. Such rooms were normally windowless, located toward the center of a house or palace, and accessible by narrow passages. They afforded safety from enemies (Judges 3:24–25) and discretion for family matters (2 Samuel 13:10).

Because the root emphasizes enclosure, these spaces also became symbols of refuge. Joel 2:16 speaks of the bridegroom leaving his room and the bride her chamber during a national call to repentance; in times of crisis, even the most secluded spaces must yield to corporate devotion.

Shelter and Protection Imagery

Isaiah 26:20 draws directly on the motif: “Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until wrath has passed”. The promise assumes that an inner chamber can shield from external judgment, prefiguring divine protection for the faithful remnant.

Psalm 91:1 takes up the same logic, though with different vocabulary: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty”. The physical architecture of a chamber becomes theological architecture—Yahweh Himself is the enclosing wall.

The Inner Person

Proverbs applies חֲדַר language to the unseen recesses of the human being. “The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being” (Proverbs 20:27). Words and experiences penetrate “the innermost parts” (Proverbs 18:8; 20:30; 26:22). The same root that describes hidden rooms thus depicts the secret places of conscience, motive, and memory.

This interior usage points to the biblical doctrine that true religion is not external ritual alone but proceeds from the hidden heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 6:6). The furnishings of the moral chamber—faith, wisdom, love—are what the Lord inspects.

Prophetic and Eschatological Nuances

Jeremiah 35:4 refers to “the chamber of the sons of Hanan” in the temple precincts, showing that sacred complexes contained graduated holiness culminating in the Holy of Holies. The innermost sanctuary of the Mosaic tabernacle is the ultimate חֶדֶר; there God met with His people above the mercy seat (Exodus 25:22). New Testament writers apply this imagery to the believer’s union with Christ (Hebrews 10:19–22) and to the eschatological city whose security is absolute (Revelation 21:25–27).

Spiritual Discipline: The Prayer Closet

Jesus’ instruction, “When you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is unseen” (Matthew 6:6), borrows the Old Testament language of חֶדֶר. The secluded space fosters undistracted communion and guards against hypocrisy. Early believers adopted the practice of private prayer before public ministry, echoing the pattern of Elijah (1 Kings 17:19) and Daniel (Daniel 6:10).

Pastoral and Devotional Applications

• Encourage believers to cultivate a literal or figurative “inner room” for Scripture meditation, confession, and intercession.

• Teach that God’s protection often manifests as spiritual enclosure rather than removal from trial (Psalm 27:5).

• Remind the congregation that what is whispered “in inner rooms” will one day be proclaimed (Luke 12:3), urging integrity.

Christological Fulfillment

In His incarnation, Jesus entered the confines of human flesh, the ultimate “inner chamber” (John 1:14). His crucifixion tore the temple veil, granting direct access to the Father (Matthew 27:51). Union with the risen Christ now hides the believer “with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3), a reality that blends enclosure with exaltation.

Summary

Though the root חֲדַר never surfaces as a stand-alone verb, its legacy permeates Scripture. From architectural design to spiritual disciplines, from protective mercy to eschatological hope, the idea of an enclosed, guarded space teaches that the Lord both conceals and reveals—shielding His people while searching their hearts. The call remains: enter the chamber, close the door, and meet with God.

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