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מַדּוּעַ

𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤏

maddûwaʻ

H4069 particle

SILEX Entry

Root מה, ידע to know, to interrogate, to ask about a cause or reason

Definition

Interrogative adverb meaning 'why?' used to inquire about the cause, reason, or motivation for an action, event, or situation. Functions as a standard term for requesting an explanation or rationale within narrative, legal, and poetic contexts.

Semantic Range

why?, for what reason?, how is it that?, wherefore?

Root / Etymology

Derived from the interrogative pronoun מָה ('what?') and the passive participle of the verb יָדַע ('to know'), forming a composite that literally means 'what is known?' but functions idiomatically. The actual lexical meaning is the adverbial 'why?,' distinct from its literal etymological components. The precise morpho-syntactic emergence of the word reflects the Biblical Hebrew tendency to form more nuanced interrogative adverbs through compounding.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, מַדּוּעַ occurs as a standard interrogative to solicit reasons or purposes, often in direct speech, dialogues, or rhetorical questions. Unlike לָמָּה (lammah), which may shade into 'for what purpose?', מַדּוּעַ typically stresses the underlying reason or causality (i.e., 'what is the cause?'). While both terms are frequently translated 'why' in English, they are not always interchangeable; מַדּוּעַ may be more strongly associated with an expectation of an explanation that is already supposed to be understood (i.e., 'why is this, as is known?'). Its use is attested across narrative, legal, and prophetic contexts from early Israelite to later periods, without significant diachronic shift in meaning. English translations usually adequately render the word as 'why,' but may fail to reflect subtle differences with related interrogatives.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מַדֻּעַ; from מָה and the passive participle of יָדַע; what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication) (adverbially) why?; how, wherefore, why.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מה ידע (m-h, y-d-ʿ) — what, to know, to inquire, to ask about a reason

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4069-01 מַדּ֖וּעַ madua HTi Why why? 62
H4069-02 וּ/מַדּ֨וּעַ֙ umadua HC/Ti And why and why? 10

Occurrences in Scripture

72 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4069-01 Genesis 26:27 מַדּ֖וּעַ madua HTi why why?
H4069-01 Genesis 40:7 מַדּ֛וּעַ madua HTi why why?
H4069-01 Exodus 1:18 מַדּ֥וּעַ madua HTi Why why?
H4069-01 Exodus 2:18 מַדּ֛וּעַ madua HTi Why why?
H4069-01 Exodus 3:3 מַדּ֖וּעַ madua HTi why why?
H4069-01 Exodus 5:14 מַדּ֡וּעַ madua HTi Why why?
H4069-01 Exodus 18:14 מַדּ֗וּעַ madua HTi why why?
H4069-01 Leviticus 10:17 מַדּ֗וּעַ madua HTi Why why?
H4069-02 Numbers 12:8 וּ/מַדּ֨וּעַ֙ umadua HC/Ti and-why and why?
H4069-02 Numbers 16:3 וּ/מַדּ֥וּעַ umadua HC/Ti why then and why?
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