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עַד

𐤏𐤃

ʻad

H5706 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Property, livestock, or goods seized in the aftermath of conflict; refers to spoil, prey, or plunder taken by force or as the result of victory in battle. May denote both animate (people, cattle) and inanimate (goods, valuables) objects acquired from an adversary.

Semantic Range

booty, prey, spoil, plunder, property seized in conflict

Root / Etymology

From the root ע-ד, whose basic semantic value is 'to continue, to extend.' The form עַד used in this sense appears to be nominal, with the specific nuance of 'booty' or 'prey.' The etymological connection between the root sense ('to continue, reach as far as') and the sense of 'booty' is likely related to the idea of something that remains or is left over after conflict, but this derivation is debated—many consider it etymologically opaque, or at least the semantic development is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

עַד meaning 'booty' or 'prey' occurs in poetic texts (e.g., Job 20:19; Isaiah 33:23), often in the context of military defeat or divine judgment. It is distinct from more common terms for spoil or plunder, such as שָׁלַל or מַלְקוֹחַ, and its usage is relatively rare and literary. In these contexts, it frequently conveys the totality of what can be taken—including people, animals, and material goods. Later translations sometimes rendered it as 'prey' or 'booty,' but this can be misleading if restricted only to animal game, as the semantic scope is broader. The word is not to be confused with the much more common עַד meaning 'until.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as עַד in the sense of the aim of an attack; booty; prey.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

עד (bᵉʻad) — to reach up to, to extend toward, to approach a limit

Root עד to extend, to continue, to reach as far as
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1157 בְּעַד on behalf of her
H5703 עַד up to, until
H5704 עַד up to
H5705 עַד up to the limit
H5708 עֵד menstrual discharges

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5706-01 עַ֑ד ad HNcmsa prey up to the limit prey 2
H5706-02 לְ/עַ֑ד lead HR/Ncmsa for prey plunder for plunder 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5706-01 Genesis 49:27 עַ֑ד ad HNcmsa prey up to the limit prey
H5706-01 Isaiah 33:23 עַֽד ad HNcmsc prey up to the limit prey
H5706-02 Zephaniah 3:8 לְ/עַ֑ד lead HR/Ncmsa for prey plunder for plunder
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