אֲבִידָע
𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤃𐤏
Avida
H28 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name, meaning 'my father knows' or 'father has known.' Used as a proper noun referring to one of the sons of Abraham and Keturah in Genesis. The form reflects a theophoric or descriptive personal name pattern in Hebrew in which the subject is either God ('father') or, less likely, a human parent, connected with the idea of knowing or knowledge.
Semantic Range
personal name; 'my father knows'; 'father has known'; (theophoric) one whose father (God) has known; (less likely) one whose human father is characterized by knowledge
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew roots אָב ('av, 'father') and יָדַע (yada‘, 'to know'). The name is a compound, literally 'father knows' or 'my father knows.' The construction is typical of Hebrew personal names combining a nominal parent/root and a verbal phrase to yield a descriptive or theophoric sense. The precise nuance of whether 'my father' refers to God or a human ancestor remains contextually ambiguous, though theophoric intent is possible.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אֲבִידָע appears only in genealogical contexts (Genesis 25:4; 1 Chronicles 1:33), referring to a son of Abraham and Keturah, making it a non-Israelite lineage. The name structure reflects early Northwest Semitic naming conventions, using familial and experiential elements. In most English Bibles, the name is transliterated as 'Abida' or 'Abidah,' though the Hebrew vocalization suggests 'Aviyda‘.' The use of 'father' in personal names often signals God as a divine progenitor or one who acts beneficially. No evidence suggests the bearer belonged to the Israelite tribes; rather, he was an 'other son' of Abraham, ancestor to certain Arabian groups as per Genesis contexts. Later tradition sometimes associates such names with wisdom or divine favor, but the biblical text does not elaborate on narrative roles. The translation 'father of knowledge' is literal, but may mislead by implying a genitive construct absent in the form.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָב and יָדַע; father of knowledge (i.e. knowing); Abida, a son of Abraham by Keturah; Abida, Abidah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אב, ידע (ʾ-b; y-d-ʿ) — fatherhood, progenitor; knowing, perceiving, having knowledge
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H28-01 |
וַ/אֲבִידָ֖ע | vaavida | HC/Np |
and Abida | My Father Knows | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H28-01 |
Genesis 25:4 | וַ/אֲבִידָ֖ע | vaavida | HC/Np |
and Abida | My Father Knows |
H28-01 |
1 Chronicles 1:33 | וַ/אֲבִידָ֖ע | vaavida | HC/Np |
and Abida | My Father Knows |