אָטָד
𐤀𐤈𐤃
Atad
H329 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of thorny shrub or small tree, most likely the buckthorn (Rhamnus species), characterized by its stiff, sharp thorns. In the Hebrew Bible, אָטָד refers both to the physical plant and, in some contexts, is used metaphorically to denote a person or entity of inferior status, especially in contrastive parables. The term also appears as a place name (Atad), possibly alluding to a landscape marked by such vegetation.
Semantic Range
thorny bush, buckthorn, bramble, metaphor for insignificant or unworthy entity, place name (location marked by buckthorn shrubs)
Root / Etymology
Root: א-ט-ד. Although the verb root is not attested in the Hebrew Bible, comparative Semitic evidence suggests a meaning related to 'piercing' or 'being sharp/thorny.' The noun אָטָד surfaces in Hebrew and Aramaic as a term for thorny shrubs or trees, developing a nuanced meaning associated with both physical qualities (thorniness, steadfast rootedness) and metaphorical associations (inferiority, wildness).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Judges 9:14-15, the אָטָד features in Jotham’s parable as the last and least desirable candidate to rule over the trees, underlining its association with barrenness or low status in Israelite thought. The physical plant is identified by most modern botanists as a buckthorn (Rhamnus), though exact identification remains debated. In Genesis 50:10-11, 'the threshing floor of Atad' (גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד) designates a location on the journey between Egypt and Canaan, likely named for the prevalence of such shrubs in the area, not an eponymous individual. Later translation traditions often render the term generically as 'bramble,' 'thorn,' or 'thistle,' which may flatten its specific botanical and cultural associations. Differentiation from other Hebrew terms for thorns and brambles (e.g., קוֹץ, דרדר) highlights subtle semantic nuances: אָטָד is less common and more likely to occur in metaphorical or locative usage than in agricultural or cultic legislation. The word had no direct connection to religious practice or ethnonyms; its later translation as 'bramble' in English Bibles reflects only part of its semantic range.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root probably meaning to pierce or make fast; a thorn-tree (especially the buckthorn); Atad, bramble, thorn.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אטד (ʾ-ṭ-d) — sharpness, piercing, thorniness
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H329-02 |
הָאָטָ֗ד | haatad | HTd |
the bramble | the thorn-bush | the thorn-bush | 5 |
H329-01 |
אָטָ֑ד | atad | HNcmsa |
thorns | thorny buckthorn | thorny buckthorn | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H329-02 |
Genesis 50:10 | הָאָטָ֗ד | haatad | HTd |
of Atad | the thorn-bush | the thorn-bush |
H329-02 |
Genesis 50:11 | הָֽאָטָ֔ד | haatad | HNp |
of Atad | the thorn-bush | Atad |
H329-02 |
Judges 9:14 | הָ/אָטָ֑ד | haatad | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bramble | the thorn-bush | the thorn-bush |
H329-02 |
Judges 9:15 | הָ/אָטָד֮ | haatad | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bramble | the thorn-bush | the thorn-bush |
H329-02 |
Judges 9:15 | הָ֣/אָטָ֔ד | haatad-2 | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bramble | the thorn-bush | the thorn-bush |
H329-01 |
Psalms 58:10 | אָטָ֑ד | atad | HNcmsa |
thorns | thorny buckthorn | thorny buckthorn |