מָדַי
𐤌𐤃𐤉
Maday
H4075 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Mâday refers specifically to a person from Madai, that is, a 'Mede,' denoting an inhabitant or descendant of the ethnic group originating from the region of Media, located in northwestern Iran. The term functions as both a geographic and ethnic designation for individuals identified as belonging to the Medes or as inhabitants of the Median territory.
Semantic Range
Mede (person of Madai/Media), people of Madai/Media, Median (as a group); used as a proper name of an eponymous ancestor and as a national or ethnic designation
Root / Etymology
The word מָדַי is likely derived from the root מָדַי itself rather than a more basic Hebrew root, functioning as a proper noun, and later as a patronymic or ethnonym (denoting ethnic or geographic origin). Some scholars suggest it may be borrowed from an endonym or exonym in Median or related Iranian languages; etymology uncertain within Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מָדַי appears in biblical texts, notably in Genesis 10:2 as a descendant of Japheth, designating an ancestral figure for the Median people. In later texts (e.g., Daniel, Esther), it denotes either the Median people as a group closely associated with the Persians or individual Medes. The term functions to mark ethnic and territorial identity, not religious or political allegiance. In English translation, 'Mede' is common, but care should be taken not to confuse the ethnonym with later administrative or religious categories. The term is comparable to other ethnonyms like פַּרַס (Parás, 'Persian').
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from מָדַי; a Madian or native of Madai; Mede.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מד (m-d) — ethnic designation of Madai; associated with the people/region of Media
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4077 | מָדַי | the Mede |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4075-01 |
הַ/מָּדִ֑י | hamadi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the-Mede | the Mede | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4075-01 |
Daniel 11:1 | הַ/מָּדִ֑י | hamadi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the-Mede | the Mede |