מְדָן
𐤌𐤃𐤍
Medan
H4091 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name, Medan; specifically, a son of Abraham by Keturah listed among Abraham's descendants. The name refers strictly to the individual in genealogical contexts.
Semantic Range
proper name, personal name of a son of Abraham; in later tradition, possibly an eponymous ancestor of a group, but not clearly attested in biblical usage
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root מדן, likely drawn from the same consonantal base as מִדְיָן (Midian), but with uncertainty regarding its derivation and precise original meaning. The etymology is uncertain; it may relate to 'contention' or 'strife' (see root מדן), but this meaning is not overtly connected to the biblical usage as a personal name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מְדָן appears only as a proper name, designating one of the sons of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:2; 1 Chronicles 1:32), listed as part of the genealogies that trace tribal and ethnic groups associated with Abraham but distinct from the lines of Isaac or Ishmael. There is no direct evidence that Medan refers to a tribe, territory, or historical people group in the Hebrew Bible beyond this genealogical mention. Later Jewish traditions and some translators connected Medan with possible tribal descendants, but the biblical data restricts usage to the individual ancestor. The name's similarity to מִדְיָן (Midian) has led to some confusion in translations and tradition; however, the two are listed separately in genealogies. The rendering "Medan" in most English translations is simply a transliteration and does not convey a lexical meaning. There is no association with the terms "Jew" or "Judean"; the referent is a patriarchal figure from the early Israelite genealogies. The meaning and significance of the name itself remain unclear from the biblical text.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as מְדָן; Medan, a son of Abraham; Medan.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מדן (m-d-n) — contend, strive (uncertain)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4068 | מָדוֹן | Madon |
| H4079 | מִדְיָן | Midianites |
| H4080 | מִדְיָן | in Midyan |
| H4084 | מִדְיָנִי | the Midyanite |
| H4090 | מְדָן | Medans |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4091-02 |
וּ/מְדָ֥ן | umedan | HC/Np |
and Medan | and Medan | 1 |
H4091-01 |
מְדָ֖ן | medan | HNp |
Medan | Medan | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4091-01 |
Genesis 25:2 | מְדָ֖ן | medan | HNp |
Medan | Medan |
H4091-02 |
1 Chronicles 1:32 | וּ/מְדָ֥ן | umedan | HC/Np |
and Medan | and Medan |