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מָרַד

𐤌𐤓𐤃

mârad

H4775 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To rebel or revolt, especially in the sense of rising in opposition or resisting authority. In the Hebrew Bible, this verb describes the act of refusing allegiance, breaking faith, or casting off a prescribed authority, whether human (such as a king) or divine (YHWH). The term encompasses both political rebellion (as in vassal states rebelling against an overlord) and religious or covenantal infidelity (turning away from YHWH's commandments or covenant).

Semantic Range

to rebel against political authority, to revolt against an overlord, to break covenantal allegiance, to commit religious or moral rebellion, to cast off or defy authority

Root / Etymology

From the root מ־ר־ד, which carries the idea of breaking free from control, defying, or rising up against authority. The verb is a direct reflection of this core idea, meaning 'to rebel' or 'to revolt.' There are cognates in related Semitic languages (e.g., Akkadian marādu: 'to be rebellious,' 'to resist,' 'to disobey authority'), supporting the meaning of defiance or revolt.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מָרַד appears in narratives involving political upheaval, such as subordinate kings or regions rebelling against an imperial power (e.g., 2 Kings 18:7, 2 Kings 24:1). It is also employed with reference to Israelite or Judahite unfaithfulness to YHWH, highlighting the covenantal context of rebellion (Ezekiel 2:3; Ezekiel 20:8). In later periods, related nouns (e.g., מֶרֶד, 'rebellion') and participles ('rebeller,' 'rebel') take on more abstract or general applications. The standard English gloss 'rebel' or 'rebellious' accurately captures the primary meaning, but the biblical usage assumes a context of established authority, and often, a sense of grievous betrayal. מָרַד is less frequently used than other Hebrew terms for disobedience (e.g., פָּשַׁע, חָטָא) and is typically reserved for overt acts of revolt or breach of political/covenantal agreement. Unlike פָּשַׁע, which has legal connotations of criminal offense, מָרַד almost always implies active uprising or defiance. The term continued into post-biblical Hebrew and Aramaic, especially in legal or political contexts, but its core nuance of open opposition to authority remains consistent.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to rebel; rebel(-lious).

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

מרד (Nimerod) — to rebel, to revolt, to rise up against

Root מרד to rebel, to revolt, to rise up against
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4777 מֶרֶד in rebellion
H4780 מַרְדּוּת the rebelliousness
H5248 נִמְרוֹד like Nimrod

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4775-16 וַ/יִּמְרֹ֖ד vayimerod HC/Vqw3ms and rebelled and he rebelled and he rebelled 4
H4775-12 תִּמְרֹ֗דוּ timerodu HVqj2mp rebel you men rebel rebel 3
H4775-02 הַ/מּוֹרְדִ֖ים hamoredim HTd/Vqrmpa rebellious the rebelling ones the rebelling ones 2
H4775-04 לִ/מְרֹ֣ד limerod HR/Vqc to rebel to rebel to rebel 2
H4775-07 מָרַ֖דְתָּ maradeta HVqp2ms you have rebelled you rebelled you rebelled 2
H4775-14 וַ/יִּמְרָד vayimerad HC/Vqw3ms and rebelled and he rebelled and he rebelled 2
H4775-01 בְּֽ/מֹרְדֵ֫י bemoredey HR/Vqrmpc rebels against in rebelling ones of among the rebels of 1
H4775-03 לִ/מְרָדְ/כֶ֥ם limeradekhem HR/Vqc/Sp2mp for rebelling you(pl) your rebelling for your rebelling 1
H4775-05 מָרָ֔ד marad HVqp3ms he rebelled he rebelled he rebelled 1
H4775-06 מָרַ֖דְנוּ maradenu HVqp1cp we-have-rebelled we have rebelled we have rebelled 1

Occurrences in Scripture

25 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4775-08 Genesis 14:4 מָרָֽדוּ maradu HVqp3cp they rebelled they rebelled they rebelled
H4775-12 Numbers 14:9 תִּמְרֹדוּ֒ timerodu HVqj2mp rebel you men rebel rebel
H4775-03 Joshua 22:16 לִ/מְרָדְ/כֶ֥ם limeradekhem HR/Vqc/Sp2mp for rebelling you(pl) your rebelling for your rebelling
H4775-11 Joshua 22:18 תִּמְרְד֤וּ timeredu HVqi2mp rebel you rebel you rebel
H4775-12 Joshua 22:19 תִּמְרֹ֗דוּ timerodu HVqj2mp rebel you men rebel rebel
H4775-12 Joshua 22:19 תִּמְרֹ֔דוּ timerodu-2 HVqj2mp rebel you men rebel rebel
H4775-04 Joshua 22:29 לִ/מְרֹ֣ד limerod HR/Vqc to rebel to rebel to rebel
H4775-16 2 Kings 18:7 וַ/יִּמְרֹ֥ד vayimerod HC/Vqw3ms and-he-rebelled and he rebelled and he rebelled
H4775-07 2 Kings 18:20 מָרַ֖דְתָּ maradeta HVqp2ms you have rebelled you rebelled you rebelled
H4775-14 2 Kings 24:1 וַ/יִּמְרָד vayimerad HC/Vqw3ms and rebelled and he rebelled and he rebelled
H4775-16 2 Kings 24:20 וַ/יִּמְרֹ֥ד vayimerod HC/Vqw3ms and rebelled and he rebelled and he rebelled
H4775-07 Isaiah 36:5 מָרַ֖דְתָּ maradeta HVqp2ms you have rebelled you rebelled you rebelled
H4775-16 Jeremiah 52:3 וַ/יִּמְרֹ֥ד vayimerod HC/Vqw3ms and-rebelled and he rebelled and he rebelled
H4775-02 Ezekiel 2:3 הַ/מּוֹרְדִ֖ים hamoredim HTd/Vqrmpa rebellious the rebelling ones the rebelling ones
H4775-09 Ezekiel 2:3 מָרְדוּ maredu HVqp3cp have rebelled they rebelled they rebelled
H4775-14 Ezekiel 17:15 וַ/יִּמְרָד vayimerad HC/Vqw3ms But he rebelled and he rebelled and he rebelled
H4775-02 Ezekiel 20:38 הַ/מֹּרְדִ֤ים hamoredim HTd/Vqrmpa the rebels the rebelling ones the rebels
H4775-01 Job 24:13 בְּֽ/מֹרְדֵ֫י bemoredey HR/Vqrmpc rebels against in rebelling ones of among the rebels of
H4775-13 Daniel 9:5 וּ/מָרָ֑דְנוּ umaradenu HC/Vqp1cp and rebelled and we rebelled and we rebelled
H4775-06 Daniel 9:9 מָרַ֖דְנוּ maradenu HVqp1cp we-have-rebelled we have rebelled we have rebelled
H4775-10 Nehemiah 2:19 מֹרְדִֽים moredim HVqrmpa rebel rebelling ones rebelling ones
H4775-04 Nehemiah 6:6 לִ/מְר֔וֹד limerod HR/Vqc to rebel to rebel to rebel
H4775-15 Nehemiah 9:26 וַֽ/יִּמְרְד֜וּ vayimeredu HC/Vqw3mp and-they-rebelled they rebelled they rebelled
H4775-16 2 Chronicles 13:6 וַ/יִּמְרֹ֖ד vayimerod HC/Vqw3ms and rebelled and he rebelled and he rebelled
H4775-05 2 Chronicles 36:13 מָרָ֔ד marad HVqp3ms he rebelled he rebelled he rebelled
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