מֻרְדָּף
𐤌𐤓𐤃𐤐
murdâph
H4783 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An adjective denoting one being persistently pursued, hunted, or harried, often in the sense of being chased by enemies or oppressors. The focus is on active pursuit where the subject is the target of relentless following or hostility from others.
Semantic Range
one who is pursued, hunted, chased, harassed, persecuted; used for individuals or communities subject to hostile pursuit or oppression, sometimes figurative for sustained troubles
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רָדַף (radaph), meaning 'to pursue, chase, follow after.' The form מֻרְדָּף is a passive participle (Pual or rarely Hophal), indicating the state of being pursued rather than pursuing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מֻרְדָּף is a rare adjective found primarily in poetic or prophetic literature to describe individuals or groups who are relentlessly pursued or afflicted by external forces. The imagery is often that of military pursuit (such as enemies hunting fugitives) or social hostility (harassment by adversaries). The term does not carry the later theological or legal connotations of 'persecution' as defined in Second Temple and later periods. Rather, it conveys the physical and psychological states of being constantly chased or harassed, sometimes figuratively for ongoing troubles or misfortune afflicting a person. English translations sometimes render it as 'persecuted,' but 'pursued' more accurately reflects the Hebrew nuance in the context, which does not always imply suffering for belief or practice, but rather the existential reality of being hunted or beset. The term is related to but distinct from other words for affliction or oppression (e.g., עָנִי, דָּךְ) in its emphasis on relentless active pursuit.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָדַף; persecuted; persecuted.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רדף (r-d-p̄) — to pursue, to chase, to follow after persistently
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7291 | רָדַף | in their pursuit |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4783-01 |
מֻרְדָּ֖ף | muredaf | HNcmsa |
persecuted | pursued one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4783-01 |
Isaiah 14:6 | מֻרְדָּ֖ף | muredaf | HNcmsa |
persecuted | pursued one |