נֹאד
𐤍𐤀𐤃
nôʼd
H4997 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A container, typically made from animal skin or leather, used for holding and transporting liquids, especially water or wine. Commonly used in daily life throughout the ancient Near East; also occurs figuratively in poetry, where the imagery of a 'skin-bag' can convey containment or preservation.
Semantic Range
skin-bag for liquids, leather bottle for water or wine, metaphorical container (e.g., for tears); by extension, any flexible liquid container
Root / Etymology
From an unused root of uncertain meaning; the word is not clearly connected to any attested Hebrew verbal root. Its formation and usage parallel similar terms for leather containers in Semitic and neighboring languages.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The נֹאד (nôʼd) references a practical item: a skin-bag or pouch used by Israelite herders, travelers, and households for storing and transporting water, wine, or other liquids. Its appearance in narratives such as Genesis 21:14 and Judges 4:19 suggests it was an everyday object. The feminine form נֹאדָה (nôʼdāh) appears rarely and reflects standard feminine noun formation. In poetic contexts, such as Psalm 56:9, נֹאד is used metaphorically for the collecting of tears, deepening the meaning from merely physical container to a literary symbol for preservation, remembrance, or containment. English translations often render it "bottle," but the modern connotation of glass or hard containers can mislead; in context, the reference is always to a flexible container of skin. Related Hebrew terms include חֵמֶת (ḥēmet), also a skin for water or wine, but possibly differing subtly in shape or function. Later Jewish and Judean usage of the term is rare, as ceramic and later glass containers came into wider use, making the skin-bag less common. Greek and Latin translations (ἀσκός, lagena) show similar development.
Translation Consistency
The lemma denotes a flexible container made of animal skin used for holding liquids (water, wine, etc.). "Skin-bag" is literal, easily understood, and preserves the material and form implied by the Hebrew (covering both literal and metaphorical uses), so it best fits the typical sense and will read naturally across contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or נאוֹדlemma נֹאוד vowel, corrected to נאוֹדxlit nôʼwd corrected to nʼôwd; also (feminine) נֹאדָה; from an unused root of uncertain signification; a (skin or leather) bag (for fluids); bottle.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
נוד (Nod) — to move to and fro, to wander, to sway, to nod
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4493 | מָנוֹד | head-shaking |
| H5067 | נֵד | like a piled heap |
| H5110 | נוּד | to move to and fro |
| H5111 | נוּד | she will flee |
| H5112 | נוֹד | my skin-bottle |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4997-01 |
כְּ/נֹ֣אד | kenod | HR/Ncmsa |
like a wineskin | like a skin-bag | like a skin-bag | 1 |
H4997-02 |
נֹאד֤וֹת | nodot | HNcmpc |
wineskins | skin-bags of | skin-bags | 1 |
H4997-03 |
נֹ֧אוד | novd | HNcmsc |
skin | skin-bag of | skin-bag | 1 |
H4997-04 |
וְ/נֹ֣אד | venod | HC/Ncmsc |
and a skin | and skin-bag of | and a skin-bag of | 1 |
H4997-05 |
בְ/נֹאדֶ֑/ךָ | venodekha | HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
in your bottle | in your skin-bag | in your skin-bottle | 1 |
H4997-06 |
וְ/נֹאד֥וֹת | venodot | HC/Ncmpc |
and wineskins | and skin-bags of | and skin-bags of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4997-06 |
Joshua 9:4 | וְ/נֹאד֥וֹת | venodot | HC/Ncmpc |
and wineskins | and skin-bags of | and skin-bags of |
H4997-02 |
Joshua 9:13 | נֹאד֤וֹת | nodot | HNcmpc |
wineskins | skin-bags of | skin-bags |
H4997-03 |
Judges 4:19 | נֹ֧אוד | novd | HNcmsc |
skin | skin-bag of | skin-bag |
H4997-04 |
1 Samuel 16:20 | וְ/נֹ֣אד | venod | HC/Ncmsc |
and a skin | and skin-bag of | and a skin-bag of |
H4997-05 |
Psalms 56:9 | בְ/נֹאדֶ֑/ךָ | venodekha | HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
in your bottle | in your skin-bag | in your skin-bottle |
H4997-01 |
Psalms 119:83 | כְּ/נֹ֣אד | kenod | HR/Ncmsa |
like a wineskin | like a skin-bag | like a skin-bag |