נִדְנֶה
𐤍𐤃𐤍𐤄
nidneh
H5085 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A sheath, case, or covering—most often a physical container but, by extension, used metaphorically of the body as the vessel or container of the self (or soul). In context, it describes something that encloses or houses another object or essence.
Semantic Range
sheath, casing, container, body (as a vessel or sheath for the soul/self)
Root / Etymology
The word נִדְנֶה is Aramaic in form and derives from the root נדן, which in Hebrew and Aramaic conveys 'to sheath, to encase, to surround.' The nominal form נִדְנֶה expresses the object of sheathing—a sheath or casing. Derived noun forms with similar semantics appear in both Hebrew (נָדָן) and Aramaic.
Historical & Contextual Notes
This rare term appears in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, specifically Daniel 7:15, where it refers metaphorically to the 'body' as the container or receptacle for the 'spirit' or 'self.' The figurative use for 'body' is unique to later biblical Aramaic and reflects a conceptual metaphor found in multiple ancient Near Eastern languages of the body as a vessel for the inner self. Unlike the more common Hebrew terms גּוּף (guf, in Mishnaic Hebrew) or בָּשָׂר (basar, 'flesh'), נִדְנֶה emphasizes the container quality, not the substance or material. English translations variously render it as 'body,' but this can obscure the original imagery of sheathing or housing. The term is limited to the post-exilic, imperial Aramaic context of Daniel and does not occur in the pre-exilic or early Israelite corpus. Later Jewish Aramaic uses similar forms to denote both literal sheaths (for swords) and the body as an enclosing vessel. The use of 'body' in Daniel should not be understood with later philosophical or theological connotations; it simply reflects the imagery of an enclosing sheath.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from the same as נָדָן; a sheath; figuratively, the body (as the receptacle of the soul); body.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נדן (n-d-n) — to sheath, to encase, to surround
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5084 | נָדָן | her sword-sheath |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5085-01 |
נִדְנֶ֑ה | nideneh | ANcmsa |
my body | encasing sheath | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5085-01 |
Daniel 7:15 | נִדְנֶ֑ה | nideneh | ANcmsa |
my body | encasing sheath |