עַד
𐤏𐤃
ʻad
H5706 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Property, livestock, or goods seized in the aftermath of conflict; refers to spoil, prey, or plunder taken by force or as the result of victory in battle. May denote both animate (people, cattle) and inanimate (goods, valuables) objects acquired from an adversary.
Semantic Range
booty, prey, spoil, plunder, property seized in conflict
Root / Etymology
From the root ע-ד, whose basic semantic value is 'to continue, to extend.' The form עַד used in this sense appears to be nominal, with the specific nuance of 'booty' or 'prey.' The etymological connection between the root sense ('to continue, reach as far as') and the sense of 'booty' is likely related to the idea of something that remains or is left over after conflict, but this derivation is debated—many consider it etymologically opaque, or at least the semantic development is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עַד meaning 'booty' or 'prey' occurs in poetic texts (e.g., Job 20:19; Isaiah 33:23), often in the context of military defeat or divine judgment. It is distinct from more common terms for spoil or plunder, such as שָׁלַל or מַלְקוֹחַ, and its usage is relatively rare and literary. In these contexts, it frequently conveys the totality of what can be taken—including people, animals, and material goods. Later translations sometimes rendered it as 'prey' or 'booty,' but this can be misleading if restricted only to animal game, as the semantic scope is broader. The word is not to be confused with the much more common עַד meaning 'until.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as עַד in the sense of the aim of an attack; booty; prey.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עד (ʿ-d) — continuity, duration, reaching a limit, extension
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1157 | בְּעַד | on behalf of her |
| H5703 | עַד | up to, until |
| H5704 | עַד | up to |
| H5705 | עַד | up to the limit |
| H5708 | עֵד | menstrual discharges |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5706-01 |
עַ֑ד | ad | HNcmsa |
prey | up to the limit | 2 |
H5706-02 |
לְ/עַ֑ד | lead | HR/Ncmsa |
for prey | plunder | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5706-01 |
Genesis 49:27 | עַ֑ד | ad | HNcmsa |
prey | up to the limit |
H5706-01 |
Isaiah 33:23 | עַֽד | ad | HNcmsc |
prey | up to the limit |
H5706-02 |
Zephaniah 3:8 | לְ/עַ֑ד | lead | HR/Ncmsa |
for prey | plunder |