עֵד
𐤏𐤃
ʻêd
H5708 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Menstrual discharge; refers specifically to the flow of blood associated with a woman's menstrual period. In extended or plural forms, it can denote the state of ritual impurity resulting from menstrual bleeding, or soiling linked to menstruation. The term identifies a physiological phenomenon as culturally and ritually significant in ancient Israelite society.
Semantic Range
menstrual flow, menstrual discharge, state of ritual impurity due to menstruation, soiling by menstrual blood
Root / Etymology
The word עֵד is traditionally connected to an unused root thought to mean 'to appoint a period,' possibly paralleling the verbal forms found in עָדָה (ʿādāh, 'to pass on, advance') or עוּד (ʿûd, 'to return, repeat'), focusing on the cyclical, periodic nature of menstruation. However, no direct verbal cognate occurs in biblical Hebrew, rendering the precise etymology uncertain. The form is likely derived through the association of regular recurrence or setting of appointed times, hence signifying a regular, periodical event.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, עֵד appears in Levitical texts regulating ritual purity, specifically Leviticus 15:33 and 20:18, in the context of laws concerning bodily emissions and sexual purity within the Israelite community. Its usage is confined, always relating to menstruation, never to other forms of bleeding or impurity. The term is not generic for 'uncleanness' but is restricted to menstruation. It underscores both the physical state and the resultant ritual status, which entailed temporary exclusion from certain sacred activities and spaces. English translations such as 'menstruation,' 'menstrual period,' or 'impurity of menstruation' are accurate when reflecting this context; the rendering 'filth' or 'soiling' in some older translations does not convey the neutral, physiological sense inherent in the Hebrew term and imports later attitudes not present in the biblical text. Comparatively, related terms include דָּוָה (davah, 'illness, impurity'), used more broadly for unclean or ill conditions, while עֵד is technically precise for the menstrual flow itself. There is no evidence the term was applied to women outside of their menstrual state, nor does it appear in post-biblical Hebrew in the same sense, as later terminology (e.g., נִדָּה) supplanted it.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to set a period (compare עָדָה, עוּד); the menstrual flux (as periodical); by implication (in plural) soiling; filthy.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עד (ʿ-d) — to appoint a time, to repeat, to set a cycle
| 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 |
| H5706 | עַד | up to the limit |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5708-01 |
עִדִּ֖ים | idim | HNcmpa |
of menstruation | menstrual discharges | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5708-01 |
Isaiah 64:5 | עִדִּ֖ים | idim | HNcmpa |
of menstruation | menstrual discharges |