עֲדַר

𐤏𐤃𐤓

ʻădar

H5737 verb

SILEX Entry

Root עדר to be absent, to lack, to be missing, to fail to appear

Definition

To be lacking or missing, to be absent or no longer present. In verbal contexts, refers to being found wanting, failing to appear, or not being present when expected. In some contexts, also implies the act of arranging or setting in order, especially in connection to groups (such as mustering troops or arranging a vineyard), but most frequently conveys the sense of something or someone being absent or failing to be found.

Semantic Range

to be lacking, to be missing, to fail to appear, to be absent, to be unaccounted for, to arrange (as in mustering troops or tending a vineyard)

Root / Etymology

Root עדר (ʻ-d-r), thought to denote absence, lack, or failure to be present. The verbal form עֲדַר derives from this root, with forms conveying either active or stative senses related to 'being missing, absent.' The connection to arranging (i.e., as a muster or array) likely derives from the process of making a group complete or noting who is lacking during an arrangement.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, עֲדַר appears primarily in the Niphal and Hithpael stems, most frequently denoting the state of being absent, missing, or lacking (e.g., 1 Samuel 25:7; Proverbs 27:24). While Strong's includes 'arrange' or 'keep rank' due to possible connections with mustering soldiers or tending a vineyard (possibly implicit in contexts of arranging or organizing), the dominant sense is negative—referring to a deficiency or the absence of someone or something. In later Hebrew, meanings remain focused on absence or lack. English translations often limit the term to 'fail,' 'be lacking,' or 'miss,' but the core nuance is more precisely the state of something being missing or unaccounted for. Semantic overlap with roots such as חסר (to lack) or אָפֵס (to cease, be no more) is significant, though עדר is more focused on the dynamic of expecting a presence and finding it absent, whereas חסר deals generally with shortage. Not to be confused with עֶדֶר (H5739, 'flock, herd'). The translation as 'to arrange' reflects a marginal or context-specific sense not dominant across biblical usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to arrange as a battle, a vineyard (to hoe); hence, to muster and so to miss (or find wanting); dig, fail, keep (rank), lack.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עדר (ʿ-d-r) — to be absent, to lack, to be missing, to fail to appear

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H145 אֶדֶר mustered herd
H4029 מִגְדַּל־עֵדֶר flock
H4576 מַעְדֵּר with the hoe
H5738 עֶדֶר And Eder
H5739 עֵדֶר mustered herds

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5737-01 נֶעְדַּר needar HVNp3ms fails one being absent 4
H5737-06 יְעַדְּר֖וּ yeaderu HVpi3mp they-made-lacking they make lacking 1
H5737-07 יֵעָ֣דֵר֔וּ/ן yeaderun HVNi3mp/Sn were digged they will be absent 1
H5737-05 יֵעָדֵ֔ר yeader HVNi3ms hoed he will be missing 1
H5737-04 וְ/לַ/עֲדֹ֖ר velaador HC/R/Vqc and to Ador and to be missing 1
H5737-03 נֶעְדֶּ֔רֶת neederet HVNrfsa lacking the one being absent 1
H5737-02 נֶעְדָּ֔רָה needarah HVNp3fs will be missing she was missing 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5737-01 1 Samuel 30:19 נֶעְדַּר needar HVNp3ms was-missing one being absent
H5737-01 2 Samuel 17:22 נֶעְדָּ֔ר needar HVNp3ms was left one being absent
H5737-06 1 Kings 5:7 יְעַדְּר֖וּ yeaderu HVpi3mp they-made-lacking they make lacking
H5737-05 Isaiah 5:6 יֵעָדֵ֔ר yeader HVNi3ms hoed he will be missing
H5737-07 Isaiah 7:25 יֵעָ֣דֵר֔וּ/ן yeaderun HVNi3mp/Sn were digged they will be absent
H5737-02 Isaiah 34:16 נֶעְדָּ֔רָה needarah HVNp3fs will be missing she was missing
H5737-01 Isaiah 40:26 נֶעְדָּֽר needar HVNp3ms is missing one being absent
H5737-03 Isaiah 59:15 נֶעְדֶּ֔רֶת neederet HVNrfsa lacking the one being absent
H5737-01 Zephaniah 3:5 נֶעְדָּ֔ר needar HVNp3ms fails one being absent
H5737-04 1 Chronicles 12:34 וְ/לַ/עֲדֹ֖ר velaador HC/R/Vqc and to Ador and to be missing