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עֵדֶר

𐤏𐤃𐤓

ʻêder

H5739 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A collective term for a group of domesticated animals, particularly small livestock such as sheep or goats, occasionally large animals like cattle; refers to an organized grouping or collection of such animals, usually under human oversight. The semantic range includes smaller assemblies of animals as well as larger drives or herds, primarily in pastoral and agricultural contexts.

Semantic Range

group of domesticated animals, flock, herd, drove, muster, organized livestock

Root / Etymology

Root עדר, meaning 'to arrange, order, muster.' The noun עֵדֶר is derived from this root and refers to that which is arranged or gathered, specifically in reference to animals. The connection between the root's core sense and the noun is the notion of purposeful grouping.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, עֵדֶר is most commonly applied to sheep or goats but can refer generally to any collectively managed group of animals. Its use is prominent in patriarchal narratives depicting pastoral society, such as those involving Abraham, Jacob, and other early Israelites (e.g., Genesis 29:2–3). The word carries connotations of both ownership and organization, distinguishing it from terms for wild or unclaimed animals. While English translations often use 'flock' or 'herd,' the Hebrew term can apply to different species, determined by immediate context; 'flock' is most common where sheep or goats are in view, but 'herd' may be suitable for cattle (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:14). Another related word, צֹאן (flock, sheep/goats), can overlap in meaning but is more specific in referring to smaller cattle. The word עֵדֶר appears primarily in historical and narrative books, less frequently in later biblical Hebrew, as the socio-economic context shifts away from a dominant pastoral lifestyle. Post-biblical usage of this term is limited. The term does not refer to wild animal groupings or birds.

Translation Consistency

primary "flock" 36 occurrences

עֵדֶר most often denotes a group of domesticated animals, especially sheep and goats. "Flock" is the most natural, idiomatic English noun that fits the typical biblical usage while still covering the sense of a grouped herd or drove; it will render consistently and read naturally across contexts.

Alternatives (3 occurrences):
"organized herds" (3x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עֲדַר; an arrangement, i.e. muster (of animals); drove, flock, herd.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

עדר (Eder) — to dig, to clear, to hoe

Root עדר to arrange, organize, muster
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4576 מַעְדֵּר with the hoe
H5737 עֲדַר one being absent
H5738 עֶדֶר And Eder
H5740 עֵדֶר and Eder

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5739-05 עֵ֥דֶר eder HNcmsa herd organized livestock herd flock 7
H5739-11 כְּ/עֵ֨דֶר֙ keeder HR/Ncmsa like a flock like a mustered herd like a flock 5
H5739-01 עֲדָרִים֙ adarim HNcmpa flocks mustered herds mustered flocks 4
H5739-06 עֶדְרֵי ederey HNcmpc the flocks arranged herds of flocks of 4
H5739-07 עֶדְר֜/וֹ edero HNcmsc/Sp3ms his flock his organized herd his organized flock 4
H5739-08 הָ/עֲדָרִ֑ים haadarim HTd/Ncmpa the flocks the organized herds the flocks 4
H5739-12 לַ/עֲדָרִ֣ים laadarim HR/Ncmpa for flocks for organized herds for organized herds 2
H5739-02 בַּ/עֵֽדֶר baeder HRd/Ncmsa with flocks in the mustered herd with flock 1
H5739-03 בְּ/עֶדְרֵי beederey HR/Ncmpc among flocks in herds of among the flocks of 1
H5739-04 בְּ/עֶדְר/וֹ֙ beedero HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in-his-flock in his organized herd in his flock 1

Occurrences in Scripture

39 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5739-06 Genesis 29:2 עֶדְרֵי ederey HNcmpc flocks arranged herds of flocks of
H5739-08 Genesis 29:2 הָ/עֲדָרִ֑ים haadarim HTd/Ncmpa the flocks the organized herds the flocks
H5739-08 Genesis 29:3 הָ/עֲדָרִ֗ים haadarim HTd/Ncmpa the flocks the organized herds the flocks
H5739-08 Genesis 29:8 הָ֣/עֲדָרִ֔ים haadarim HTd/Ncmpa the flocks the organized herds the flocks
H5739-01 Genesis 30:40 עֲדָרִים֙ adarim HNcmpa flocks/droves mustered herds mustered flocks
H5739-05 Genesis 32:17 עֵ֥דֶר eder HNcmsa herd organized livestock herd flock
H5739-05 Genesis 32:17 עֵ֖דֶר eder-2 HNcmsa herd organized livestock herd flock
H5739-05 Genesis 32:17 עֵ֖דֶר eder-3 HNcmsa herd organized livestock herd flock
H5739-05 Genesis 32:17 עֵֽדֶר eder-4 HNcmsa herd organized livestock herd flock
H5739-08 Genesis 32:20 הָ/עֲדָרִ֖ים haadarim HTd/Ncmpa the herds the organized herds the flocks
H5739-01 Judges 5:16 עֲדָרִ֑ים adarim HNcmpa of the flocks mustered herds mustered flocks
H5739-13 1 Samuel 17:34 מֵ/הָ/עֵֽדֶר mehaeder HR/Td/Ncmsa from the flock from the organized herd from the flock
H5739-12 Isaiah 17:2 לַ/עֲדָרִ֣ים laadarim HR/Ncmpa for flocks for organized herds for organized herds
H5739-01 Isaiah 32:14 עֲדָרִֽים adarim HNcmpa flocks mustered herds mustered flocks
H5739-07 Isaiah 40:11 עֶדְר֣/וֹ edero HNcmsc/Sp3ms his flock his organized herd his organized flock
H5739-15 Jeremiah 6:3 וְ/עֶדְרֵי/הֶ֑ם veedereyhem HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp and their flocks and their mustered herds and their flocks
H5739-05 Jeremiah 13:17 עֵ֥דֶר eder HNcmsc flock organized livestock herd flock
H5739-09 Jeremiah 13:20 הָ/עֵ֨דֶר֙ haeder HTd/Ncmsa the flock the organized flock the organized flock
H5739-07 Jeremiah 31:10 עֶדְרֽ/וֹ edero HNcmsc/Sp3ms his-flock his organized herd his organized flock
H5739-02 Jeremiah 31:24 בַּ/עֵֽדֶר baeder HRd/Ncmsa with flocks in the mustered herd with flock
H5739-16 Jeremiah 51:23 וְ/עֶדְר֔/וֹ veedero HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and-his-flock and his herd and his flock
H5739-07 Ezekiel 34:12 עֶדְר֜/וֹ edero HNcmsc/Sp3ms his flock his organized herd his organized flock
H5739-06 Joel 1:18 עֶדְרֵ֣י ederey HNcmpc the herds arranged herds of flocks of
H5739-06 Joel 1:18 עֶדְרֵ֥י ederey-2 HNcmpc the flocks arranged herds of flocks of
H5739-11 Micah 2:12 כְּ/עֵ֨דֶר֙ keeder HR/Ncmsa like a flock like a mustered herd like a flock
H5739-05 Micah 4:8 עֵ֗דֶר eder HNcmsa of the flock organized livestock herd flock
H5739-03 Micah 5:7 בְּ/עֶדְרֵי beederey HR/Ncmpc among flocks in herds of among the flocks of
H5739-01 Zephaniah 2:14 עֲדָרִים֙ adarim HNcmpa herds mustered herds mustered flocks
H5739-07 Zechariah 10:3 עֶדְר/וֹ֙ edero HNcmsc/Sp3ms his flock his organized herd his organized flock
H5739-04 Malachi 1:14 בְּ/עֶדְר/וֹ֙ beedero HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in-his-flock in his organized herd in his flock
H5739-10 Psalms 78:52 כַּ֝/עֵ֗דֶר kaeder HRd/Ncmsa like a flock like a mustered flock like a mustered flock
H5739-12 Proverbs 27:23 לַ/עֲדָרִֽים laadarim HR/Ncmpa to-the-herds for organized herds for organized herds
H5739-05 Job 24:2 עֵ֥דֶר eder HNcmsa flock organized livestock herd flock
H5739-06 Song of Songs 1:7 עֶדְרֵ֥י ederey HNcmpc the flocks arranged herds of flocks of
H5739-11 Song of Songs 4:1 כְּ/עֵ֣דֶר keeder HR/Ncmsc like a flock like a mustered herd like a flock
H5739-11 Song of Songs 4:2 כְּ/עֵ֣דֶר keeder HR/Ncmsc like a flock like a mustered herd like a flock
H5739-11 Song of Songs 6:5 כְּ/עֵ֣דֶר keeder HR/Ncmsc like a flock like a mustered herd like a flock
H5739-11 Song of Songs 6:6 כְּ/עֵ֣דֶר keeder HR/Ncmsc like a flock like a mustered herd like a flock
H5739-14 2 Chronicles 32:28 וַ/עֲדָרִ֖ים vaadarim HC/Ncmpa and folds and organized herds and organized herds
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