עִירָד
𐤏𐤉𐤓𐤃
Irad
H5897 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: Irad. Name of a pre-flood (antediluvian) figure, specifically a descendant of Cain. The meaning of the name is debated; it has traditionally been connected to the notion of a fugitive or one who flees, but this sense is based on folk etymology rather than clear linguistic evidence.
Semantic Range
personal name (antediluvian descendant of Cain), possible sense of 'fugitive' (folk etymology)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the same root as עֲרָד (possibly from the root עור or ערד), though the precise root is uncertain. The resemblance to the noun עֵיר (city) is likely coincidental. Commonly linked to a root meaning 'to flee' or 'to be fugitive,' though this remains speculative.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עִירָד (Irad) appears only in Genesis 4:18 as a descendant of Cain in the geneaology of the earliest humans. The name's significance has been interpreted variously, but its actual etymology is unclear and it does not correspond to a common noun or verb in Hebrew. English translations universally treat it as a personal name; the associations with 'fugitive' emerge from later interpretation and are not linguistically certain. The similar-sounding עֲרָד (Arad) is a geographic name elsewhere, unrelated etymologically. No semantic shift or further development of this name occurs later in the Biblical period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as עֲרָד; fugitive; Irad, an antediluvian; Irad.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ערד (ʿ-r-d) — uncertain, possibly to flee, to be a fugitive
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5897-02 |
וְ/עִירָ֕ד | veirad | HC/Np |
and Irad | and Irad | 1 |
H5897-01 |
עִירָ֔ד | irad | HNp |
Irad | Irad | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5897-01 |
Genesis 4:18 | עִירָ֔ד | irad | HNp |
Irad | Irad |
H5897-02 |
Genesis 4:18 | וְ/עִירָ֕ד | veirad | HC/Np |
and Irad | and Irad |