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בַּד

𐤁𐤃

bad

H905 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בָּדַד to be separated, be isolated, be apart

Definition

A separation, piece, or part; most commonly a staff, pole, or rod (often as an implement for carrying or supporting, such as the poles of the Ark or other sacred furniture); also used for a shoot or branch (as something separated from the main), and adverbially and figuratively to indicate being alone, apart, by oneself, or exclusively. The term encapsulates the sense of something distinct and set apart from others, whether physically (as a staff or part), or conceptually (as in 'alone,' 'only').

Semantic Range

staff, bar, pole (for carrying), branch, shoot, part, piece, separation, alone, by oneself, separately, exclusively, besides, except, only, chief (rare, figurative)

Root / Etymology

From the root בדד (badad), meaning 'to be isolated, separated.' The noun בַּד derives from this, and carries the idea of something separate or separated. Though the core idea is separation, the noun's chief applications arise from physical implements (especially rods or staffs), presumably originally understood as a separated piece of wood. Other related senses (like exclusivity or solitude) stem from this underlying notion of being distinct or apart.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, בַּד most frequently denotes the staves used to carry sacred objects within the Tabernacle and later Temple, such as the Ark of the Covenant and the altar (e.g., Exodus 25:13–15; Numbers 4:6–14). The use as 'branch' is rarer but occurs with a similar sense of a separated offshoot (Ezekiel 19:11–14). As an adverb, the term frequently appears with prepositions (most often לְבַד, 'alone, only, by oneself'), expressing isolation or exclusivity (Genesis 2:18; Exodus 12:37). While English translations sometimes render בַּד as 'bar' or 'staff,' its adverbial and abstract uses (such as 'only,' 'apart,' or 'besides') are more accurately rendered via context, and not all nuances are captured in translation. The association with chiefdom or leadership (e.g., 'chief of a city') is a rare figurative extension. Over time, the explicit association with Temple implements became prominent due to ritual texts, but the core meaning of physical and conceptual separation remains consistent across Israelite literature.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בָּדַד; properly, separation; by implication, a part of the body, branch of atree, bar forcarrying; figuratively, chief of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an adverb, apart, only, besides; alone, apart, bar, besides, branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff, strength.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בדד (b-d-d) — to be separated, isolated, apart

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H906 בַּד fine linen cloth
H907 בַּד his poles
H909 בָּדַד solitude
H910 בָּדָד in isolation
H911 בְּדַד Separated One

Word Forms

26 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H905-17 לְ/בַדּ֑/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms alone to his apartness 37
H905-08 לְ/בַ֥ד levad HR/Ncmsa besides apart 33
H905-18 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from 29
H905-13 לְ/בַדֶּ֔/ךָ levadekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms alone by yourself alone 17
H905-15 לְ/בַדִּ֔/י levadi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs alone by myself 16
H905-06 הַ/בַּדִּים֙ habadim HTd/Ncmpa the poles the poles 15
H905-02 בַּדָּ֖י/ו badayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its poles its poles 13
H905-10 לְ/בַדָּ֑/ם levadam HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp alone to their apartness 10
H905-09 לְ/בַדָּ֔/הּ levadah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs alone for her alone 5
H905-03 בַּדֵּ֖י badey HNcmpc poles separated poles of 4

Occurrences in Scripture

202 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H905-17 Genesis 2:18 לְ/בַדּ֑/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms alone to his apartness
H905-12 Genesis 21:28 לְ/בַדְּ/הֶֽן levadehen HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fp by themselves to their apartness
H905-11 Genesis 21:29 לְ/בַדָּֽ/נָה levadanah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fp by themselves to their separation
H905-18 Genesis 26:1 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from
H905-17 Genesis 30:40 לְ/בַדּ֔/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms apart by themselves to his apartness
H905-17 Genesis 32:17 לְ/בַדּ֑/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms separately to his apartness
H905-17 Genesis 32:25 לְ/בַדּ֑/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms not to his apartness
H905-17 Genesis 42:38 לְ/בַדּ֣/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms alone to his apartness
H905-17 Genesis 43:32 לְ/בַדּ֖/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms by himself to his apartness
H905-10 Genesis 43:32 לְ/בַדָּ֑/ם levadam HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp by themselves to their apartness
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