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בַּד

𐤁𐤃

bad

H905 noun

SILEX Entry

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.

Translation Consistency

primary "apart" 18 occurrences

Most occurrences are adverbial/figurative (apart/alone/separately) and 'apart' best captures the primary sense of separation, exclusivity, or being set apart. Though H905 can also name a pole/branch (a separated piece), those senses are covered by the core idea of being 'apart,' and choosing 'apart' yields the most consistent, natural rendering across contexts.

Alternatives (32 occurrences):
"apart-from" (22x) "apartness" (5x) "poles" (2x) "besides" (1x) "being-apart" (1x) "himself" (1x)

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

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

Root Family

בָּדַד (bad) — to be separated, be isolated, be apart

Root בָּדַד to be separated, be isolated, be apart

Word Forms

26 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H905-17 לְ/בַדּֽ/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms alone to his apartness to his apartness 37
H905-08 לְ֠/בַד levad HR/Ncmsa besides apart apart 33
H905-18 מִ/לְּ/בַ֥ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from 29
H905-13 לְ/בַדְּ/ךָ֔ levadekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms alone by yourself alone to yourself apart 17
H905-15 לְ/בַדִּ֑/י levadi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs alone by myself for my apartness 16
H905-06 הַ/בַּדִּים֒ habadim HTd/Ncmpa the poles the poles the poles 15
H905-02 בַּדָּ֖י/ו badayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its poles its poles its apart poles 13
H905-10 לְ/בַדָּ֖/ם levadam HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp alone to their apartness to their apartness 10
H905-09 לְ/בַדָּ֔/הּ levadah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs alone for her alone for her apart 5
H905-03 בַּדֵּ֖י badey HNcmpc poles separated poles of apart poles of 4

Occurrences in Scripture

202 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H905-06 Exodus 38:7 הַ/בַּדִּ֜ים habadim HTd/Ncmpa poles the poles the poles
H905-02 Exodus 39:35 בַּדָּ֑י/ו badayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its staves its poles its apart poles
H905-02 Exodus 39:39 בַּדָּ֖י/ו badayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its poles its poles its apart poles
H905-06 Exodus 40:20 הַ/בַּדִּ֖ים habadim HTd/Ncmpa the poles the poles the poles
H905-18 Leviticus 9:17 מִ/לְּ/בַ֖ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Leviticus 23:38 מִ/לְּ/בַ֖ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-22 Leviticus 23:38 וּ/מִ/לְּ/בַ֣ד umilevad HC/R/R/Ncmsc and besides and from apart and apart-from
H905-22 Leviticus 23:38 וּ/מִ/לְּ/בַ֤ד umilevad-2 HC/R/R/Ncmsc and besides and from apart and apart-from
H905-22 Leviticus 23:38 וּ/מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ umilevad-3 HC/R/R/Ncmsc and besides and from apart and apart-from
H905-02 Numbers 4:6 בַּדָּֽי/ו badayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its poles its poles its apart poles
H905-02 Numbers 4:8 בַּדָּֽי/ו badayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its poles its poles its apart poles
H905-02 Numbers 4:11 בַּדָּֽי/ו badayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its poles its poles its apart poles
H905-23 Numbers 4:14 בַדָּֽי/ו vadayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its poles his poles his aparts
H905-18 Numbers 5:8 מִ/לְּ/בַ֗ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc apart from apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 6:21 מִ/לְּ/בַ֖ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc apart from apart-from apart-from
H905-15 Numbers 11:14 לְ/בַדִּ֔/י levadi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs alone by myself for my apartness
H905-13 Numbers 11:17 לְ/בַדֶּֽ/ךָ levadekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms alone-you by yourself alone to yourself apart
H905-18 Numbers 17:14 מִ/לְּ/בַ֥ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc apart from apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 28:23 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 28:31 מִ/לְּ/בַ֞ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:6 מִ/לְּ/בַד֩ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:11 מִ/לְּ/בַ֞ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc in addition to apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:16 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:19 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:22 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:25 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc beside apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:28 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc beside apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:31 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:34 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc beside apart-from apart-from
H905-18 Numbers 29:38 מִ/לְּ/בַד֙ milevad HR/R/Ncmsc beside apart-from apart-from
H905-08 Numbers 29:39 לְ/בַ֨ד levad HR/Ncmsa besides apart apart
H905-15 Deuteronomy 1:9 לְ/בַדִּ֖/י levadi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs by myself by myself for my apartness
H905-15 Deuteronomy 1:12 לְ/בַדִּ֑/י levadi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs alone by myself for my apartness
H905-08 Deuteronomy 3:5 לְ/בַ֛ד levad HR/Ncmsa besides apart besides
H905-19 Deuteronomy 4:35 מִ/לְ/בַדּֽ/וֹ milevado HR/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms besides Him apart from him apart from him
H905-17 Deuteronomy 8:3 לְ/בַדּ/וֹ֙ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms alone to his apartness to his apartness
H905-08 Deuteronomy 18:8 לְ/בַ֥ד levad HR/Ncmsa besides apart apart
H905-17 Deuteronomy 22:25 לְ/בַדּֽ/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms alone to his apartness to his apartness
H905-18 Deuteronomy 28:69 מִ/לְּ/בַ֣ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc apart from apart-from apart-from
H905-14 Deuteronomy 29:13 לְ/בַדְּ/כֶ֑ם levadekhem HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp alone-you for your being-apart for your being-apart
H905-09 Joshua 11:13 לְ/בַדָּ֖/הּ levadah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs alone for her alone for her apart
H905-08 Joshua 17:5 לְ/בַ֞ד levad HR/Ncmsa beside apart apart
H905-18 Joshua 22:29 מִ/לְּ/בַ֗ד milevad HR/R/Ncmsc besides apart-from apart-from
H905-17 Judges 3:20 לְ/בַדּ֔/וֹ levado HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms alone to his apartness by himself
H905-09 Judges 6:37 לְ/בַדָּ֗/הּ levadah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs alone for her alone for her apart
H905-09 Judges 6:39 לְ/בַדָּ֔/הּ levadah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs alone for her alone for her apart
H905-09 Judges 6:40 לְ/בַדָּ֔/הּ levadah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs only for her alone for her apart
H905-08 Judges 7:5 לְ/בָ֔ד levad HR/Ncmsa by-himself/apart apart apart
H905-08 Judges 8:26 לְ֠/בַד levad HR/Ncmsa apart from apart apart from
H905-21 Judges 8:26 וּ/לְ/בַד֙ ulevad HC/R/Ncmsa and apart from and separately and apart from
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