← H907 H909 →

בָּדָא

𐤁𐤃𐤀

bâdâʼ

H908 verb

SILEX Entry

Root בּדא to invent, to fabricate, to devise

Definition

To devise, fabricate, or invent—particularly to create something (often a statement or story) without factual basis; to speak or act falsely by creating or conceiving from one's own imagination rather than from reality. In many contexts, the sense is to feign or produce false reports or claims.

Semantic Range

to invent (usually falsehood), to fabricate, to feign, to devise (a statement, story, or prophecy), to create falsely; to contrive or dream up (often deceitfully)

Root / Etymology

Root: בָּדָא (b-d-ʼ). Derivation from a root signifying 'to invent' or 'bring forth from one's own mind.' The verb form is attested only in a limited number of biblical passages, often in connection with speech or prophecy. The root is unique and rare, with no clear cognates in other Semitic languages. Its primary sense appears to revolve around 'bringing forth something new' in the sense of fabrication.

Historical & Contextual Notes

This verb appears primarily in exilic and post-exilic texts, notably Jeremiah, where it often carries the sense of inventing false prophecy or deceitful claims, generally in the context of leaders or prophets devising messages that do not originate from YHWH. Unlike the more common verb כזב (kazav, 'to lie'), בָּדָא frequently emphasizes the act of creative invention or fabrication, not merely falsehood but originating something fictitious or imagined. The verb does not carry the neutral sense of human creativity but is consistently negative, marking the outcome as spurious or untrue. English translations often render it as 'feign', 'devise', or 'invent', but the nuance of specifically creating falsehoods is sometimes lost. In later Hebrew, the noun form בְּדִיאָה (bidyah) comes to mean 'fiction' or 'invention.' No evidence exists for a shift toward a positive sense in biblical usage—its context remains pejorative.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; (figuratively) to invent; devise, feign.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

בדא (b-d-ʾ) — to invent, to fabricate, to devise

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H908-01 בָּדָ֣א bada HVqp3ms he had devised he fabricated 1
H908-02 בוֹדָֽא/ם vodam HVqrmsc/Sp3mp are inventing them fabricating them 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H908-01 1 Kings 12:33 בָּדָ֣א bada HVqp3ms he had devised he fabricated
H908-02 Nehemiah 6:8 בוֹדָֽא/ם vodam HVqrmsc/Sp3mp are inventing them fabricating them
← H907 Hebrew Lexicon H909 →