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אָדַם

𐤀𐤃𐤌

ʼâdam

H119 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To be red or ruddy in color, especially to take on a reddish complexion or hue; also, to acquire or display a reddish tint. Used both literally and figuratively, primarily to denote redness of face, earth, or objects, indicating a visible reddening or the presence of red pigmentation.

Semantic Range

to be red (of color or complexion), to become ruddy or reddish-brown (of skin or complexion), to take on a reddish tint (of objects or materials), to be dyed or colored red

Root / Etymology

Root is אדם (ʼ-d-m), with the core sense of red, redness. From this verbal root, אָדַם (“to be red, become ruddy”) designates the state or act of being or becoming red. The root is also the etymological basis for related nouns such as דָּם (dam, “blood”) and אֲדָמָה (adamah, “ground, soil [of reddish color]”). The verbal form is a stative or intransitive verb with the sense 'to be red.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אָדַם as a verb is rare and appears primarily in poetic or descriptive passages (e.g., Isaiah 1:18). It is contextually related to descriptions of reddening (of skin, earth, or objects), soil of reddish hue, or objects dyed or colored red. The verb does not directly refer to the human being 'Adam' (the personal or generic noun אָדָם). In post-biblical Hebrew, the root continues to be associated with redness and red substances. The English translation 'ruddy' or 'to redden' may not always convey the full nuance, especially when referring to earth or other objects. There is no direct connection in the verb's usage to later ethnic, social, or religious identities; the word purely signifies color or hue.

Translation Consistency

primary "redden" 8 occurrences

“Redden” is a single, natural English verb that captures the SILEX range — to become or be made red or ruddy (of skin, earth, or objects). It covers both literal and figurative uses better than the adjective “red” or the narrower “dyed,” and readily admits the necessary inflections (reddened, reddening, be reddened) for consistent rendering.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"red" (1x) "ruddier" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

to show blood (in the face), i.e.; flush or turn rosy; be (dyed, made) red (ruddy).

Bantu Hebrew

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Related Articles

Adom: Redness, Earthiness, and Israelite Identity

How the Hebrew root אדם connects skin colour, soil, and the first man

The Hebrew word אָדֹם (adom, H122) means red or ruddy and derives from the root אדם, which connects redness to the earth (adamah) and to the first human (Adam). This article explores how the semantic range of this root — …

Read full article →

Root Family

אדם (ʾ-d-m) — redness, to be red, to become red, to display redness

Root אדם to be red, to become red, to display redness
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1157 בְּעַד in the human being
H120 אָדָם human being
H121 אָדָם Adam
H122 אָדֹם reddish
H123 אֱדֹם in Red-land

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H119-04 מְאָדָּמִ֛ים meadamim HVPsmpa dyed red reddened ones reddened ones 5
H119-01 אָ֤דְמוּ ademu HVqp3cp were ruddier they became red they were ruddier 1
H119-05 יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ yaedimu HVhi3mp they-redden they will redden they will redden 1
H119-03 מְאָדָּ֗ם meadam HVPsmsa are red from a human are reddened 1
H119-06 יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם yiteadam HVti3ms it is red he will redden himself it is red 1
H119-02 הַ/מְאָדָּמִ֔ים hameadamim HTd/VPsmpa dyed red the reddened ones the reddened ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H119-04 Exodus 25:5 מְאָדָּמִ֛ים meadamim HVPsmpa dyed red reddened ones reddened
H119-04 Exodus 26:14 מְאָדָּמִ֑ים meadamim HVPsmpa dyed red reddened ones reddened ones
H119-04 Exodus 35:7 מְאָדָּמִ֛ים meadamim HVPsmpa dyed red reddened ones reddened ones
H119-04 Exodus 35:23 מְאָדָּמִ֛ים meadamim HVPsmpa dyed red reddened ones reddened ones
H119-04 Exodus 36:19 מְאָדָּמִ֑ים meadamim HVPsmpa dyed red reddened ones reddened ones
H119-02 Exodus 39:34 הַ/מְאָדָּמִ֔ים hameadamim HTd/VPsmpa dyed red the reddened ones the reddened ones
H119-05 Isaiah 1:18 יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ yaedimu HVhi3mp they-redden they will redden they will redden
H119-03 Nahum 2:4 מְאָדָּ֗ם meadam HVPsmsa are red from a human are reddened
H119-06 Proverbs 23:31 יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם yiteadam HVti3ms it is red he will redden himself it is red
H119-01 Lamentations 4:7 אָ֤דְמוּ ademu HVqp3cp were ruddier they became red they were ruddier
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