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אָדָם

𐤀𐤃𐤌

ʼâdâm

H120 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אדם to be red, to be earthy, to form from earth

Definition

A human being; the generic term for a person, either an individual human or humanity collectively. Primarily denotes a member of the human species regardless of sex, but may also refer to 'mankind' as a whole in collective contexts. In some contexts used in contrast with animals, divine beings, or other categories, emphasizing human nature or mortal limitation.

Semantic Range

a human being, humanity as a species, people (in contrast to animals or divine beings), an individual person, mankind collectively, the primordial human ('Adam'), members of the human race, mortal being

Root / Etymology

From the root א-ד-ם (אדם), which originally relates to 'redness' or 'earth/soil,' possibly referring to the reddish tint of soil (adamah) and thus to humanity's created origin from the earth. The noun אָדָם in its basic form refers to 'human being.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In pre-monarchic and monarchic periods, אָדָם serves as the principal term for 'human,' distinguishing people from animals (Genesis 2–3) and sometimes from divine beings (e.g., Psalms 8:5; Job 25:6). In legal and narrative contexts it can refer to any individual or to humanity collectively (Genesis 5:1–2). The proper name 'Adam' designates the primordial human in Genesis, but most biblical occurrences are generic. During the exilic and post-exilic periods, usage expands to emphasize the universal aspect of humanity, sometimes in contrast to Israelite ethnicity and to underline shared mortality (e.g., Ezekiel 2:1; Psalms). The term contrasts with אִישׁ (’ish, male, man of distinction or individual male), גֶּבֶר (gever, often man of strength or adult male), and אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, emphasizing mortality or frailty of human beings). English translations as 'man' or 'mankind' often obscure the inclusivity or nuance of the Hebrew; at times, translation traditions have rendered the collective with masculine-biased terms, overlooking the generic aspect. Later theological traditions associated אָדָם specifically with the first human, influencing interpretation, but in biblical usage most occurrences are generic and non-specific.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָדַם; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.); [idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אדם (ʾ-d-m) — redness, earthiness, formed from soil

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1157 בְּעַד in the human being
H119 אָדַם they became red
H121 אָדָם Adam
H122 אָדֹם reddish
H123 אֱדֹם in Red-land

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H120-01 אָדָ֛ם adam HNcmsa of man human being 338
H120-04 הָֽ/אָדָם֙ haadam HTd/Ncmsa man the earthling 138
H120-02 בָּֽ/אָדָ֖ם baadam HRd/Ncmsa among men in a human 18
H120-09 מֵֽ/אָדָם֙ meadam HR/Ncmsa from man from a human being 13
H120-06 לָֽ/אָדָם֒ laadam HRd/Ncmsa to man to the human 12
H120-07 לְ/אָדָ֧ם leadam HR/Ncmsa to man to a human 12
H120-14 וְ/אָדָ֣ם veadam HC/Ncmsa and man human being 10
H120-03 בְּ/אָדָ֑ם beadam HR/Ncmsa among men in a human being 3
H120-10 וּ/לְ/אָדָ֕ם uleadam HC/R/Ncmsa but for man and to a human 2
H120-15 וְ/הָ֣/אָדָ֔ם vehaadam HC/Td/Ncmsa And the man and the human being 1

Occurrences in Scripture

552 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H120-01 Genesis 1:26 אָדָ֛ם adam HNcmsa man human being
H120-04 Genesis 1:27 הָֽ/אָדָם֙ haadam HTd/Ncmsa the man the earthling
H120-14 Genesis 2:5 וְ/אָדָ֣ם veadam HC/Ncmsa and man human being
H120-04 Genesis 2:7 הָֽ/אָדָ֗ם haadam HTd/Ncmsa the man the earthling
H120-04 Genesis 2:7 הָֽ/אָדָ֖ם haadam-2 HTd/Ncmsa the man the earthling
H120-04 Genesis 2:8 הָֽ/אָדָ֖ם haadam HTd/Ncmsa the man the earthling
H120-04 Genesis 2:15 הָֽ/אָדָ֑ם haadam HTd/Ncmsa the man the earthling
H120-04 Genesis 2:16 הָֽ/אָדָ֖ם haadam HTd/Ncmsa the man the earthling
H120-04 Genesis 2:18 הָֽ/אָדָ֖ם haadam HTd/Ncmsa the man the earthling
H120-04 Genesis 2:19 הָ֣/אָדָ֔ם haadam HTd/Ncmsa the man the earthling
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