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גְּדוּד

𐤂𐤃𐤅𐤃

gᵉdûwd

H1416 noun

SILEX Entry

Root גּדד to cut, to invade, to make an incursion

Definition

A band or troop, typically of men gathered for military or raiding purposes; can refer to a group of warriors, soldiers, or irregular fighters such as raiders or marauders. Figuratively, can denote any collective or organized group assembled for an aggressive purpose. The term often implies mobility and agility, distinguishing such groups from formal, structured armies.

Semantic Range

band of warriors, raiding party, troop, company (military), marauding band, group making an incursion; by extension, any organized group assembled for aggressive or military action

Root / Etymology

From the root גָּדַד (g-d-d), meaning 'to cut' or 'to invade, penetrate, make an incursion.' גְּדוּד is a nominal derivative, originally indicating a group or company that 'cuts into' or 'makes a foray.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

גְּדוּד is widely attested to refer to armed groups, particularly those operating in a raiding or guerrilla capacity, throughout various periods of Israelite history. In the pre-monarchic and monarchic periods, the term often described small, agile units operating outside the regular army, whether in defense or conducting raids on neighboring territories (e.g., 2 Samuel 3:22; 1 Samuel 30:8). In the context of border conflicts, it may denote local militias or groups formed for the purposes of reprisal or plunder, sometimes involving Israelites, Judahites, or neighboring peoples. In later periods, such as the time of the Chronicler, the term can refer to both formal units within the military structure and to irregular bands. English translations sometimes render the word as 'troop,' 'band,' or 'company,' but these can obscure the underlying connotation of mobility, aggression, or raiding associated with גְּדוּד. Unlike the more formal term צָבָא (ṣābāʾ, 'army'), גְּדוּד generally designates less structured, more mobile fighting groups. In some contexts (e.g., Genesis 49:19), the association is specifically with groups making sudden incursions or raids. Later rabbinic and post-biblical sources occasionally extend the sense to non-military bands or companies, but this is not clear in biblical usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from גָּדַד; a crowd (especially of soldiers); army, band (of men), company, troop (of robbers).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

גדד (g-d-d) — to cut, to invade, to make an incursion

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1412 גֻּדְגֹּדָה the Gash-Gorge
H1413 גָּדַד you will gash yourself
H1414 גְּדַד Hew down!
H1415 גָּדָה his cut-formed riverbanks
H1417 גְּדוּד cut furrows

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1416-06 הַ/גְּדוּד hagedud HTd/Ncmsa the band the raiding band 9
H1416-02 גְּד֣וּד gedud HNcmsa a troop raiding band 7
H1416-04 גְּדוּדֵ֣י gedudey HNcmpc bands of raiding bands of 6
H1416-05 גְדוּדִ֣ים gedudim HNcmpa band raiding bands 3
H1416-08 לִ/גְד֣וּד ligedud HR/Ncmsc by bands to a raiding-band of 2
H1416-03 גְדוּדָ֗י/ו gedudayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his troops his raiding bands 1
H1416-09 לִ/גְדוּדָ֑י/ו ligedudayv HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms to his troops to his raiding bands 1
H1416-10 מֵֽ/הַ/גְּד֔וּד mehagedud HR/Td/Ncmsa from the raid from the raiding band 1
H1416-11 וּ/גְדוּדֵ֥י ugedudey HC/Ncmpc bands of and raiding bands of 1
H1416-01 בַּ/גְּד֑וּד bagedud HRd/Ncmsa in the troop in the raiding band 1

Occurrences in Scripture

33 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1416-02 Genesis 49:19 גְּד֣וּד gedud HNcmsa a troop raiding band
H1416-06 1 Samuel 30:8 הַ/גְּדוּד hagedud HTd/Ncmsa this band the raiding band
H1416-06 1 Samuel 30:15 הַ/גְּד֣וּד hagedud HTd/Ncmsa the band the raiding band
H1416-06 1 Samuel 30:15 הַ/גְּד֥וּד hagedud-2 HTd/Ncmsa the band the raiding band
H1416-06 1 Samuel 30:23 הַ/גְּד֛וּד hagedud HTd/Ncmsa the band the raiding band
H1416-10 2 Samuel 3:22 מֵֽ/הַ/גְּד֔וּד mehagedud HR/Td/Ncmsa from the raid from the raiding band
H1416-05 2 Samuel 4:2 גְדוּדִ֣ים gedudim HNcmpa of bands raiding bands
H1416-02 2 Samuel 22:30 גְּד֑וּד gedud HNcmsa upon a troop raiding band
H1416-02 1 Kings 11:24 גְּד֔וּד gedud HNcmsa of a band raiding band
H1416-05 2 Kings 5:2 גְדוּדִ֔ים gedudim HNcmpa bands raiding bands
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