הֹדוּ
𐤄𐤃𐤅
Hodu
H1912 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating a geographic region known as Hodu, typically equated with the region east of the ancient Persian Empire, likely the territory of northwestern India in reference to the Achaemenid imperial border. In the Hebrew Bible, it refers specifically to the lands at the eastern extent of Ahasuerus's (Xerxes I) realm.
Semantic Range
proper name for a region at the eastern boundary of the Achaemenid Empire, India (in the sense of regions beyond the Indus River), designation for distant eastern lands
Root / Etymology
Of foreign origin, likely borrowing from Old Persian or related Eastern languages. The exact etymological path is uncertain, though the name corresponds to the Old Persian 'Hindu'—the land beyond the Indus River, rendered as 'Indos' in Greek. The word is not originally Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Appearing only in Esther 1:1 and 8:9, Hodu (הֹדוּ) demarcates the Persian Empire's farthest eastern province; it is paired with Cush (southwestern border) to represent the breadth of imperial territory. In the context of the book of Esther, its mention helps emphasize the vastness of Ahasuerus's dominion. The identification of Hodu with 'India' reflects the perspective of the Achaemenid imperial administration rather than a precise ethnic, linguistic, or political understanding of the Indian subcontinent as known today. English Bible translations traditionally render the term 'India,' though in antiquity it referred to the regions around the Indus River and adjacent territories, not the full modern nation-state. This term is unrelated to indigenous Israelite naming patterns and does not carry any connotations beyond its role as a geographic marker in Persian-period literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign origin; Hodu (i.e. Hindustan); India.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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הדו (h-w-d-w (foreign)) — proper name of eastern region, distant eastern land
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1912-01 |
מֵ/הֹ֣דּוּ | mehodu | HR/Np |
from India | from Hodu | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1912-01 |
Esther 1:1 | מֵ/הֹ֣דּוּ | mehodu | HR/Np |
from India | from Hodu |
H1912-01 |
Esther 8:9 | מֵ/הֹ֣דּוּ | mehodu | HR/Np |
from India | from Hodu |