מִגְדָּנָה
𐤌𐤂𐤃𐤍𐤄
migdânâh
H4030 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A precious object or gift, typically something of great value or rarity, often used specifically for items given as tribute or presents; may denote an article, treasure, or offering designated for an honored recipient.
Semantic Range
precious object, valuable treasure, choice gift, present, treasure used as tribute, rare or exquisite article
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root מֶגֶד (meged), which means 'exquisite thing,' 'choice produce,' 'preciousness.' The suffix -ָנָה (-ānāh) forms a substantive, indicating that the item is characterized by meged—thus, 'something of preciousness,' or 'precious object.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
מִגְדָּנָה appears in the Hebrew Bible only in late biblical texts (notably Nehemiah 1:10 and 2 Chronicles 21:3), both times referring to valuable gifts or treasures, particularly those given as presents or as part of diplomatic or familial exchanges. The word encapsulates the idea of high-quality valuables but is distinct from other terms such as שַׁי (shay, 'gift' with an emphasis on tribute) or תְּרוּמָה (terumah, 'offering' often with a cultic sense). In Nehemiah, it emphasizes personal or collective treasures of value to the Israelite community, while in Chronicles it refers to gifts given to royal figures. Later tradition sometimes translated or understood the word as 'precious stones' or 'jewels,' but its primary biblical use is broader—potentially including jewelry, rare produce, or wealthy goods. English translations like 'precious thing,' 'present,' or 'treasure' only partially capture the nuance, as the Hebrew term includes both the intrinsic value and the context of bestowing honor or favor.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as מֶגֶד; preciousness, i.e. a gem; precious thing, present.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מגד (m-g-d) — excellence, preciousness, choice quality
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4022 | מֶגֶד | his choicest yields |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4030-02 |
וּ/מִ֨גְדָּנֹ֔ת | umigedanot | HC/Ncfpa |
and precious things | and precious gifts | 2 |
H4030-03 |
וּ/בַ/מִּגְדָּנ֑וֹת | uvamigedanot | HC/Rd/Ncfpa |
and with valuables | and with the precious objects | 1 |
H4030-01 |
וּ/לְ/מִגְדָּנ֔וֹת | ulemigedanot | HC/R/Ncfpa |
and of precious things | choice precious objects | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4030-02 |
Genesis 24:53 | וּ/מִ֨גְדָּנֹ֔ת | umigedanot | HC/Ncfpa |
and precious things | and precious gifts |
H4030-03 |
Ezra 1:6 | וּ/בַ/מִּגְדָּנ֑וֹת | uvamigedanot | HC/Rd/Ncfpa |
and with valuables | and with the precious objects |
H4030-01 |
2 Chronicles 21:3 | וּ/לְ/מִגְדָּנ֔וֹת | ulemigedanot | HC/R/Ncfpa |
and of precious things | choice precious objects |
H4030-02 |
2 Chronicles 32:23 | וּ/מִ֨גְדָּנ֔וֹת | umigedanot | HC/Ncfpa |
and precious things | and precious gifts |