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מְדָן

𐤌𐤃𐤍

mᵉdân

H4090 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מדן to strive, contend

Definition

Proper noun referring to 'Medan', a personal name designating one of the sons of Abraham by Keturah. Not a common noun for 'strife' or 'discord' but a personal name likely reflecting a quality or association linked to the root idea of contention or dispute. In every occurrence, used exclusively as a proper noun and not as a term for the abstract idea of discord or quarrel.

Semantic Range

proper noun (personal name); potential etymological association with strife or contention, but no common noun usage

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root מדן, possibly related to the root דין (to judge, contend) or מדון (strife, contention), though the exact derivation is uncertain. The spelling is identical to the root noun for 'strife' or 'discord,' but in biblical usage, it functions solely as a personal name.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מְדָן (Medan) occurs only as the name of a son of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:2; 1 Chronicles 1:32). There is no attested usage as a common noun for 'quarrel' or 'strife' in any biblical passage; such meanings belong to the similar noun מָדוֹן (madon). The tendency in English translation to render the name according to its possible etymological sense ('strife') is not reflected in biblical usage. The name may reflect familial or tribal associations with contention, but this remains conjectural. There is no evidence that Medan represents an ethnic group known as 'Medanites' in the Hebrew Bible, in distinction from Midianites (מִדְיָנִים). The entry should not be confused with common nouns derived from the same root.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a form of מָדוֹן; {a contest or quarrel}; discord, strife.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מדן (m-d-n) — strive, contend, dispute

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4068 מָדוֹן Madon
H4079 מִדְיָן Midianites
H4080 מִדְיָן in Midyan
H4084 מִדְיָנִי the Midyanite
H4091 מְדָן Medan

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4090-02 מְ֝דָנִ֗ים medanim HNcmpa discord Medans 2
H4090-01 מדנים mdnym HNcmpa strife Medans 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4090-01 Proverbs 6:14 מדנים mdnym HNcmpa strife Medans
H4090-02 Proverbs 6:19 מְ֝דָנִ֗ים medanim HNcmpa discord Medans
H4090-02 Proverbs 10:12 מְדָנִ֑ים medanim HNcmpa strife Medans
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