מַעְדֵּר
𐤌𐤏𐤃𐤓
maʻdêr
H4576 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A hand tool used for breaking up soil, digging, removing weeds, or clearing ground, typically characterized by a blade set at a right angle to a handle; specifically a hoe, mattock, or similar agricultural implement. In biblical usage, the term refers to basic implements of agriculture employed for soil preparation, weeding, or cultivation.
Semantic Range
hoe, mattock, ground-breaking tool, weeding implement, agricultural hand tool
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root עדר (ʿ-d-r), which in this nominal form refers to a tool used for clearing or preparing ground. The root עדר also occurs with the meaning 'to hoe, dig over ground,' hence this noun is an instrumental derivative.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מַעְדֵּר appears only in Isaiah 7:25, where it designates an agricultural implement in a context describing overgrown fields being cultivated or cleared. The passage highlights a shift from vineyards and cultivated land to the need for fundamental ground-clearing with simple tools, reflecting loss of prosperity. There is some overlap and occasional translation interchangeability with מַחֲרֵשָׁה (maḥăreshah, 'plow') and חָרִישׁ (ḥārîsh, 'plowing equipment'), though מַעְדֵּר more specifically connotes a hand-held tool rather than animal-drawn equipment. Standard English renderings such as "hoe" and "mattock" are both possible, though "hoe" more precisely captures the typical use. The term is not used in reference to weaponry as some similar implements are in later periods. This word does not have developed metaphorical senses in biblical Hebrew. Later Hebrew (post-biblical) retains and expands on its usage, but its biblical sense remains tied to manual cultivation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עֲדַר; a (weeding) hoe; mattock.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עדר (ʿ-d-r) — to dig, to clear, to hoe
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H145 | אֶדֶר | mustered herd |
| H4029 | מִגְדַּל־עֵדֶר | flock |
| H5737 | עֲדַר | one being absent |
| H5738 | עֶדֶר | And Eder |
| H5739 | עֵדֶר | mustered herds |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4576-01 |
בַּ/מַּעְדֵּר֙ | bamaeder | HRd/Ncmsa |
with the mattock | with the hoe | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4576-01 |
Isaiah 7:25 | בַּ/מַּעְדֵּר֙ | bamaeder | HRd/Ncmsa |
with the mattock | with the hoe |