נָדָן
𐤍𐤃𐤍
nâdân
H5084 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A container or covering designed to receive and protect a sword; sheath or scabbard. Used specifically for the storage of a bladed weapon, typically a sword, in narrative or legal contexts. Refers to the item into which a sword is returned after use, emphasizing its function as a protective and retaining device.
Semantic Range
sheath for a sword, scabbard; container for a bladed weapon
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain. The term נָדָן does not have a securely identified Semitic root, and its etymology remains obscure. No evidence of clear cognates in other Semitic languages has been established. It is possibly a loanword or developed in later Hebrew dialects.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נָדָן appears only rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., 1 Samuel 17:51), always in connection with a sword and its storage. The word is not employed in reference to containers for other implements, distinguishing it from more generic terms for containers or cases. Its rarity and contextual limitation to military or narrative scenes highlight its narrow semantic range. Unlike the more frequent term תַּעַר (ta‘ar, 'razor, knife'), which denotes a cutting instrument itself, נָדָן specifically designates the container. The word's infrequency in biblical literature suggests it may have been borrowed or became part of the literary register at a later date. In later Hebrew and Aramaic, similar forms appear with this meaning. English translations reliably render the word as 'sheath' or 'scabbard,' which adequately captures its practical function in context. There is no evidence that the term carried symbolic or figurative meaning in the Hebrew Bible.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain derivation; a sheath (of a sword); sheath.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נדן (n-d-n) — sheath, encasing container, protective holder
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5085 | נִדְנֶה | encasing sheath |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5084-01 |
נְדָנָֽ/הּ | nedanah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
its sheath | her sword-sheath | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5084-01 |
1 Chronicles 21:27 | נְדָנָֽ/הּ | nedanah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
its sheath | her sword-sheath |