נִידָה
𐤍𐤉𐤃𐤄
nîydâh
H5206 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State of exclusion, primarily referring to ritual impurity associated with menstruation, but also encompasses the notion of being set apart or excluded from communal participation, especially in matters of ritual purity. In later usage and certain contexts, it extends to the idea of expulsion or exile from a community or land.
Semantic Range
ritual state of impurity (especially menstruation), exclusion from community or cultic activities, object or person in a state of exclusion, exile, abomination
Root / Etymology
From the root נדד (נ-ד-ד), meaning 'to be banished, wander, flee, move away.' נִידָה is the feminine noun form, expressing a state or condition characterized by removal or separation, either ritually or physically.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In its earliest and most consistent biblical usage, נִידָה denotes the state of ritual impurity connected with menstruation (Leviticus 15), resulting in temporary exclusion from religious or social activities. In certain passages, especially in the prophets and later writings, the term broadens to metaphorical uses, such as describing exiles or those separated from the community (e.g., Lamentations 1:17; Ezekiel 7:19-20), and even abomination (Ezra 9:11). English translations such as 'menstruous woman,' 'impurity,' or 'exile' do not always capture the shifting nuance between ritual and social exclusion. The term should be distinguished from related words such as טָמֵא (tame’ 'unclean') or חֵרֶם (herem 'ban, devoted to destruction'), which refer respectively to more general ritual impurity or total exclusion/destruction. In the Second Temple period and rabbinic literature, nidah became a technical term in purity laws, which influenced later usage. As modern translations sometimes render the term as 'filthiness' or 'uncleanness,' care should be taken to note the culturally distinct ancient Israelite concepts of purity and exclusion.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of נִיד; removal, i.e. exile; removed.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נדד (n-d-d) — wander, flee, be banished, be excluded
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4059 | מִדַּד | and he scattered |
| H5074 | נָדַד | the wandering-one |
| H5075 | נְדַד | she fled away |
| H5076 | נָדֻד | restless tossings |
| H5079 | נִדָּה | in menstrual-exclusion of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5206-01 |
לְ/נִידָ֣ה | lenidah | HR/Ncfsa |
an object of scorn | for exclusion | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5206-01 |
Lamentations 1:8 | לְ/נִידָ֣ה | lenidah | HR/Ncfsa |
an object of scorn | for exclusion |