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נֵרְדְּ

𐤍𐤓𐤃

nêrd

H5373 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain to scent, to perfume (from foreign root)

Definition

Nard; a fragrant, amber-colored aromatic oil derived from the root of the nardostachys jatamansi plant, used particularly as a perfume or for anointing. In the Hebrew Bible, refers to a luxury aromatic prized for its fragrance and value.

Semantic Range

nard (the aromatic plant or its extract); fragrant oil or unguent made from nard; imported luxury perfume; spikenard (traditional but imprecise translation)

Root / Etymology

Of foreign origin; not a native Hebrew word. The term נֵרְדְּ is borrowed, most likely from Old Indic (Sanskrit 'nalada', meaning 'giving fragrance') or via Persian or Greek transmission routes, reflecting the trade of luxury aromatics from Central and South Asia into the Levant. The borrowed status is reinforced by its limited occurrence and lack of Hebrew verbal or nominal patterns.

Historical & Contextual Notes

נֵרְדְּ appears in the Hebrew Bible primarily in poetic or luxuriant contexts (Song of Songs 1:12, 4:13-14). Its use is associated with wealth, festivity, and intimate settings, specifically referring to rare and costly unguents imported from distant lands. In the Greco-Roman period, nard became even more prominent in both Jewish and broader Levantine cultures, but in biblical Hebrew, its connotations were those of exceptional value and sensual appeal. English translations sometimes use 'spikenard', but this may obscure the specific association with the imported aromatic root as opposed to similar-sounding local plants. Nard in the biblical context should be distinguished from other perfumes such as myrrh (מור) or frankincense (לבונה), which were of local or regional origin. The word’s foreign character is marked in its linguistic form and in the literary settings in which it occurs, serving as a marker of luxury trade links of the ancient Near East. The use of nard does not carry any religious-legal significance in biblical texts, but is entirely associated with personal and aesthetic enjoyment.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of foreign origin; nard, an aromatic; spikenard.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נרד (n-r-d) — nard, fragrant oil, perfume

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5373-01 נְרָדִֽים neradim HNcmpa nard nards 1
H5373-03 נִרְדִּ֖/י niredi HNcmsc/Sp1cs my nard my nard-perfume 1
H5373-02 נֵ֣רְדְּ nerede HNcmsa nard nard perfume 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5373-03 Song of Songs 1:12 נִרְדִּ֖/י niredi HNcmsc/Sp1cs my nard my nard-perfume
H5373-01 Song of Songs 4:13 נְרָדִֽים neradim HNcmpa nard nards
H5373-02 Song of Songs 4:14 נֵ֣רְדְּ nerede HNcmsa nard nard perfume
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