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עֵד

𐤏𐤃

ʻêd

H5707 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A person who serves as a witness—one who observes or bears testimony in a formal, legal, or covenantal context; also the testimony (statement or proof) given by such a witness. The term can denote both the individual providing attestation and the testimony or evidence itself, depending on context. Used extensively in legal, judicial, covenantal, and ritual settings in the Hebrew Bible; the semantic range includes legal witness, establishing matters by means of witnesses, and occasionally metaphorically of objects or actions as witnesses.

Semantic Range

witness (person), testimony (evidence/testimony borne), proof, attestation, person serving as legal witness, figurative witness (object or action symbolizing witness); rarely, official or recorder (context-dependent)

Root / Etymology

From the root עוּד (ʿwd), meaning 'to return, repeat, do again, bear witness'. The noun עֵד (ʿēd) is derived from this root and refers specifically to one who bears repeated testimony or gives evidence. The root conveys repetition or affirmation, which is integral to the act of bearing witness or giving reliable testimony.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the legal and covenantal systems of the ancient Israelites, עֵד referred primarily to a person providing testimony in a judicial or transactional process, such as in court cases (Deuteronomy 19:15; Numbers 35:30) or covenant ceremonies (Genesis 31:44-52). A minimum of two עֵדִים (witnesses) was required to establish a matter. The abstract sense ('testimony') is less common, but seen for instance in poetic and prophetic texts. In some cases, objects (stones, altars) or actions are figuratively termed עֵד, functioning as witnesses to agreements or acts (Genesis 31:48). Rarely, the term may appear in administrative contexts (e.g., recorder), but this is not the primary meaning and should not be conflated with later administrative titles. English translation as 'witness' captures the principal meaning; rendering as 'recorder' is context-dependent and usually not accurate for the biblical period. Later Jewish tradition distinguished between valid and invalid עֵדִים based on ritual status, but this elaboration is absent from the biblical period, where the concern is more on veracity and presence. The term should not be confused with broader terms for testimony or evidence.

Translation Consistency

primary "witness" 50 occurrences

'Witness' is the most natural, common English rendering for עֵד across legal, covenantal, and ritual contexts. It covers both the person who bears testimony and the testimony/evidence itself, matching the primary semantic range and the majority of occurrences. It is more straightforward and idiomatic than rarer alternatives ('attest', 'testify') and supports consistent rendering for all forms under this Strong's number.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

contracted from עוּד; concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e. prince; witness.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

עוּד (ʻûwd) — to return, to repeat, to bear witness, to assert

Root עוּד to return, to repeat, to bear witness, to assert
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5749 עוּד I will solemnly warn you

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5707-01 עֵ֧ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness 29
H5707-07 עֵדִ֗ים edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses 14
H5707-11 לְ/עֵ֖ד leed HR/Ncmsa a witness witness for a witness 7
H5707-14 וְ/עֵ֤ד veed HC/Ncmsa and witness and witness and witness 5
H5707-02 עֵדַ/י֙ eday HNcmpc/Sp1cs my witnesses my witnesses my witnesses 3
H5707-03 עֵֽדֵי edey HNcmpc witnesses witnesses of witnesses of 2
H5707-09 הָ/עֵדִ֞ים haedim HTd/Ncmpa of the witnesses the witnesses the witnesses 2
H5707-04 עֵֽדֵי/הֶם֙ edeyhem HNcmpc/Sp3mp their witnesses their witnesses their witnesses 1
H5707-05 עֵדֶ֨י/ךָ edeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms your witnesses your witnesses your witnesses 1
H5707-06 עֵדִ֑/י edi HNcmsc/Sp1cs my witness my witness my witness 1

Occurrences in Scripture

70 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5707-11 Genesis 31:44 לְ/עֵ֖ד leed HR/Ncmsa for a witness witness for a witness
H5707-01 Genesis 31:48 עֵ֛ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-01 Genesis 31:50 עֵ֖ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-01 Genesis 31:52 עֵ֚ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-01 Exodus 20:16 עֵ֥ד ed HNcmsc witness witness witness
H5707-01 Exodus 22:12 עֵ֑ד ed HNcmsa as evidence witness witness
H5707-01 Exodus 23:1 עֵ֥ד ed HNcmsc a witness witness witness
H5707-01 Leviticus 5:1 עֵ֔ד ed HNcmsa a witness witness witness
H5707-14 Numbers 5:13 וְ/עֵד֙ veed HC/Ncmsa and witness and witness and witness
H5707-07 Numbers 35:30 עֵדִ֔ים edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-14 Numbers 35:30 וְ/עֵ֣ד veed HC/Ncmsa and witness and witness and witness
H5707-01 Deuteronomy 5:20 עֵ֥ד ed HNcmsc witness witness witness
H5707-07 Deuteronomy 17:6 עֵדִ֗ים edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-07 Deuteronomy 17:6 עֵדִ֖ים edim-2 HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-01 Deuteronomy 17:6 עֵ֥ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-09 Deuteronomy 17:7 הָ/עֵדִ֞ים haedim HTd/Ncmpa of the witnesses the witnesses the witnesses
H5707-01 Deuteronomy 19:15 עֵ֨ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-07 Deuteronomy 19:15 עֵדִ֗ים edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-07 Deuteronomy 19:15 עֵדִ֖ים edim-2 HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-01 Deuteronomy 19:16 עֵד ed HNcmsc witness witness witness
H5707-01 Deuteronomy 19:18 עֵֽד ed HNcmsc witness witness witness
H5707-08 Deuteronomy 19:18 הָ/עֵ֔ד haed HTd/Ncmsa the witness the witness the witness
H5707-11 Deuteronomy 31:19 לְ/עֵ֖ד leed HR/Ncmsa a witness witness for a witness
H5707-11 Deuteronomy 31:21 לְ/עֵ֔ד leed HR/Ncmsa as a witness witness for a witness
H5707-11 Deuteronomy 31:26 לְ/עֵֽד leed HR/Ncmsa for a witness witness for a witness
H5707-01 Joshua 22:27 עֵ֨ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-01 Joshua 22:28 עֵ֣ד ed HNcmsa a-witness witness witness
H5707-01 Joshua 22:34 עֵ֥ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-07 Joshua 24:22 עֵדִ֤ים edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-07 Joshua 24:22 עֵדִֽים edim-2 HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-01 1 Samuel 12:5 עֵ֧ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-14 1 Samuel 12:5 וְ/עֵ֤ד veed HC/Ncmsa and witness and witness and witness
H5707-01 1 Samuel 12:5 עֵֽד ed-2 HNcmsa witness witness witness
H5707-07 Isaiah 8:2 עֵדִ֖ים edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-12 Isaiah 19:20 וּ/לְ/עֵ֛ד uleed HC/R/Ncmsa and for a witness and for a witness and for a witness
H5707-10 Isaiah 30:8 לָ/עַ֖ד laad HR/Ncmsa forever as a witness as a witness
H5707-04 Isaiah 43:9 עֵֽדֵי/הֶם֙ edeyhem HNcmpc/Sp3mp their witnesses their witnesses their witnesses
H5707-02 Isaiah 43:10 עֵדַ/י֙ eday HNcmpc/Sp1cs my witnesses my witnesses my witnesses
H5707-02 Isaiah 43:12 עֵדַ֛/י eday HNcmpc/Sp1cs are my witnesses my witnesses my witnesses
H5707-02 Isaiah 44:8 עֵדָ֑/י eday HNcmpc/Sp1cs my witnesses my witnesses my witnesses
H5707-15 Isaiah 44:9 וְ/עֵדֵי/הֶ֣ם veedeyhem HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp and their witnesses and their witnesses and their witnesses
H5707-01 Isaiah 55:4 עֵ֥ד ed HNcmsc a witness witness witness
H5707-13 Jeremiah 29:23 וָ/עֵ֖ד vaed HC/Ncmsa and-witness and a witness and a witness
H5707-07 Jeremiah 32:10 עֵדִ֑ים edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-09 Jeremiah 32:12 הָֽ/עֵדִ֔ים haedim HTd/Ncmpa the witnesses the witnesses the witnesses
H5707-07 Jeremiah 32:25 עֵדִ֑ים edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-07 Jeremiah 32:44 עֵדִים֒ edim HNcmpa witnesses witnesses witnesses
H5707-11 Jeremiah 42:5 לְ/עֵ֖ד leed HR/Ncmsc a witness witness for a witness
H5707-11 Micah 1:2 לְ/עֵ֔ד leed HR/Ncmsa a witness witness for a witness
H5707-01 Malachi 3:5 עֵ֣ד ed HNcmsa witness witness witness
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