עֵין־דֹּאר
𐤏𐤉𐤍־𐤃𐤀𐤓
Eyn Dor
H5874 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun denoting a specific location, literally 'spring of Dor' or potentially 'spring of generation/age.' Refers to a village or settlement identified by its nearby natural water source, historically situated in northern Canaan near Mount Tabor, known in the Hebrew Bible primarily as the site where Saul sought out a medium or necromancer. Used exclusively as a place name.
Semantic Range
En-dor (proper place name), spring of Dor, fountain of dwelling, spring of generation
Root / Etymology
Compound term from עַיִן (ayin, 'spring, well, fountain') and דּוֹר (dor, 'generation, period; possibly a place name in its own right'). The root ע-י-נ carries the meaning 'to flow, to be a spring,' while ד-ו-ר fundamentally means 'generation, habitation, circle.' In this compound, עֵין functions as 'spring of,' and דֹּאר/Dor is likely a local or geographic identifier.
Historical & Contextual Notes
This name appears in the Hebrew Bible exclusively as a toponym (place name), most notably in the account of Saul's visit to the necromancer (medium) at En-dor (1 Samuel 28). Its identification is with a location somewhat south of Mount Tabor in the territory associated with the tribe of Manasseh. The second component, דֹּאר (Dor), may reflect a connection with the neighboring coastal region of Dor, but in this case, it is distinguished by its inland, spring-oriented setting. Later English translations occasionally render the name as 'En-dor' or 'Endor'; the term has no relation to later religious designations (such as 'Endor' in fantasy literature) and does not refer to an ethnic group but strictly to a geographic location. The usage is stable throughout biblical literature with no discernible shift in meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
lemma עֵין־דּאֹר second vowel, corrected to עֵין־דֹּאר; or עֵין דּוֹר; or עֵין־דֹּר; from עַיִן and דּוֹר; fountain of dwelling; En-Dor, a place in Palestine; En-dor.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אין (ʾ-y-n) — absence, non-existence, lack, voidness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1156 | בְּעָא | and there is not |
| H369 | אַיִן | there is not |
| H370 | אַיִן | from where? |
| H371 | אִין | and is it not? |
| H575 | אָן | where? |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5874-02 |
דֹּר֙ | dor | HNp |
Dor | generation-cycle | 3 |
H5874-01 |
בְּ/עֵ֥ין | beeyn | HR/Np |
at En- | in Spring-of-Dor | 1 |
H5874-03 |
עֵֽין | eyn | HNp |
En | there is not | 1 |
H5874-04 |
בְֽ/עֵין | veeyn | HR/Np |
at Ein | and there is not | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5874-03 |
Joshua 17:11 | עֵֽין | eyn | HNp |
En | there is not |
H5874-02 |
Joshua 17:11 | דֹּר֙ | dor-2 | HNp |
Dor | generation-cycle |
H5874-01 |
1 Samuel 28:7 | בְּ/עֵ֥ין | beeyn | HR/Np |
at En- | in Spring-of-Dor |
H5874-02 |
1 Samuel 28:7 | דּֽוֹר | dor | HNp |
dor | generation-cycle |
H5874-04 |
Psalms 83:11 | בְֽ/עֵין | veeyn | HR/Np |
at Ein | and there is not |
H5874-02 |
Psalms 83:11 | דֹּ֑אר | dor | HNp |
Dor | generation-cycle |