אַשְׁדּוֹדִית
𐤀𐤔𐤃𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤕
Ashedodit
H797 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Adverb referring to the manner or language associated with Ashdod; specifically, 'in Ashdodite (language/dialect)', used to designate speech characteristic of the city of Ashdod or its inhabitants. It denotes linguistic features or dialectical speech associated with Ashdod, primarily in the context of communication, especially when distinguished from standard or Israelite Hebrew.
Semantic Range
in the language of Ashdod, in Ashdodite dialect, spoken as in Ashdod; by extension, in the manner of speech characteristic of Ashdod
Root / Etymology
Feminine form of אַשְׁדּוֹדִי (Ashdodi, 'Ashdodite'), itself derived from אַשְׁדּוֹד (Ashdod), the Philistine city. The -ִית suffix typically creates a feminine adjective or denotes 'pertaining to' or the 'language/dialect of' (cf. Biblical Hebrew construction for naming languages or dialects, e.g., יהודית, 'in the Judean language'). Thus, אַשְׁדּוֹדִית literally means 'Ashdodite (language/dialect)'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אַשְׁדּוֹדִית appears only in Nehemiah 13:24, where it describes the language spoken by some people in post-exilic Yehud whose children spoke 'half in the speech of Ashdod and none of them able to speak Judean clearly.' This usage highlights linguistic differentiation between the language of Ashdod—likely a form of Philistine or another local dialect—and the Judean (post-exilic Hebrew dialect). The form is parallel to terms like יְהוּדִית (Yehudit, 'Judean [language]'), which is sometimes anachronistically rendered 'Jewish' in older translations, but in biblical context refers to the spoken Hebrew/Dialect of the southern kingdom. אַשְׁדּוֹדִית’s appearance reflects post-exilic concerns about language and cultural assimilation. In Nehemiah, the term is not an ethnic designation, but a linguistic one, and does not carry later religious connotations associated with Judean or 'Jew.' Its use in only an adverbial sense limits its range to how something is spoken, rather than who the speaker is.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of אַשְׁדּוֹדִי; (only adverb) in the language of Ashdod; in the speech of Ashdod.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אשדד (ʾ-š-d-d) — devastate, lay waste, plunder; Ashdodite (pertaining to Ashdod)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H797-01 |
אַשְׁדּוֹדִ֔ית | ashedodit | HNgfsa |
Ashdodite | Ashdodite dialect | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H797-01 |
Nehemiah 13:24 | אַשְׁדּוֹדִ֔ית | ashedodit | HNgfsa |
Ashdodite | Ashdodite dialect |