What does נָדַד (nadad) mean in the Bible?
נָדַד (nadad): Movement from instability to displacement: wavering motion becomes fugitive flight or forceful expulsion from place.
Hebrew · H5074
נָדַד
Properly, to wave to and fro (rarely to flap up and down); figuratively, to rove , flee , or (causatively) to drive away
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נָדַדH5074
Pronunciationnadad
What does נָדַד (nadad) mean in the Bible?
נָדַד (nadad): Movement from instability to displacement: wavering motion becomes fugitive flight or forceful expulsion from place.
Full entry for נָדַד (H5074) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5074?
The BSB source-word alignment has 28 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (2), have fled (2), they flee (2), and is chased (1), escaped (1).
Where does נָדַד (nadad) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:40. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Psalms (5), Jeremiah (3), Job (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It. . .2×Psalms 68:12, Isaiah 16:2
have fled2×Isaiah 22:3, Jeremiah 9:10
they flee2×Psalms 31:11, Isaiah 21:15
and is chased1×Job 18:18
escaped1×Esther 6:1
fled1×Genesis 31:40
flee1×Isaiah 33:3
flee in haste1×Psalms 68:12
flees1×Isaiah 10:31
fluttered1×Isaiah 10:14
had fled1×Jeremiah 4:25
he will be chased away1×Job 20:8
I would flee1×Psalms 55:7
raked aside1×2 Samuel 23:6
that strays1×Proverbs 27:8
the fugitives1×Jeremiah 49:5
the one who flees1×Isaiah 16:3
the refugees1×Isaiah 21:14
they fly away1×Nahum 3:17
they have strayed1×Hosea 7:13
wanderers1×Hosea 9:17
wanders about1×Job 15:23
who wanders1×Proverbs 27:8
will recoil1×Nahum 3:7
will shake their heads1×Psalms 64:8
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:40וַתִּדַּ֥דtofledConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular2 Samuel 23:6מֻנָ֖דtoraked asideVerb - Hofal - Participle - masculine singularEsther 6:1נָדְדָ֖הtoescapedVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularJob 15:23נֹ֘דֵ֤דtowanders aboutVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularJob 18:18יְנִדֻּֽהוּ׃toand is chasedVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singularJob 20:8וְ֝יֻדַּ֗דtohe will be chased awayConjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularPsalms 31:11נָדְד֥וּtothey fleeVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralPsalms 55:7נְדֹ֑דtoI would fleeVerb - Qal - Infinitive constructPsalms 64:8יִ֝תְנֹדֲד֗וּtowill shake their headsVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralPsalms 68:12יִדֹּד֣וּןtoflee in hasteVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 31:40
Aligned rows28
Books represented10
Genesis12 Samuel1Esther1Job3Psalms5Proverbs2Isaiah8Jeremiah3Hosea2Nahum2
Source forms
נָדְדָ֖ה2xnā·ḏə·ḏāhEsther 6:1, Isaiah 10:31
נָדְד֖וּ2xnā·ḏə·ḏūIsaiah 33:3, Jeremiah 9:10
וְ֝יֻדַּ֗ד1xwə·yud·daḏJob 20:8
וְנוֹדַ֔ד1xwə·nō·w·ḏaḏNahum 3:17
וַתִּדַּ֥ד1xwat·tid·daḏGenesis 31:40
יִדֹּד֣וּן1xyid·dō·ḏūnPsalms 68:12
יִדֹּד֑וּן1xyid·dō·ḏūnPsalms 68:12
יִדּ֣וֹד1xyid·dō·wḏNahum 3:7
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural7xPsalms 31:11, Isaiah 21:15, Isaiah 22:3, Isaiah 33:3
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular6xJob 15:23, Proverbs 27:8, Isaiah 10:14, Isaiah 16:2
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun2xPsalms 68:12
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular2xEsther 6:1, Isaiah 10:31
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular1xJob 20:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular1xNahum 3:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular1xGenesis 31:40
Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular1xJeremiah 49:5
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Movement from instability to displacement: wavering motion becomes fugitive flight or forceful expulsion from place.
Strong'sH5074
Lexical occurrences28 versesWord forms3 forms21 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkHosea 9:10-17Source Gloss
properly, to wave to and fro (rarely to flap up and down); figuratively, to rove , flee , or (causatively) to drive away
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Movement from instability to displacement: wavering motion becomes fugitive flight or forceful expulsion from place.
properly, to wave to and fro (rarely to flap up and down); figuratively, to rove, flee, or (causatively) to drive away BDB: retreat Usage: chase (away), × could not, depart, flee (× apace, away), (re-) move, thrust away, wander (abroad, -er, -ing).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups3Aligned forms21
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense19×
PerfectHos 7:13 · Isa 21:15 · Isa 22:3 · Isa 33:3 · Jer 4:25 · Jer 9:9 · Ps 31:12 · Esth 6:1 · Isa 10:319×
Participle activeHos 9:17 · Isa 10:14 · Isa 16:2 · Isa 16:3 · Isa 21:14 · Job 15:23 · Prov 27:88×
ImperfectNah 3:71×
Infinitive constructPs 55:81×
Hophalcausative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action1×
Participle passive2Sam 23:61×
Hithpolel1×
ImperfectPs 64:91×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to wander, flee
Showing 1 selected witness from 28 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
נָדַד is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Exilic dispersion imagery.Hosea 9:10-17
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.