What does עוּד (wanniti‘ôḏāḏ) mean in the Bible?
In the passages considered here, this word concerns bearing witness, issuing a warning, or giving a solemn charge. The seriousness of the act does not establish the truth of what is said.
Hebrew · H5749
עוּד
In the passages considered here, this word concerns bearing witness, issuing a warning, or giving a solemn charge. The seriousness of the act does not establish the truth of what is said.
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עוּדH5749
Pronunciationwanniti‘ôḏāḏ
What does עוּד (wanniti‘ôḏāḏ) mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for עוּד (H5749) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5749?
The BSB source-word alignment has 44 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (4), and warn (2), as witnesses (2), solemnly warned (2), admonished (1).
Where does עוּד (wanniti‘ôḏāḏ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 43:3. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (8), Nehemiah (6), Psalms (6), Deuteronomy (5).
What This Word Actually Means
In the passages considered here, this word concerns bearing witness, issuing a warning, or giving a solemn charge. The seriousness of the act does not establish the truth of what is said. Moses warns the people about the boundary at Sinai; Samuel warns about the consequences of the requested kingship; Jezebel arranges false testimony against Naboth. Speaker, commission, and truthfulness must be examined rather than assumed from forceful language.
First Kings 21 is especially sobering. Witnesses and a public proceeding are made instruments of a planned wrong against Naboth. By contrast, Jeremiah 32:10 describes witnesses as part of an openly recorded purchase. Deuteronomy 30:19 calls heaven and earth as witnesses in a covenant appeal concerning life and death. These settings show the weight of testimony and warning without giving any present speaker automatic divine authority. A solemn tone, repeated assertion, or formal process can still conceal falsehood and requires truthful scrutiny.
source_lexiconPassage contextPastoral application
How the Bible Uses It
Sinai's boundary warning, Samuel's warning about royal power, testimony manipulated against Naboth, witnesses to a purchase, and covenant witnesses all place speech within responsibility and accountability.
- Exod.19.21
And the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord, lest many of them perish.
The Lord sends Moses to warn the people against breaking through the boundary to look upon Him. The warning has an explicit commission and setting, rather than authority supplied by urgency alone.
- 1Sam.8.9
Now listen to their voice; but you must solemnly warn them and show them the manner of the king who will reign over them.”
Samuel must solemnly warn the people about the king's manner of rule. The following account names what the king will take, making the warning concrete rather than a demand to accept unexplained fear.
- 1Kgs.21.10
But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
Jezebel's instructions arrange witnesses to accuse Naboth and bring about his death. The wider account exposes the testimony as part of a planned injustice, so its official setting cannot certify its truth.
- Jer.32.10
I signed and sealed the deed, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales.
Jeremiah signs and seals the deed, calls witnesses, and weighs the silver. Witnessing here belongs to an openly documented transaction, distinct from the manipulated proceeding against Naboth.
- Deut.30.19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live,
Heaven and earth are called as witnesses in a covenant appeal to choose life. The solemn form belongs to Moses' address and does not grant later speakers unlimited power to pronounce equivalent judgments.
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. . .4×Genesis 43:3, 1 Samuel 8:9, Jeremiah 11:7
and warn2×Exodus 19:21, 1 Kings 2:42
as witnesses2×Deuteronomy 4:26, Deuteronomy 30:19
solemnly warned2×Genesis 43:3, Exodus 19:23
admonished1×Nehemiah 9:30
and call in1×Jeremiah 32:25
and have them testify1×1 Kings 21:10
And I will appoint1×Isaiah 8:2
and I will testify1×Psalms 50:7
and I will warn1×Psalms 81:8
and stand firm1×Psalms 20:8
and testify1×Amos 3:13
and to testify1×2 Chronicles 24:19
bind me1×Psalms 119:61
but I warned1×Nehemiah 13:21
called in witnesses1×Jeremiah 32:10
can I say for you1×Lamentations 2:13
commended me1×Job 29:11
gave this charge1×Zechariah 3:6
had admonished1×Nehemiah 9:26
has been a witness1×Malachi 2:14
has been warned1×Exodus 21:29
have solemnly declared1×Deuteronomy 32:46
He had given1×2 Kings 17:15
He sustains1×Psalms 146:9
I have warned1×Jeremiah 42:19
I strongly warned them1×Jeremiah 11:7
I testify1×Deuteronomy 8:19
So I warned them1×Nehemiah 13:15
sustains1×Psalms 147:6
testified1×1 Kings 21:13
this warning1×Jeremiah 6:10
to witness1×Deuteronomy 31:28
vvv1×Jeremiah 32:44
warned1×2 Kings 17:13
You admonished1×Nehemiah 9:29
You gave1×Nehemiah 9:34
you must solemnly warn1×1 Samuel 8:9
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 43:3הָעֵ֣דtosolemnly warnedVerb - Hifil - Infinitive absoluteGenesis 43:3הֵעִד֩to. . .Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularExodus 19:21הָעֵ֣דtoand warnVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularExodus 19:23הַעֵדֹ֤תָהtosolemnly warnedVerb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singularExodus 21:29וְהוּעַ֤דtohas been warnedConjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 4:26הַעִידֹתִי֩toas witnessesVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularDeuteronomy 8:19הַעִדֹ֤תִיtoI testifyVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularDeuteronomy 30:19הַעִידֹ֨תִיtoas witnessesVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularDeuteronomy 31:28וְאָעִ֣ידָהtoto witnessConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularDeuteronomy 32:46מֵעִ֥ידtohave solemnly declaredVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 43:3
Aligned rows44
Books represented16
Genesis2Exodus3Deuteronomy51 Samuel21 Kings32 Kings22 Chronicles1Nehemiah6Job1Psalms6Isaiah1Jeremiah8Lamentations1Amos1Zechariah1Malachi1
Source forms
וְאָעִ֣ידָה4xwə·’ā·‘î·ḏāhDeuteronomy 31:28, Psalms 50:7, Psalms 81:8, Isaiah 8:2
הָעֵ֣ד2xhā·‘êḏGenesis 43:3, Exodus 19:21
וְהָעֵ֣ד2xwə·hā·‘êḏJeremiah 32:25, Jeremiah 32:44
וַתָּ֨עַד2xwat·tā·‘aḏNehemiah 9:29, Nehemiah 9:30
אֲעִידֵ֞ךְ1x’ă·‘î·ḏêḵLamentations 2:13
הֵעִד֩1xhê·‘iḏGenesis 43:3
הָעֵ֤ד1xhā·‘êḏ1 Samuel 8:9
הָעֵ֨ד1xhā·‘êḏJeremiah 11:7
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular5xDeuteronomy 31:28, Psalms 50:7, Psalms 81:8, Isaiah 8:2
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular5xDeuteronomy 4:26, Deuteronomy 8:19, Deuteronomy 30:19, Jeremiah 11:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular3x1 Kings 2:42, Nehemiah 13:15, Jeremiah 32:10
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute3xGenesis 43:3, 1 Samuel 8:9, Jeremiah 11:7
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular3xGenesis 43:3, 2 Kings 17:15, Malachi 2:14
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular2xNehemiah 9:29, Nehemiah 9:30
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular2x2 Kings 17:13, Zechariah 3:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute2xJeremiah 11:7, Jeremiah 32:44
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Give truthful disclosures room to be heard while refusing coercion that manufactures a desired testimony.
- Keep a speaker's confidence distinct from evidence and avoid using spiritual threats to prevent responsible scrutiny.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that official procedure guarantees justice; Naboth's story shows its forms being used to carry out a planned wrong.
- Do not claim that repetition makes a warning divinely authorized; Exodus names a specific commission rather than that general rule.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Testimony rooted in repetition: to witness by reiterating truth, carrying covenantal weight through reiteration.
Strong'sH5749
Lexical occurrences44 versesWord forms2 forms19 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkPsalms 20:6–9Source Gloss
to duplicate or repeat ; by implication, to protest , testify (as by reiteration); intensively, to encompass , restore (as a sort of reduplication)
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 groups2Aligned forms19
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action17×
PerfectDeut 4:26 · Deut 8:19 · Deut 30:19 · Jer 11:7 · Jer 42:19 · 2Kgs 17:15 · Gen 43:3 · Mal 2:14 · Exod 19:23 · Neh 9:34 · Neh 9:2611×
Infinitive absolute1Sam 8:9 · Gen 43:3 · Jer 11:73×
Imperfect1Sam 8:91×
Participle activeDeut 32:461×
Sequential imperfectExod 19:211×
Polel2×
ImperfectPs 146:91×
Participle activePs 147:61×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
We stood firm; we were restored; we stood upright; indicates a state of being strengthened or set upright by an external force
Showing 1 selected witness from 44 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עוּד is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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.
For the Preacher and Teacher
First Kings 21:10 places testimony inside Jezebel's plan against Naboth. The witnesses are not introduced as people independently seeking to report what happened. They are assigned a role in a proceeding designed to produce an accusation and death. The outward form of a public hearing therefore becomes part of the wrong the narrative exposes.
This gives teachers a concrete reason to resist the idea that confident accusation or official procedure alone settles truth. The responsibility is to attend to what is actually known, how it is known, and whether people are being pressured to repeat a desired account. Such an application does not make every accusation false or every institution corrupt. It calls for truthful scrutiny that protects people from manufactured testimony while leaving room for genuine disclosures to be heard. Solemn speech must remain answerable to truth, not merely to the authority of the person who demands it.
Anchor passage
1Kgs.21.10
Doctrinal connections
- Exodus 19:21-23 locates the warning within God's stated boundary and Moses' commission, preserving the source of its authority.
- First Samuel 8:9-11 makes the warning about kingship specific by naming the king's taking of sons and service.
- First Kings 21:8-13 exposes a public process directed toward false accusation and Naboth's death.
- Jeremiah 32:9-12 gives witnesses a role in an openly recorded purchase with a signed deed and weighed payment.
- Deuteronomy 30:19-20 joins covenant witnesses to an appeal to love, obey, and hold fast to the Lord.
- Matthew 26:59-61 reports the search for false testimony against Jesus, providing a distinct account of accusation pursued toward condemnation.
The selected occurrences concern testimony, warning, and solemn charge. Their force comes from the setting and commission, not a rule that repeating words makes them true. Broader dictionary grouping must not be used to import every listed gloss into these particular acts of witnessing.
From Old to New Testament
Matthew 26:59-61 describes the search for false testimony against Jesus. Read beside Naboth's account, it highlights the danger of arranging accusation to secure a desired condemnation. The comparison concerns the narrated misuse of testimony; it does not claim that the two hearings are identical in every detail.
Book contextPastoral application