נָדָה
properly, to toss; figuratively, to exclude, i.e. banish, postpone, prohibit
Definition
The Hebrew word נָדָה (nâdâh) carries the core idea of forceful removal or separation. Its primary sense is 'to toss' or 'drive away,' as seen when God 'tore Israel from the house of David' (2 Kings 17:21). In Isaiah 66:5, it describes the act of ostracizing or casting out the faithful from the religious community. A more subtle, figurative meaning of 'putting away' or postponing is found in Amos 6:3, where the elite 'put far away the evil day,' meaning they dismiss the thought of coming judgment.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only three times in the Old Testament, each highlighting a different aspect of removal. In historical narrative (2 Kings 17:21), it describes God's sovereign act of banishing the northern kingdom of Israel through exile. In prophetic literature, it depicts social and religious exclusion (Isaiah 66:5) and moral complacency (Amos 6:3). The contexts are uniformly negative, involving separation due to sin, judgment, or persecution.
Etymology
נָדָה is a primitive root, possibly related to נָדָא (nâdâ') in 2 Kings 17:21. It is connected to the idea of motion or shaking loose. Cognates in other Semitic languages suggest meanings like 'to drive out' or 'to banish,' supporting its biblical usage for forceful separation or exclusion.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it portrays God's active judgment in severing a covenant relationship (2 Kings 17:21) and the reality of persecution for faithfulness (Isaiah 66:5). It underscores that separation from God's people or His presence is a direct consequence of rebellion. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of these passages by emphasizing the deliberate and forceful nature of divine discipline and the cost of discipleship.
In ancient Israelite culture, being 'cast out' (נָדָה) from the community was a severe form of social and religious punishment, cutting one off from identity, protection, and worship. The concept in Amos 6:3 reflects a cultural attitude of elite indifference, using the language of dismissal to describe moral procrastination.
גָּרַשׁ (gârash, H1644) — to drive out, often of expelling inhabitants from land; שָׁלַךְ (shâlak, H7993) — to throw or cast down, more general than the targeted exclusion of נָדָה.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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