Bible Word Study
סַרְדִּי
Çardîy · a Seredite (collectively) or descendants of Sered
סַרְדִּי
a Seredite (collectively) or descendants of Sered
Definition
סַרְדִּי (Çardîy) is a patronymic noun meaning 'a Seredite,' referring collectively to the descendants of Sered, the son of Zebulun (Genesis 46:14). In its sole biblical occurrence, it denotes a clan within the tribe of Zebulun, counted during the census in the wilderness (Numbers 26:26). The term functions exclusively as an ethnonym, identifying this familial group within the tribal structure of Israel. No other distinct meanings or usages are attested in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 26:26, within the context of the second wilderness census. It is used in a genealogical and administrative list to enumerate the clans descended from Zebulun's sons. The pattern is consistent with other patronymic '-ite' forms in the census chapters, serving to document the tribal subdivisions of Israel.
Etymology
Derived from the proper name סֶרֶד (Sered, H5624), the father of the clan. It follows the common Hebrew patronymic pattern using the '-î' suffix, which means 'belonging to' or 'descended from.' This formation is analogous to other tribal clan names like Gershonites (from Gershon) or Merarites (from Merari).
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite society, clan identities like 'Seredite' were fundamental to social organization, inheritance rights, and military musters. Being listed in the census affirmed the clan's place within the covenant community and its share in the tribal inheritance in the Promised Land. This contrasts with modern individualistic identity, highlighting the collective, familial nature of Israel's identity. Zebulun (Zĕbulûwn, H2074) — the tribal name encompassing the Seredite clan. Gershonite (Gĕrĕshonnîy, H1649) — another example of a patronymic clan name from the tribe of Levi, following the same grammatical pattern.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]