Bible Word Study
נוֹדָב
Nôwdâb · Nodab, an Arab tribe
נוֹדָב
Nodab, an Arab tribe
Definition
Nodab is the name of an Arab tribe mentioned in the Old Testament. The name likely means 'noble' or 'generous,' derived from the Hebrew root for voluntary giving. In the biblical record, the Nodabites are referenced only once as a people group defeated by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh during a war (1 Chronicles 5:19). They are listed alongside the Hagrites, Jetur, and Nephish, indicating they were part of a confederation of nomadic tribes east of the Jordan River.
Biblical Usage
The word Nodab is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 5:19. It functions strictly as a proper noun identifying a specific tribal group. The context is a military narrative describing the victories of the Transjordanian tribes over their eastern neighbors, highlighting God's assistance in battle against these nomadic peoples.
Etymology
The name Nodab (נוֹדָב) comes from the Hebrew root נָדַב (nāḏaḇ, H5068), which means 'to be willing,' 'to volunteer,' or 'to offer freely.' This root conveys a sense of nobility, generosity, and spontaneous giving. As a tribal name, it likely described a characteristic of the people or was intended as an honorable title.
Semantic Range
While the term itself is not theologically loaded, its single appearance contributes to the Chronicler's theme of divine faithfulness in warfare for those who trust in God. The defeat of Nodab and its allies (1 Chronicles 5:20) is attributed to the tribes crying out to God in battle, demonstrating that victory comes from divine aid, not merely human strength. It serves as a historical example of God fulfilling his promise to give his people land. Nodab was one of many nomadic Arab tribes inhabiting the Syrian Desert east of the Jordan River in the ancient Near East. These tribes were often pastoralists, organized in clan-based societies, and could form shifting alliances. Their mention alongside the Hagrites (possibly descendants of Hagar) places them within the broader Ishmaelite sphere, reflecting the complex tribal landscape surrounding ancient Israel. Hagriy (Hagri, H1905) — Another neighboring tribal group defeated in the same conflict. Yetur (Jetur, H3195) — A tribe descended from Ishmael, also listed among the defeated peoples.
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]