English · KJV
H4367

מַכְנַדְבַי

Maknadbay /mak-nad-bah'-ee/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom מָה and נָדַב with a particle interposed
Meaningwhat (is) like (a) liberal (man) ?; Maknadbai, an Israelite
KJV usageMachnadebai.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Maknadbay — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word Maknadbay, represented by H4367, is the name of an Israelite, Machnadebai. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible. The name's definition is derived from multiple Hebrew elements, posing the question, "what (is) like (a) liberal (man) ?".

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single biblical appearance of H4367 is in a list of names recorded in the book of Ezra. In this passage, Machnadebai is documented as a specific Israelite individual Ezra 10:40. His mention serves a purely historical function, identifying him within a specific group of people at a particular moment in Israel's history.

Related Words & Concepts

In its sole context, H4367 appears alongside other specific names, linking them together in the same record:

  • H8343 Shâshay: This name means "whitish" and identifies another Israelite, Shashai, listed with Machnadebai Ezra 10:40.
  • H8298 Shâray: A name meaning "hostile," it refers to Sharai, an Israelite who is also mentioned in the same list in Ezra 10:40.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H4367 is limited and tied directly to its role as a proper name.

  • Historical Record: The name's primary function is not to convey a theological concept but to serve as a historical marker, identifying a specific person, Machnadebai, in the biblical narrative Ezra 10:40.
  • Personal Identification: Unlike words with broad theological application, H4367 is used exclusively for personal identification within a genealogical or census-style listing.
  • Etymological Question: The name's meaning, "what (is) like (a) liberal (man) ?", points to a cultural practice of using meaningful or even questioning phrases as names, but its singular use prevents the development of a broader theme.

Summary

In summary, H4367 is a unique Hebrew name with a highly specific function. Its singular appearance in scripture as Machnadebai anchors it to a historical list rather than a theological doctrine. The word serves as an example of the detailed record-keeping within the Bible, where individual names are preserved to document specific historical events and lineages.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • מַכְנַדְבַי

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H8343 שָׁשַׁי perhaps from שֵׁשׁ; whitish; Shashai, an Israelite; Shashai. H8298 שָׁרַי probably from שָׁרַר; hostile; Sharay, an Israelite; Sharai.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Ezra — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.