English · KJV
H4574

מַעֲדָן

maʻădân /mah-ad-awn'/ Ask about this word
Rootor (feminine) מַעֲדַנָּה · from עָדַן
Meaninga delicacy or (abstractly) pleasure (adverbially, cheerfully)
KJV usagedainty, delicately, delight.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of maʻădân — 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 maʻădân, represented by H4574, refers to a delicacy or, more abstractly, to pleasure and delight. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses, illustrating a range of meanings from luxurious food to a state of cheerful satisfaction or even a misplaced sense of security.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H4574 captures different aspects of pleasure and luxury. In a prophecy of blessing, Jacob foretells that Asher's provisions will include royal dainties Genesis 49:20. The word also describes an internal state of satisfaction; a properly corrected son H1121 is said to bring delight to the soul Proverbs 29:17. In a contrasting context of judgment, Lamentations describes the tragic reversal of fortune for those who once fed delicately but are now desolate in the streets Lamentations 4:5. Similarly, King Agag approached Samuel delicately, seemingly cheerful and unaware of his impending doom 1 Samuel 15:32.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H4574 appears:

  • H398 'âkal (to eat): This primitive root is directly associated with the literal meaning of H4574. In Lamentations, those who once did feed delicately now suffer, highlighting the loss of luxury and sustenance Lamentations 4:5.
  • H8082 shâmên (fat, plenteous): This term describes the quality of the bread from Asher, linking directly to the "royal dainties" he is prophesied to yield, emphasizing richness and abundance Genesis 49:20.
  • H3256 yâçar (to correct, instruct): This word provides the pathway to the abstract "delight" mentioned in Proverbs. It is through the correction of a son that he ultimately brings rest and delight to his parent's soul Proverbs 29:17.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4574 is tied to its context of blessing, wisdom, and judgment.

  • Symbol of Blessing and Prosperity: As seen in Jacob's prophecy for Asher, "dainties" represent the abundance and royal favor that are part of a divine blessing Genesis 49:20.
  • The Fruit of Wisdom: Proverbs presents "delight" not as a fleeting indulgence but as the result of discipline and instruction. It is the satisfying outcome of a life ordered by wisdom Proverbs 29:17.
  • The Transience of Earthly Comfort: The word is used to show the starkness of judgment. The memory of feeding "delicately" makes the present suffering in Lamentations more acute, while Agag's "delicate" approach before his death serves as a warning against false security (Lamentations 4:5, 1 Samuel 15:32).

Summary

In summary, H4574 conveys more than just a simple sense of pleasure. It encompasses the spectrum from the tangible, rich dainties of a king's table to the deep, soulful delight that comes from a life of discipline. At the same time, it serves as a powerful marker of what is lost through judgment, illustrating the biblical connection between divine favor, righteous living, and the nature of true satisfaction.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — 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.

  • מַעֲדַנִּים
  • מַעֲדַנֹּת
  • מַעֲדַנֵּי

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.

H1121 בֵּן from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, inclu H398 אָכַל a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, H8082 שָׁמֵן from שָׁמַן; greasy, i.e. gross; figuratively, rich; fat, lusty, plenteous. H3256 יָסַר a primitive root; to chastise, literally (with blows) or figuratively (with words); hence, to instruct; bind, chasten, c

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

Appears in 4 verses across 4 of the 39 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 35.

1
Genesis
1
1 Samuel
1
Proverbs
1
Lamentations

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.