Word Study for H5069 (נְדַב) | Strong's Concordance

nᵉdab /ned-ab'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to נָדַב

Meaningbe (or give) liberal(-ly)

KJV usage(be minded of...own) freewill (offering), offer freely (willingly).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nᵉdab — 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 Aramaic word nᵉdab, represented by H5069, conveys the concept of being liberal or acting out of one's own freewill. Its definition includes acting or giving liberally, offering freely, or being minded of one's own freewill. This specific term appears 4 times across 3 unique verses, exclusively within the book of Ezra.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5069 is central to the decree authorizing the return and restoration of worship in Jerusalem. The word describes the generous attitude of both gentile rulers and the Israelites. The king and his counsellors have "freely offered" silver and gold to the God of Israel Ezra 7:15. This is mirrored by the "freewill offering" of the people and priests who are "offering willingly" for the house of God Ezra 7:16. The term also applies to the personal decision of the Israelites, priests, and Levites who "are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem" Ezra 7:13.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of these freewill actions:

H2987 yᵉbal (to bring): This word is defined as "to bring; bring, carry." It is used for the action of transporting the silver and gold that the king and his counsellors have "freely offered" Ezra 7:15.
H3549 kâhên (priest): Defined as "one officiating, a priest," this term identifies one of the groups, along with the people, that provides a "freewill offering" and is described as "offering willingly" Ezra 7:16.
H1946 hûwk (to go): Meaning "to go; causatively, to bring; bring again, come, go (up)," this word describes the journey of those who are "minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem" Ezra 7:13.

Theological Significance

The significance of H5069 is highlighted in its specific context within Ezra:

Willing Contribution: The word emphasizes that support for God's house is a voluntary act. This is shown through the gifts "freely offered" by the king Ezra 7:15 and the "freewill offering" from the people and priests Ezra 7:16.
Personal Volition: The concept extends beyond material goods to personal commitment. It describes the internal motivation of the people who chose of their "own freewill to go up to Jerusalem," linking the heart's disposition to physical action Ezra 7:13.
Unified Purpose: H5069 is applied to the king, his counsellors, the common people, and the priests, showing a unified spirit of willing support for the house of God in Jerusalem Ezra 7:15-16.

Summary

In summary, H5069 is a focused but important term that defines the spirit behind the restoration of worship in Jerusalem. It captures the essence of voluntary and liberal giving, whether in the form of precious metals or personal commitment. The word illustrates how the rebuilding effort was supported by the willing hearts of both gentile leadership and the people of Israel, all acting freely to support the work of God.

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 verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 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.

הִתְנַדָּבוּת
מִתְנַדְּבִין
מִתְנַדַּב
הִתְנַדַּבוּ

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

3 verses, 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.