Word Study for H5736 (עֲדַף) | Strong's Concordance

ʻădaph /aw-daf'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto be (causatively, have) redundant

KJV usagebe more, odd number, be (have) over (and above), overplus, remain.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻădaph — 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 ʻădaph, represented by H5736, is a primitive root that signifies something being redundant or in excess. It appears 9 times across 8 unique verses in the Bible. Its core meaning revolves around having more than is needed, which is expressed in translations like to be more, odd number, overplus, or to remain.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5736 is applied in specific, practical contexts. In the account of the manna, it describes God's perfect provision, where those who gathered much had nothing over Exodus 16:18, and any amount that "remaineth over" was to be set aside for the sabbath Exodus 16:23. It is also used in the detailed instructions for the tabernacle, specifying that the part of the curtains that "remaineth" was to hang over the back and sides (Exodus 26:12, Exodus 26:13). Furthermore, the word carries a legal and financial meaning, referring to the "overplus" that must be restored in the year of Jubilee Leviticus 25:27 and the "odd number" of firstborns who were more than the Levites and thus required a redemption payment (Numbers 3:46, Numbers 3:48).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to clarify the concept of having a surplus or deficit:

H5629 çerach (a redundancy; remnant): This term is used directly with H5736 to denote the "remnant that remaineth" of the tabernacle curtains, emphasizing the specific portion left over by design Exodus 26:12.
H6302 pâdûwy (ransomed... that are to be redeemed): This word identifies the people who required redemption, such as the firstborn who were "more" H5736 than the number of Levites available to serve Numbers 3:46.
H7235 râbâh (to increase... be... have more): This verb is contrasted with H5736 in the story of the manna, where the one who "gathered much" ultimately had "nothing over," illustrating divine regulation Exodus 16:18.
H2637 châçêr (to lack; by implication, to fail, want, lessen): As the direct opposite of having an overplus, this word confirms that in God's provision, the one who gathered little had "no lack" Exodus 16:18.
H7725 shûwb (to turn back... restore): This root describes the action required when dealing with an excess in a legal context, where one must "restore the overplus" H5736 from a sale Leviticus 25:27.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5736 is demonstrated through its application in contexts of divine order and justice.

Divine Sufficiency: The word is key to understanding the miracle of the manna. God's provision is perfectly sufficient, ensuring no excessive "overplus" and no deficiency, which teaches a lesson on divine equity and trust Exodus 16:18.
Redemptive Precision: In the census of the firstborn, H5736 is used to calculate the "odd number" of individuals who were "over and above" the Levites. This required a specific monetary redemption, highlighting the value of each person and the precision of God's commands Numbers 3:49.
Sanctuary Design: Its use in the tabernacle plans reveals that even the material which "remaineth over" is not accidental but is part of God's intentional design, serving a specific function in covering the sacred space Exodus 26:13.

Summary

In summary, H5736 is more than a simple term for a leftover amount. It is a word that carries significant weight in legal, logistical, and theological contexts. Whether describing God's perfectly measured provision of food, the exact construction details of His dwelling place, or the precise requirements for human redemption, ʻădaph illustrates a divine principle: every surplus and remainder is accounted for and serves a purpose within God's ordered plan.

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 9 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.

עֹדֵף
עֹדְפִים
הֶעְדִּיף
עֹדֶפֶת

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 8 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus (4 verses); never once in the other 36.

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

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.