אָדָם (a.dam)
a.dam
man
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 356 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word adam refers to a human being, whether as an individual or as the collective human race. It appears 356 times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Genesis, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The term carries a sense of earthiness, derived from roots suggesting redness or ruddiness, which connects the person to the ground from which they were formed.
In Scripture, adam often functions as a general noun for mankind rather than a specific name. For instance, Genesis 1:26-27 uses it to describe humanity created in God’s image, emphasizing our shared nature. In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, it frequently appears in wisdom literature to discuss the common experiences, limitations, and moral choices of people in general, such as the inevitability of death or the pursuit of wisdom.
While adam can also refer to the first man by name, its broader theological weight lies in its universality. It reminds readers that all humans share a common origin and condition. This dual use—both as a proper name and a common noun—highlights the biblical view that every person reflects the image of God, regardless of status or background.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word adam connects us to the earth itself. It reminds us that our origin is humble, formed from dust yet breathed into by God. This shared beginning means every person carries dignity, regardless of status or background. We are all made in the image of the Creator, a truth that calls for deep respect toward others.
In daily life, this word invites humility. It acknowledges our limitations and dependence on God’s breath for life. When we face challenges or make moral choices, remembering our common humanity helps us treat neighbors with kindness. This perspective fosters peace and understanding in our relationships.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 356 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ humankind72×
- humankind68×
- a person39×
- anyone22×
- the/ man20×
- <the>/ person16×
- from/ humankind10×
- among <the>/ humankind8×
- human being7×
- a human7×
- person5×
- everyone5×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אָדָ֖ם32×
- אָדָֽם\׃22×
- אָדָ֣ם20×
- הָ/אָדָ֖ם18×
- אָדָם֙18×
- אָדָ֔ם18×
- אָ֭דָם17×
- הָ/אָדָֽם\׃12×
- אָדָ֑ם11×
- אָדָ֥ם9×
- הָֽ/אָדָ֔ם8×
- הָֽ/אָדָם֙7×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 1:27
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
This verse establishes that every human being reflects God's image, providing the foundation for human dignity.
-
Genesis 2:7
Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The act of forming man from dust and breathing life shows our intimate dependence on God for existence.
-
Genesis 2:18
Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
God declares it is not good for man to be alone, highlighting the inherent need for community and relationship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does adam mean in Hebrew?
Is adam only used for the first man?
Why is adam important for understanding humanity?
Every Occurrence (356 verses across 32 books)
Genesis 37 verses
God said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over…
Genesis 1:27God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 2:5No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused…
Genesis 2:7Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a…
Genesis 2:8Yahweh God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 2:15Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.
Genesis 2:16Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;
Genesis 2:18Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
Genesis 2:19Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man…
Genesis 2:20The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there…
Genesis 2:21Yahweh God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. As the man slept, he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh…
Genesis 2:22Yahweh God made a woman from the rib which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
Genesis 2:23The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken…
Genesis 2:25The man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.
Genesis 3:8They heard Yahweh God’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves…
Genesis 3:9Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:12The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Genesis 3:20The man called his wife Eve because she would be the mother of all the living.
Genesis 3:22Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand,…
Genesis 3:24So he drove out the man; and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned…
Genesis 4:1The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.”
Genesis 5:1This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness.
Genesis 5:2He created them male and female, and blessed them. On the day they were created, he named them Adam.
Genesis 6:1When men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them,
Genesis 6:2God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.
Genesis 6:3Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; so his days will be one hundred…
Genesis 6:4The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had…
Genesis 6:5Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart…
Genesis 6:6Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
Genesis 6:7Yahweh said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground—man, along with animals, creeping…
Genesis 7:21All flesh died that moved on the earth, including birds, livestock, animals, every creeping thing that creeps on the…
Genesis 7:23Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and…
Genesis 8:21Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma. Yahweh said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake…
Genesis 9:5I will surely require accounting for your life’s blood. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of…
Genesis 9:6Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.
Genesis 11:5Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.
Genesis 16:12He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will…