הֲדָרָה (ha.da.rah)
ha.da.rah
adornment
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun hadarah refers to outward beauty, splendor, or majesty. It describes the visible glory that reflects inner worth, often applied to royal dignity or the magnificence of sacred spaces. In the Psalms and Chronicles, it captures the awe-inspiring appearance of God’s temple or the regal bearing of a king.
This word emphasizes dignified elegance rather than mere decoration. It appears in contexts where beauty serves a higher purpose, such as in worship or royal authority. For instance, Psalm 29:2 calls believers to give the Lord the glory (hadarah) due His name, linking splendor directly to reverence.
Its root conveys the idea of being adorned or clothed in honor. Unlike words for fleeting beauty, hadarah implies lasting majesty that commands respect. Translators often render it as "glory" or "splendor," reflecting its weight in biblical theology.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hadarah points to a beauty that commands respect, often linked with royal dignity or sacred spaces. It suggests an outward splendor that reflects inner worth, inviting us to recognize the majesty of God in worship and daily life.
In passages like Psalm 29:2, this term calls believers to offer God the glory due His name, wearing a holy array as they approach Him. This reminds us that our reverence is not just internal but expressed through how we honor Him with our lives and actions.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ adornment of3×
- to/ adornment of1×
- [the] glory of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּ/הַדְרַת\־3×
- לְ/הַדְרַת\־1×
- הַדְרַת\־1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 29:2
Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array.
This verse uses hadarah to describe worshiping God in holy array, linking splendor directly to reverence for His name.
-
I Chronicles 16:29
Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship Yahweh in holy array.
Here, the call to ascribe glory to Yahweh emphasizes bringing offerings and approaching Him with dignity.
-
II Chronicles 20:21
When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to Yahweh and give praise in holy array as they go out before the army, and say, “Give thanks to Yahweh, for his loving kindness endures forever.”
The king appoints singers to lead praise in holy array before battle, showing how hadarah inspires trust in God's power.