הֵידָד (he.dad)
he.dad
shout
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun he-dad refers to a loud cry or shout, capturing the raw volume of human vocalization rather than its specific content. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears sparingly, with five occurrences concentrated in the prophetic books of Jeremiah and Isaiah. The word describes a sound that is unmistakably audible, whether it rises from a crowd in celebration or from an army in battle.
Its meaning shifts depending on who is making the noise. In Jeremiah 51:14, it describes the roar of Babylon’s enemies, a shout of triumph over a fallen city. Conversely, in Isaiah 42:13, it portrays Yahweh himself letting out a war cry to save his people. The sources note this duality clearly: it is not inherently good or evil, but a powerful expression of intense emotion or force.
This word highlights the physical reality of sound in biblical narrative. It reminds readers that ancient texts often convey divine action and human conflict through visceral, auditory images. The shout of he-dad bridges the gap between internal feeling and external display, making the invisible visible through noise.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word he-dad describes a raw, powerful shout that bridges the gap between inner emotion and external display. It is not merely noise but a visceral expression of intense force, whether rising from a crowd in triumph or echoing as a divine war cry. In ancient narratives, this sound makes the invisible reality of conflict or joy unmistakably audible to all who hear it.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that God is not distant or silent. In Isaiah 42:13, Yahweh himself lets out a he-dad to save his people, showing that divine action can be as loud and decisive as human battle cries. This shout is neither inherently good nor evil; it simply reflects the intensity of the moment.
Whether you are facing a season of celebration or one of deep mourning, this term invites you to bring your full emotional weight to God. It validates that our cries for help, justice, or praise can be loud and unfiltered. You do not need to soften your voice before the Creator; He hears the rawest sounds with perfect clarity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- shouting5×
- a shout2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הֵידָ֥ד2×
- הֵידָד֙1×
- הֵידָֽד\׃\ \ס1×
- הֵידָֽד\׃1×
- הֵידָ֖ד1×
- הֵידָ֔ד1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 16:9
Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah. I will water you with my tears, Heshbon, and Elealeh: for on your summer fruits and on your harvest the battle shout has fallen.
This verse uses he-dad to describe a battle shout falling on harvest, linking agricultural joy with sudden military destruction.
-
Jeremiah 51:14
Yahweh of Armies has sworn by himself, saying, ‘Surely I will fill you with men, as with locusts, and they will lift up a shout against you.’
Here the shout is directed against Babylon, fulfilling a sworn oath that enemies will swarm like locusts and cry out in triumph.
-
Jeremiah 25:30
“Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and tell them, “‘Yahweh will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation. He will mightily roar against his fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
Yahweh is depicted as giving a he-dad like those treading grapes, showing divine judgment as an active, forceful sound against the earth's inhabitants.