מוֹלֶ֫דֶת (mo.le.det)
mo.le.det
relatives
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 17 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun moladet refers to one’s kin or relatives, but its root meaning points more deeply to birth and the circumstances surrounding it. It describes the people connected by bloodline, specifically those sharing a common origin. In the Hebrew Bible, this word often appears in legal or narrative contexts where lineage determines status, inheritance, or social obligation.
Its usage spans from Genesis to Esther, highlighting its importance in establishing identity within ancient Israelite society. For instance, it distinguishes between native-born citizens and foreigners, as seen in Leviticus when discussing purity laws or residency rights. It can also refer to one’s place of birth or family history, grounding a person’s identity in their ancestral past rather than just their current location.
This term underscores how deeply rooted identity was in the ancient Near East. A person’s moladet defined their community ties and legal standing. It is not merely about affection for family but about the structural reality of belonging to a specific lineage, which carried both privileges and responsibilities in biblical law and custom.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word moladet points to the deep roots that shape who we are. It describes those connected by bloodline, specifically the people sharing a common origin. In ancient Israel, this was not just about affection but structural reality. Your family defined your community ties and legal standing. This grounded identity in ancestral history rather than just current location.
God often calls people to leave their moladet behind for a new purpose. Abram left his relatives to follow Yahweh. Ruth left her father, mother, and land of birth to join a new people. These stories show that while family is foundational, God’s call can redirect our path. We are shaped by our origins but not bound by them forever.
Yet moladet also reminds us of our enduring ties. Esther worried about the destruction of her relatives. Jacob was told to return to his kin. These connections carry both privileges and responsibilities. They remind us that we do not walk alone. Our history and community are part of God’s broader story for His people.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 17 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- kindred/ my4×
- one born of2×
- kindred/ your2×
- kindred/ his2×
- kindred/ her2×
- one born1×
- kindred/ our1×
- and/ to/ kindred/ your1×
- and/ offspring/ your1×
- and/ of/ kindred/ our1×
- and/ from/ kindred/ your1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מוֹלֶ֣דֶת3×
- מוֹלַדְתִּ֖/י2×
- מוֹלַדְתּֽ/וֹ\׃\ \ס1×
- מוֹלַדְתֶּֽ/ךָ\׃1×
- מוֹלַדְתִּֽ/י\׃\ \ס1×
- מוֹלַדְתּ֖/וֹ1×
- מֽוֹלַדְתָּ֑/הּ1×
- מֽוֹלַדְתָּ/הּ֙1×
- מֽוֹלַדְתֵּ֔/נוּ1×
- מֽוֹלַדְתֵּ֔/ךְ1×
- מֽוֹלַדְתִּ/י֒1×
- וּ/מוֹלַדְתְּ/ךָ֛1×
Key Verses
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Genesis 12:1
Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.
This verse marks the pivotal moment where Abram is called to leave his moladet, showing that obedience to God sometimes requires stepping away from established family structures.
-
Ruth 2:11
Boaz answered her, “I have been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father, your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn’t know before.
Boaz acknowledges Ruth’s sacrifice in leaving her moladet, highlighting how faithfulness can transcend ethnic and familial boundaries to create new spiritual kinship.
-
Esther 8:6
For how can I endure to see the evil that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?”
Esther’s plea reveals the emotional weight of moladet, as she fears seeing the destruction of her relatives, grounding her political action in deep familial love and duty.
-
Numbers 10:30
He said to him, “I will not go; but I will depart to my own land, and to my relatives.”
Hobab’s refusal to go with Israel shows that moladet can represent a pull toward one’s own land and kin that competes with the call to journey with God’s people.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does moladet mean in the Bible?
How is moladet different from other words for family?
Why did Abram have to leave his moladet?
Does moladet always refer to living relatives?
Every Occurrence (17 verses across 6 books)
Genesis 8 verses
Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees, while his father Terah was still alive.
Genesis 12:1Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I…
Genesis 24:4But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Genesis 24:7Yahweh, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who…
Genesis 31:3Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
Genesis 31:13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land,…
Genesis 43:7They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still…
Genesis 48:6Your offspring, whom you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their…