נֹאד (nod)
nod
wineskin
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun nod refers to a wineskin, typically made from animal hide and used for storing liquids like wine or water. In the ancient Near East, these flexible containers were essential for daily life, capable of holding significant volumes while remaining portable. The word appears in five verses across the Old Testament, with notable occurrences in Joshua, Judges, and Psalms.
Its usage often highlights fragility or dependence. For instance, in Psalm 80:12, the vineyard is described as being broken down so that all who pass by pluck its grapes, leaving the wineskin empty or destroyed—a metaphor for Israel’s vulnerability. Similarly, in Judges 7:5, Gideon tests his army by how they drink from these skins, distinguishing those who lap water like dogs from others who kneel to drink, showing how everyday objects served as tools for military strategy.
The term underscores the material reality of biblical times, where survival depended on such simple yet vital items. It reminds readers that even in spiritual metaphors, physical needs and cultural practices shape the imagery Scripture employs.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
A wineskin is a humble container, usually made from goat or sheep skin, designed to hold liquid while remaining flexible. In ancient times, this simple object was essential for survival, carrying water or wine across dusty roads. It represents the ordinary tools God provided for daily life, reminding us that He cares about our basic physical needs as well as our spiritual state.
Sometimes we feel like a wineskin in the smoke, as described in Psalm 119:83. The heat and dryness can make the skin brittle and cracked, threatening to spill its contents. Yet even in this fragile state, the psalmist declares he has not forgotten God's statutes. This image shows that our vulnerability does not disconnect us from God’s truth.
When we face seasons of stress or uncertainty, we might feel stretched thin or worn out. The wineskin reminds us that flexibility is a strength, not just a weakness. We can trust that God sustains us even when we feel fragile, holding us together through His steady love and grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- like/ a skin-bottle1×
- and/ skin-bottles of1×
- and/ a skin-bottle of1×
- [the] skin-bottles of1×
- [the] skin-bottle of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֹאד֤וֹת1×
- נֹ֧אוד1×
- כְּ/נֹ֣אד1×
- וְ/נֹאד֥וֹת1×
- וְ/נֹ֣אד1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 119:83
For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke. I don’t forget your statutes.
The psalmist uses the image of a smoky wineskin to describe personal fragility while affirming steadfast commitment to God's laws.
-
Joshua 9:4
they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wineskins,
The Gibeonites use old, torn wineskins as part of a deceptive strategy to appear as long-distance travelers seeking peace.
-
Joshua 9:13
These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
The narrator notes that the wineskins were once new but are now torn, highlighting the wear and tear of their journey.