נָדַח (na.dach)
na.dach
to banish
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 46 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nadach describes a forceful act of pushing or thrusting something away, often resulting in banishment or expulsion. Its core meaning involves physical force, whether it is an axe being wielded against a tree in Deuteronomy 20:19 or the sudden, violent motion of a hand striking with a tool in Deuteronomy 19:5. This sense of kinetic energy extends to social and spiritual realms, where individuals are driven out from their community or land.
A significant nuance appears in its passive forms, particularly the Niphal stem, which produces the participle nidach, meaning "outcast" or "one who has been thrust aside." This term captures the state of being displaced, as seen in Jeremiah 40:12 and Micah 4:6. The word conveys not just movement but a decisive separation, whether by divine judgment, as in the scattering described in Deuteronomy 30:4, or by human action, such as the banishment mentioned in 2 Samuel 14:14.
Translators often render nadach with verbs like "drive away," "banish," or "thrust out," depending on the context. The imagery is consistently one of external pressure causing displacement. Whether describing the literal chopping of wood or the figurative casting out of a people, the word emphasizes the power exerted by the actor and the resulting separation of the object from its original place.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word nadach carries the weight of forceful separation. It describes being pushed away, banished, or cast out from a community or land. In ancient times, this was a terrifying reality, leaving individuals without protection or identity. The imagery is stark: a tree cut down, water spilled on the ground, or people scattered to the ends of the earth. It speaks to the pain of exclusion and the loss of belonging.
Yet, the biblical narrative does not leave us in that state of displacement. While nadach describes the act of driving away, God’s response is consistently one of gathering. When people are banished due to their own choices or the actions of others, Scripture points to a Creator who seeks them out. The same God who allows separation also promises restoration. He does not abandon those who feel pushed aside but offers a path back to community and peace.
For your faith life, this word reminds you that your worth is not defined by your current circumstances or social standing. Even when you feel isolated or rejected by people, you are known and pursued by God. The promise in Deuteronomy 30:4 assures us that no distance is too great for His gathering love. You are never truly outcast from His care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 46 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- I have banished/ them3×
- they had been driven away2×
- banished [one]/ your2×
- and/ you will be drawn aside2×
- [the] banished [ones] of2×
- you have banished/ them1×
- to drive out/ I1×
- they have driven away1×
- she impels/ him1×
- outcasts/ my1×
- outcasts1×
- it has been banished1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נִדָּחִ֔ים2×
- נִדְּחוּ\־2×
- נִדְחֵ֣י2×
- הִדַּחְתִּ֥י/ם2×
- תַּדִּיחֶֽ/נּוּ\׃1×
- נִדָּחָה֙1×
- נִדָּחַ֔/י1×
- נִדָּֽח\׃1×
- נִדְּחֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- נִדְּחָ֥ה1×
- נִדְּחֵ֥י1×
- נִדְחֵ֖י1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 30:4
If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of the heavens, from there Yahweh your God will gather you, and from there he will bring you back.
This verse highlights the contrast between human banishment and divine restoration, showing that God gathers those He has previously driven away.
-
II Samuel 14:14
For we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.
Here the word describes a banished person who remains an 'outcast' from God, emphasizing that God devises means to restore connection rather than permanent exclusion.
-
Isaiah 11:12
He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
This passage uses the term for 'outcasts' to describe Israel’s scattered people, linking the word directly to God’s future act of assembling them from the earth's corners.
-
Jeremiah 8:3
Death will be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says Yahweh of Armies.
The verse illustrates the severe consequence of turning away from God, where those driven into distant places face such despair that death is preferred over life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word nadach mean?
How is nadach different from other words for scattering?
Where does this word appear in the Bible?
What is the significance of the passive form nidach?
Every Occurrence (46 verses across 14 books)
Deuteronomy 7 verses
and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of…
Deuteronomy 19:5as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and…
Deuteronomy 20:19When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by…
Deuteronomy 22:1You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray and hide yourself from them. You shall surely bring them…
Deuteronomy 30:1It shall happen, when all these things have come on you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and…
Deuteronomy 30:4If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of the heavens, from there Yahweh your God will gather you, and from there…
Deuteronomy 30:17But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away and worship other gods, and serve them,