עָדַן (a.dan)
a.dan
to luxuriate
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb ‘adan appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Nehemiah 9:25. In this context, it describes the Israelites enjoying abundant food and comfort after their return from exile. The form used is the Hithpael, which conveys a sense of self-directed action, meaning to luxuriate or delight oneself in these provisions.
Its root suggests a focus on sensory pleasure and physical well-being. Brown-Driver-Briggs notes a connection to later Hebrew and Syriac terms for delighting in an act. Here, it captures the joy of feasting in spacious houses with good food, marking a stark contrast to their previous hardship.
Translators often render this as "ate their fill" or "enjoyed abundance." The word highlights the tangible blessings of God’s provision, emphasizing not just survival but genuine satisfaction. It serves as a rare linguistic snapshot of communal joy and rest in biblical narrative.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word adan appears only once in Scripture, found in Nehemiah 9:25. It describes the Israelites delighting themselves in God’s abundant provision after their return from exile. This rare verb captures a moment of deep sensory satisfaction—eating well, resting in spacious homes, and enjoying the fruits of the land.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that God’s blessings are not just about survival but genuine joy. When you experience comfort or abundance, it is an invitation to recognize His goodness. This delight is a tangible sign of His care, offering a stark contrast to times of hardship and scarcity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they luxuriated1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יִּֽתְעַדְּנ֖וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Nehemiah 9:25
They took fortified cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns dug out, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.
This verse uniquely uses the Hithpael form of 'adan' to describe the Israelites actively delighting themselves in God's goodness through feasting and rest.