רוּד (rud)
rud
to roam
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb rud describes a state of wandering without purpose or direction. Occurring only twice in the Old Testament, it conveys more than simple movement; it implies a restless roaming that lacks a fixed destination. In Genesis 4:12, God tells Cain that he will become a "fugitive and wanderer" (rud) on the earth, highlighting a life marked by displacement rather than stability.
The word’s force is sharpened by its Hiphil form, which shifts the meaning to "showing restlessness." This usage appears in Jeremiah 50:6, where the people of Israel are described as sheep that have lost their shepherd and wandered on all mountains. Here, rud captures the anxiety and aimlessness of a community untethered from guidance, emphasizing the distress inherent in such unguided movement.
Etymologically, rud is linked to the idea of breaking or shattering, suggesting that this wandering results from a rupture in order or relationship. Unlike words for intentional travel, rud carries a negative connotation of being lost or scattered. Translators often render it as "wander" or "roam," preserving the sense of disorientation and lack of home.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word rud describes a restless wandering without purpose or direction. It appears only twice in Scripture, carrying a heavy sense of displacement and anxiety. In Genesis, it marks Cain’s life after his sin—a state of being untethered from home and stability. The imagery is not one of adventure, but of loss and disorientation.
In Jeremiah, the same word paints Israel as sheep without a shepherd, scattered on mountains with no guidance. This is the distress of a people who have broken loose from their source of life. It reminds us that wandering away from God leads to emptiness, not freedom. We are made for connection, not isolation.
Yet this stark picture points to our need for a true Shepherd. Unlike Cain or ancient Israel, we do not have to remain lost. God invites us back to the place of rest and direction. His presence turns aimless roaming into purposeful living, offering peace where there was once only fear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you will be restless1×
- we have roamed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תָּרִ֔יד1×
- רַ֔דְנוּ1×