בַּ֫עַד105 H1157
On behalf of; through; behind; around — a preposition expressing separation, passage, or interposition
A versatile preposition built on the idea of separation or interposition between two points. In its most frequent usage it means 'on behalf of' or 'for the sake of,' as when priests make atonement for the people. It also marks physical movement through an opening (Rahab lowering the spies through the window, Josh 2:15) and position behind a barrier. Less commonly it expresses encircling protection, causal grounds, or a rare temporal sense. The range from spatial 'behind' to abstract 'on behalf of' reflects a single conceptual thread: something standing between subject and object.
1. on behalf of, for the sake of — The dominant benefactive sense, appearing roughly half the time. Arabic renders it with purposive prepositions (مِنْ أَجْلِ, لِأَجْلِ), Korean with 위하여, and Swahili with kwa ajili ya — all confirming the 'for the benefit of' reading. Typical in priestly contexts where atonement is made 'for' someone (Lev 9:7, 16:6). The pronominal suffixes (בַּעֲדִי, בַּעֲדוֹ) attach directly to indicate the beneficiary. 50×
AR["بَدَلَ","بِأَجْلِ","بِأَجْلِ-","بِـ-أَجْلِ-","عَنّي","لِ-أَجْلِي","لِأَجْلِ-","مِنْ-أَجْلِ","مِنْ-أَجْلِي","وَ-عَنِ","وَ-عَنْ","وَ-لِأَجْلِ"]·ben["-জন্য","আমার-জন্য","এবং-জন্য","এবং-পক্ষে","ও-জন্য","জন্য","জন্য-","পক্ষে"]·DE["[בעדי]","fuer-mich","und-auf-behalf-von","und-in-bis","wegen"]·EN["and-for","and-on-behalf-of","dens","for","for-","for-me","on-behalf-of","that-is-found"]·FR["derrière","derrière-moi","et-dans-jusqu'à","et-in-jusqu'à","et-sur-behalf-de","pour-moi","à-cause-de"]·heb["ב-עד","ב-עדי","בעד","בעד-","בעדי","ו-בעד"]·HI["-के-बदले","-के-लिए","और-अपने लिए","और-के-लिए","के-लिए","के-लिए-","बाद-मेरे","मेरे-लिए"]·ID["bagi-aku","bagiku","dan-bagi","dan-demi","untuk","untuk-"]·IT["a-causa-di","dietro","dietro-mio","e-in-fino-a","e-su-behalf-di","per-me"]·jav["bab","kangge-","kangge-kawula","kangge-kula","kanggé","kanggé-","lan-kangge","lan-kanggé"]·KO["그리고-를-위해","그리고-에-위하여","그리고-에-위해","그리고-위하여","나를-위하여","나를-위해","에-위하여-","위하여","위하여-","위하여-나를","위하여-의","위해-나를"]·PT["e-por","em-favor-de-","em-favor-do","por","por-mim"]·RU["для-","за","за-","за-меня","и-за"]·ES["por","por-mí","y-por"]·SW["kwa-ajili-ya","kwa-ajili-ya-","kwa-ajili-yangu","kwa-niaba-ya","kwa-niaba-yangu","kwa-sababu-ya","na-kwa-ajili-ya","na-kwa-ajili-ya-","wּbad"]·TR["-benim-için","-için","benim-için","icin","için","için-","ve-için","ve-uğruna"]·urd["اور-خاطر-سے","اور-طرف-سے","اور-لیے","اور-کے-لیے","خاطر","میرے-لیے","کے-لئے-","کے-لیے","کے-لیے-"]
Gen 20:7, Exod 8:28, Lev 9:7, Lev 9:7, Lev 16:6, Lev 16:6, Lev 16:11, Lev 16:11, Lev 16:17, Lev 16:17, Lev 16:17, Lev 16:24 (+38 more)
▼ 6 more senses below
Senses
2. through, via passage — Spatial passage through an opening or gap, as when Rahab lets the spies down through the window (Josh 2:15) or Sisera's mother peers through the lattice (Judg 5:28). Arabic مِنْ خِلَالِ and Korean 통하여 both point to 'through' rather than 'behind,' distinguishing this from the positional sense. The underlying notion of separation — moving away from one side to emerge on the other — is the etymological core. 19×
AR["عَبْرَ","عَن","عَنْ","مِن","مِن-أَجلِ-","مِنْ","مِنْ-","مِنْ-أَجْلِ","مِنْ-خِلالِ","مِنْ-خِلَالِ","مِنْ-عَلَى","هَلْ-مِنْ-وَرَاءِ","وَ-عَبْرَ"]·ben["-দিয়ে","এবং-মধ্যে","কি-পেছনে","জন্য","জন্য-","দিয়ে","মধ্য-দিয়ে","মধ্যে","মধ্যে-দিয়ে"]·DE["der-wegen","durch","durch-","fuer","und-wegen","wegen"]·EN["and-through","for","through","through-"]·FR["dans-jusqu'à","derrière","et-dans-jusqu'à","in-jusqu'à","pour","à-travers","à-travers-"]·heb["ב-עַד","ב-עד","בעד","בעד-","ה-בעד","וּ-ב-עַד"]·HI["और-के-बीच-से","के-बीच-से","के-लिए","के-लिए-","क्या-पार-से","खिड़की-से","बअद","लिए","से","से-बीच","से-होकर"]·ID["Dari-balik","apakah-melalui","dan-melalui","dari-balik","demi","karena","melalui","melalui-","untuk"]·IT["a-causa-di","attraverso","attraverso-","dietro","e-in-fino-a","in-fino-a","per"]·jav["Lantaran","kagem","kangge-","kanggé","karana-","lan-nglangkungi","lantaran","liwat","lumantar","medal","menapa-liwat","nglangkungi","saking","saking-","tumraping"]·KO["(질문)-너머로","-로","그리고-통하여","넘어-","대신하여","에-사이","위하여","위하여-","을-통해","통하여","통하여-","통해-서"]·PT["Pela","Porventura-através-de","através-de","e-por-entre-","em-favor-de-","pela","por","por-entre-"]·RU["-за","Через","за","за-","и-через","разве-сквозь","через","через-"]·ES["Acaso-a-través-de","Por","a-través-de","por","por-","y-a-través-de"]·SW["Je-kupitia","kupitia","kupitia-","kwa-ajili-ya","kwa-niaba-ya","kwa-niaba-ya-","na-kupitia"]·TR["-den","-için","-içinden","arkasından-mı","den-arasından","den-icinden","den-için","için-","içinden","içinden-","uğruna-","ve-içinden-","üzerine"]·urd["-بدلے-میں-","اور-بیچ-سے","اوپر-سے","ذریعے","ذریعے-سے","سے","سے-","میں-سے","کیا-پیچھے","کے-لیے","کے-لیے-"]
Gen 26:8, Exod 32:30, Deut 9:20, Josh 2:15, Judg 5:28, Judg 5:28, 1 Sam 7:9, 1 Sam 19:12, 2 Sam 6:16, 2 Sam 10:12, 2 Sam 20:21, 2 Kgs 1:2 (+7 more)
3. behind, after — Positional 'behind,' indicating location or motion at the rear of something. God shuts the door behind Noah (Gen 7:16); the fat closes behind the blade (Judg 3:22). Arabic وَرَاءَ and German hinter consistently render this spatial sense. The preposition here marks what is on the far side of a barrier, preserving the root idea of separation. 19×
AR["خَلْفَهُمْ","عَلى","عَلَى","عَلَيْكَ","عَلَيْكِ","عَلَيْهَا","عَلَيْهِ","مِ-بَعَد","وَ-عَنِ","وَراءَهُ","وَعَلى","وَعَلَى","وَعَلَى-","وَمِن-أَجلِ","وَمِنْ-أَجْلِ","وَمِنْ-أَجْلِ-"]·ben["-পিছনে-থেকে","এবং--জন্য","এবং-জন্য","এবং-জন্য-","এবং-পেছনে","ও--পেছনে-","তাদের-পিছনে","তার-পিছনে","তার-পেছনে","তোমার-পেছনে","পেছনে","সাথে-"]·DE["hinter","hinter-du","hinter-ihm","hinter-ihn","hinter-ihnen","hinter-ihr","um","und-fuer","und-fuer-","und-hinter","und-wegen","von-wegen","wegen"]·EN["and-behind","and-for","and-for-","around","behind","behind-her","behind-him","behind-them","behind-you","from-behind","hide"]·FR["autour","derrière","derrière-eux","derrière-lui","derrière-sa","derrière-tu","et-derrière","et-pour","et-pour-","à-cause-de"]·heb["בעד","בעדה","בעדו","בעדו-ו","בעדך","בעדם","ו-ב-עד","ו-בעד","מ-בעד"]·HI["अपने-पीछे","उसके-पीछे","उस्के-पीछे","ऊ-बाद","ऊ-बाद-","और-","और-उसके-पीछे","और-पीछे","और-लिए","पीछे","पीछे-अपने","पीछे-से"]·ID["dan-bagi","dan-bagi-","dan-demi","dan-di-belakang","dan-untuk","di-balik","di-belakang","di-belakang-mereka","di-belakang-mu","di-belakang-nya","di-belakangmu","di-belakangnya"]·IT["a-causa-di","da-dietro","dietro","dietro-lei","dietro-loro","dietro-lui","dietro-tu","e-dietro","e-per","e-per-","intorno-a"]·jav["ing-mburine-panjenengan","ing-piyambakipun","lan-kangge","lan-karana","lan-tumrap","saking-sawingking","sasampunipun","tumrap","tumrap-panjenengan","tumrap-piyambakipun","wingkingipun"]·KO["그-뒤에","그녀-뒤에","그리고-뒤에","그리고-위하여","너의-뒤에서","당신-뒤에","뒤-그들의-에서","뒤-에서","뒤에","에-그의-뒤","에-뒤에","에-뒤에-그"]·PT["atrás-de","atrás-de-ti","atrás-dela","atrás-dele","atrás-deles","e-atrás-de","e-pelo","e-por","por-detrás-de","por-ele"]·RU["за","за-","за-ним","за-собой","и-за","и-за-","и-над","из-за"]·ES["de-detrás-de","detrás-de","detrás-de-ella","detrás-de-ti","detrás-de-él","tras","tras-de-ti","tras-ellos","tras-él","y-detrás-de","y-por","y-sobre"]·SW["juu-ya","na-kwa-ajili-ya","na-kwa-niaba-ya","na-kwa-niaba-ya-","na-nyuma-ya","na-nyuma-ya-","nyuma-ya","nyuma-yake","nyuma-yako","nyuma-yao"]·TR["arkanda","arkandan","arkasinda","arkasından","de-arkasinda","etrafında","ve-arkasinda","ve-arkasinda-","ve-etrafında","ve-için","ve-için-","ve-uğruna","üzerine"]·urd["اور-اوپر","اور-لئے","اور-پیچھے","اور-کے-لیے","اُس-پر","اپنے-پیچھے","پیچھے","پیچھے-اُس-کے","پیچھے-سے","چاروں-طرف"]
Gen 7:16, Lev 9:7, Judg 3:22, Judg 3:23, Judg 9:51, 2 Sam 10:12, 2 Kgs 4:4, 2 Kgs 4:4, 2 Kgs 4:5, 2 Kgs 4:5, 2 Kgs 4:21, 2 Kgs 4:33 (+7 more)
4. around, encircling — A sense of surrounding or encircling, especially divine protection. Job 1:10 is the paradigm passage: God has 'hedged him around' on every side. Arabic حَوْلَ and Swahili kuzunguka confirm 'around' rather than 'behind.' Also in Ps 3:3 where God is a shield 'around' the psalmist. The encirclement reading naturally extends from interposition to encompassment. 8×
AR["حَوْلَهُ","حَوْلِي","وَحَوْلَ"]·ben["আমার-চারপাশে","আমার-জন্য","এবং-চারপাশে","চারপাশে-আমার।","তার-চারপাশে"]·DE["[בעדי]","hinter","in-Iddo","und-wegen"]·EN["about-me","and-around","around-him","around-me"]·FR["dans-à-cause-de","derrière-lui","et-derrière","à-cause-de"]·heb["בעדו","בעדי","בעדני","ו-בעד"]·HI["उसके-चारों-ओर","और-चारों-ओर","और-चारों-ओर-","मेरे-चारों-ओर","मेरे-पीछे","मेरे-लिए"]·ID["bagiku","dan-di-sekeliling","di-balikku","di-sekeliling-dia","di-sekelilingku","di-sekelilingnya","sekelilingku"]·IT["a-causa-di","dietro-a","dietro-suo","e-dietro"]·jav["ing-sakiwa-tengenipun","ing-wingking-kula","lan-ing-sakiwa-tengen","ngubengi-kula","sakubeng-kawula"]·KO["그리고-주위에","나-를-둘러","나-주변에","나-주위-에","나를-위해-두르는","주위에-그의"]·PT["ao-meu-redor","ao-redor-de-mim","atrás-de-mim","e-por","por-ele"]·RU["вокруг-меня","вокруг-него","за-мной","и-вокруг"]·ES["alrededor-de-mí","contra-mí","por-él","tras-de-mi","y-por"]·SW["kumlinda","kumlinda-yeye","kunizuia","kunizunguka","na-kulinda","yalinizuia","yangu"]·TR["ardımda","etrafımda-","etrafımı","etrafına","etrafını","ve-etrafına","ve-etrafına-","çevremde"]·urd["اور-گرد","اُس-کے-گرد","میرے-اوپر","میرے-گرد"]
5. on account of, because of — A causal sense — 'on account of, because of' — appearing in Gen 20:18 (the LORD closed wombs on account of Sarah), 1 Sam 1:6, and Prov 6:26. Arabic بِسَبَبِ and Swahili kwa sababu ya mark this as genuinely causal rather than benefactive. The semantic development from 'for the sake of' to 'because of' follows a common cross-linguistic path. 3×
AR["بِسَبَبِ-","عَلَى-","مِنْ-أَجْلِ"]·ben["-এর-কাছে","-এর-জন্য-","জন্য"]·DE["-","um","wegen"]·EN["around","on-account-of","over"]·FR["au-dessus","autour","derrière"]·heb["ב-עד","בעד"]·HI["उस-पर","कारण-से-","के-लिये-"]·ID["[objek]","bagi-","karena-"]·IT["dietro","intorno","sopra"]·jav["ing-","kangge-","kanthi"]·KO["-에-대하여","에-대하여","위해"]·PT["ao-redor-de","por-causa-de","sobre"]·RU["за","за-"]·ES["a-causa-de","detrás-de","por"]·SW["kwa","kwa-ajili-ya","kwa-sababu-ya"]·TR["arkasında","uğruna-","üzerine"]·urd["عوض","پر"]
6. sense 6 — Two occurrences in Job 2:4, where Satan says 'skin for skin' — a proverbial exchange formula. The precise nuance is debated; multilingual renderings split between 'for' (exchange) and 'on account of.' The context suggests a transactional 'in exchange for,' making it a specialized usage distinct from simple benefaction or causation. 2×
AR["بَدَلَ"]·ben["-বদলে"]·DE["wegen"]·EN["for"]·FR["derrière"]·heb["בעד"]·HI["के-बदले","के-बदले-"]·ID["ganti"]·IT["dietro"]·jav["kangge"]·KO["위해","위해-의"]·PT["por"]·RU["за"]·ES["por"]·SW["kwa","kwa-ajili-ya"]·TR["karşılığında","karşılığında-"]·urd["کے-بدلے"]
7. temporal: within, after (time) — A rare temporal-adverbial usage, attested in 1 Sam 4:18 (where Eli had judged Israel forty years) and Isa 7:8 (within sixty-five years). Arabic وَ فِي بَعدِ and Swahili na-ndani-ya support reading this as 'within' or 'after' a period of time — an extension of the spatial 'within a boundary' to the temporal domain. 2×
AR["عِنْدَ","وَ-فِي-بَعدِ"]·ben["ও-আরও","পাশ-দিয়ে"]·DE["neben","und-in-noch"]·EN["and-in-yet","beside"]·FR["et-dans-encore","à-côté-de"]·heb["ב-עד","ו-ב-עוד"]·HI["और-भीतर","पास"]·ID["dan-dalam","di-samping"]·IT["accanto-a","e-in-ancora"]·jav["Lan-ing-salebetipun","wonten-ing-sisih"]·KO["곁-에","이제-"]·PT["E-dentro-de","ao-lado-de"]·RU["возле","и-через"]·ES["al-lado-de","y-dentro-de"]·SW["karibu-na","na-ndani-ya"]·TR["-yanında","ve-icinde"]·urd["اور-اندر","پاس"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
בַּ֫עַד105 subst. proposes separation, with a gen., in separation from, in usage a prep. away from, behind, about, on behalf of (Arabic بَعْدُ, of time, after)—abs. †Ct 4:1, 3; 6:7, elsewhere cstr. בְּעַד, with sf. בַּעֲדִי Ex 8:24 +, בַּעֲדֵנִי †ψ 139:11; בַּעַדְךָ Gn 20:7 +; בַּעֲדוֹ etc.; 1 pl. בַּעֲדֵנוּ, †Am 9:10 בַּעֲדֵינוּ; בַּעַדְכֶם 1 S 7:5 +; בַּעֲדָם Lv 9:7 +;— 1. lit. a. with vbs. of…