H5713a H5713a
witness, testimony; an object or agreement serving as legal evidence
This feminine noun denotes testimony or witness, specifically referring to inanimate objects that serve as evidence. Genesis 21:30 records Abraham's gift of seven ewe lambs to Abimelech "as a witness" of his well-digging rights. Genesis 31:52 establishes a heap of stones as "witness" between Jacob and Laban. Joshua 24:27 twice declares a great stone set up as "witness" to Israel's covenant with God. The E source prefers this feminine form for things, while J uses the masculine עֵד.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Denotes an object serving as testimony or legal witness. The term appears exclusively in E-source or E-influenced texts (Genesis 21:30, 31:52, Joshua 24:27 twice), referring to tangible objects—ewe lambs, stone heaps, memorial stones—that testify to agreements, covenants, or boundary claims. Multilingual glosses render as "witness/testimony/testigo/témoin/Zeuge." Some include prepositional phrases ("as a witness," "for witness"). The term is fundamentally juridical, transforming physical objects into legal evidence through declarative speech-acts establishing their testimonial role. 4×
AR["شَهَادَةً", "لِ-عَادَ", "وَ-شاهِدَةٌ"]·ben["এবং-সাক্ষী", "কি", "তোমরা-অস্বীকার-কর", "সাক্ষ্য-রূপে"]·DE["fuer-Zeuge", "und-Zeugin-ist", "zum-Zeugnis"]·EN["and-witness", "as-a-witness", "for-witness"]·FR["comme-un-témoin", "et-témoin", "pour-témoin"]·heb["ו-עדות", "ל-עדה", "ל-עדות"]·HI["और-साक्षी-है", "गवाही", "गवाही-के-लिए"]·ID["dan-saksi", "saksi", "sebagai-saksi"]·IT["come-un-testimone", "e-testimone", "per-testimone"]·jav["kanggé-seksi", "lan-seksi", "paseksi"]·KO["그리고-증거이다", "에게-증거", "증거-로"]·PT["e-testemunha", "para-testemunha", "para-testemunho"]·RU["для-свидетельства", "и-свидетельница", "свидетельством"]·ES["por-testigo", "por-testimonio", "y-testiga"]·SW["kama-shahidi", "na-shahidi", "shahidi"]·TR["-e-şahitlik", "ve-şahit", "şahit-olarak"]·urd["اور-گواہ", "گواہی-کے-طور-پر", "گواہی-کے-لیے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. עֵדָה n.f. testimony, witness, of things (only E);—Gn 21:30; 31:52; Jos 24:27(×2) (J uses עֵד for feminine things).—i. עֵדָה v. יעד.