H5713b H5713b
testimonies, decrees -- God's covenant stipulations viewed as solemn divine charges to his people
The feminine plural of edah, used exclusively for God's laws understood as his personal attestations or solemn charges to Israel. Distinguished from torah (instruction) and mishpat (ordinance), the term 'testimonies' emphasizes that God's commands are his own witness about his character and will. The word dominates Psalm 119, where the psalmist professes love for God's testimonies in nearly every stanza (119:2, 22, 24, 46, 59, 79, 95, 119, 125, 138, 146, 152, 167, 168). It also appears in Deuteronomic summaries of covenant obligation (Deut 4:45; 6:17, 20) and in the divine promise at Zion (Ps 132:12).
Senses
1. testimonies, decrees (of God) — The plural 'testimonies' or 'decrees,' denoting God's covenant commands regarded as divine attestations binding upon Israel. Occurs overwhelmingly in Psalm 119 (16 of 22 instances) and in Deuteronomic summaries (Deut 4:45; 6:17, 20). Distinguished from other Torah-vocabulary by its emphasis on God's personal witness. Psalm 99:7 and 132:12 tie obedience to these testimonies to ongoing covenant blessing. French temoignage and German Zeugnisse preserve the witness dimension clearly. 22×
AR["الشَّهَادَاتُ", "بِ-شَهَادَاتِكَ", "شَهَادَاتُكَ", "شَهَادَاتِكَ", "شَهَادَاتِهِ", "مِنْ-شَهَادَاتِكَ", "وَشَهَادَاتِهِ"]·ben["-তোমার-সাক্ষ্য-থেকে", "-তোমার-সাক্ষ্যে", "এবং-তাঁর-সাক্ষ্য", "এবং-তাঁর-সাক্ষ্যগুলি", "এবং-তাঁর-সাক্ষ্যসমূহ", "তাঁর-সাক্ষ্য", "তাঁর-সাক্ষ্যগুলি", "তোমার-সাক্ষ্য", "তোমার-সাক্ষ্যগুলি", "সাক্ষ্যসমূহ-যে", "সেই-সাক্ষ্য"]·DE["dein-Zeugnisse", "der-testimonies", "sein-Zeugnisse", "und-sein-Zeugnisse", "und-sein-testimonies", "von-dein-Zeugnisse"]·EN["His-testimonies", "Your-testimonies", "and-his-testimonies", "from-Your-testimonies", "his-testimonies", "of-Your-testimonies", "the-testimonies", "your-testimonies"]·FR["dans-témoignage", "de-témoignage", "et-son-témoignages", "et-témoignage", "le-témoignages", "témoignage"]·heb["ב-עדותיך", "ה-עדות", "ו-עדותיו", "מ-עדותיך", "עדותיו", "עדותיך"]·HI["-साक्षियां", "उसकी-गवाहियों", "और-उसकी-गवाहियाँ", "और-उसकी-साक्षियों-को", "और-साक्षी-उसकी", "गवाहियाँ", "तेरी-गवाहियाँ", "तेरी-साक्षियों-को"]·ID["Kesaksian-Mu", "dan-kesaksian-kesaksian-Nya", "dari-kesaksian-kesaksian-Mu", "kesaksian-Nya", "kesaksian-kesaksian", "kesaksian-kesaksian-Mu", "kesaksian-kesaksian-Nya", "kesaksian-kesaksian-itu", "tentang-kesaksian-kesaksian-Mu"]·IT["e-le-sue-testimonianze", "e-suo-testimonies", "e-testimonianza", "il-testimonies", "testimonianza"]·jav["Paseksen-Panjenengan", "bab-paseksi-Paduka", "lan-paseksi-paseksi-Nipun", "paseksen-ipun", "paseksen-paseksen", "paseksi-Paduka", "paseksi-paseksi", "paseksié", "saha-kaseksen-ipun", "saha-paseksen-ipun", "saking-paseksi-Paduka"]·KO["그-의-증거-들-을", "그-의-증거들-을", "그-증거들과", "그리고-그의-증거들과", "그리고-증거들-을", "당신-의-증거-들-은", "당신-의-증거들-에서", "당신-의-증거들-은", "당신-의-증거들-을"]·PT["Os-teus-testemunhos", "Seus-testemunhos", "dos-teus-testemunhos", "e-seus-testemunhos", "os-seus-testemunhos", "os-testemunhos", "os-teus-testemunhos", "teus-testemunhos"]·RU["-свидетельства", "и-свидетельства-Его", "из-откровений-Твоих", "об-откровениях-Твоих", "откровения-Его", "откровения-Твои", "откровениям-Твоим", "свидетельства-Его"]·ES["Tus-testimonios", "de-testimonios-de-ti", "son-los-testimonios", "sus-testimonios", "testimonios-de-ti", "testimonios-de-él", "y-sus-testimonios", "y-testimonios-de-el"]·SW["Shuhuda-zako", "kuhusu-shuhuda-zako", "kutoka-kwa-shuhuda-zako", "na-sheria-zake", "na-shuhuda-zake", "shuhuda", "shuhuda-zake", "shuhuda-zako"]·TR["tanıklıklar", "tanıklıkları", "tanıklıkların", "tanıklıklarına", "tanıklıklarında", "tanıklıklarından", "tanıklıklarını", "ve-tanıklıklarını"]·urd["-گواہیاں", "اور-اس-کی-گواہیاں", "اور-اُس-کی-شہادتوں-کو", "اور-اُس-کی-شہادتوں-کے", "اُس-کی-شہادتوں-کی", "اُس-کی-شہادتیں", "تیری-شہادتوں", "تیری-شہادتوں-سے", "تیری-شہادتوں-پر", "تیری-شہادتوں-کو", "تیری-شہادتوں-کے-بارے-میں", "تیری-شہادتیں"]
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
† III. [עֵדָה] n.f. only pl. MT testimonies (always of laws as divine testimonies or solemn charges);—pl. abs. עֵדֹת Dt 4:45; 6:20; sf. (of י׳), עֵדֹתִי ψ 132:12 (Ges§ 91 n.), עֵדֹתָיו Dt 6:17 ψ 25:10; 99:7; 119:2, עֵדוֹתָיו 78:56; עֵדֹתֶיךָ 93:5; 119:22, 24, 46, 59, 79, 95, 119, 125, 138, 146, 152, 167, 168 (MT pointing artificial, der. prob. from עֵדוּת, reading עֵדֻת for עֵדֹת, or regarding…