H5715 H5715
Testimony or covenant document, especially the tablets of the Law and the Ark/Tabernacle housing them; in the plural, God's decrees and ordinances.
The noun עֵדוּת carries a weighty covenantal sense throughout the Old Testament. In its singular form, it most often refers to the testimony inscribed on the stone tablets -- the covenant stipulations that define Israel's relationship with God -- and by extension to the sacred furniture that houses them: the Ark of the Testimony (Exod 25:22) and the Tabernacle of the Testimony. In its plural form, especially prominent in Psalm 119, it broadens to encompass God's commandments, ordinances, and covenant requirements as objects of delight, study, and obedience. Spanish 'el testimonio' and German 'das Zeugnis' capture the singular well, though the plural sense often challenges translators.
Senses
1. testimony, covenant document — The testimony as a singular covenantal entity: the tablets of the Law containing the Ten Words, or by metonymy the Ark and Tabernacle that house them. Across 44 occurrences, this is predominantly Priestly vocabulary. Spanish 'el testimonio,' French 'le témoignage,' and German 'das Zeugnis' render it consistently. Key constructions include 'the tablets of the testimony' (Exod 31:18; 32:15), 'the Ark of the testimony' (Exod 25:22; Num 7:89), and 'the Tabernacle of the testimony' (Num 1:50, 53), all pointing to the physical embodiment of covenant. 44×
AR["الحَجَريّانِ", "الشَّهادَةَ", "الشَّهادَةِ", "الشَّهَادَةَ", "الشَّهَادَةِ", "الْ-شَّهَادَةِ"]·ben["-সাক্ষ্য", "-সাক্ষ্যের", "সাক্ষ্যের", "সেই-সাক্ষ্য", "সেই-সাক্ষ্যের"]·DE["das-Zeugnis", "der-Zeugnis"]·EN["the-testimony"]·FR["le-témoignage"]·heb["ה-עדות"]·HI["साक्षी", "साक्षी-का", "साक्षी-की", "साक्षी-के", "साक्ष्य"]·ID["Kesaksian-itu", "kesaksian"]·IT["il-testimonianza", "la-testimonianza"]·jav["paseksen", "paseksen-punika", "paseksen-punika,", "paseksi", "paseksi,", "prajanjian"]·KO["그-증거", "그-증거를", "그-증거의"]·PT["a-'edut", "o-testemunho"]·RU["свидетельства", "свидетельстве", "свидетельство", "свидетельством"]·ES["el-testimonio"]·SW["la-ushahidi", "la-ushuhuda", "ushahidi", "ushuhuda", "vya-ushahidi"]·TR["-şahadeti", "-şahitliğin", "antlaşmanın-üzerinde", "sahitligin", "şahitliğin", "şehadeti", "şehadetin"]·urd["-شہادت", "-شہادت-کی", "-شہادت-کے", "شہادت", "شہادت-کا", "شہادت-کی", "شہادت-کے"]
Exod 16:34, Exod 25:16, Exod 25:21, Exod 25:22, Exod 26:33, Exod 26:34, Exod 27:21, Exod 30:6, Exod 30:6, Exod 30:26, Exod 30:36, Exod 31:7 (+32 more)
2. testimonies, divine decrees — The plural testimonies or stipulations of God -- His commandments, ordinances, and covenant requirements viewed as binding directives to be obeyed and cherished. This covers 15 occurrences, concentrated in the Psalms (especially Ps 119) and the Deuteronomistic History. French and German translations sometimes leave the Hebrew untranslated in brackets, suggesting the difficulty of finding a single equivalent. Walking in God's testimonies (1 Kgs 2:3; 2 Kgs 23:3) and delighting in them (Ps 119:14) express the lived, responsive dimension of covenant faithfulness. 15×
AR["بِ-شَهَادَاتِكَ", "شَهَادَاتُكَ", "شَهَادَاتِكَ", "شَهَادَاتِهِ", "عَنْ-شَهَادَاتِكَ", "وَ-شَهَادَاتِهِ", "وَ-لِ-شَهَادَاتِكَ", "وَبِشَهَادَاتِهِ", "وَشَهَادَاتِهِ"]·ben["-তোমার-সাক্ষ্য-থেকে", "-তোমার-সাক্ষ্যে", "আর-তোমার-সাক্ষ্যকে", "এবং-তাঁর-সাক্ষ্য", "এবং-তাঁর-সাক্ষ্যগুলিতে", "ও-তাঁর-সাক্ষ্য", "তাঁর-সাক্ষ্যগুলি", "তোমার-সাক্ষ্য", "তোমার-সাক্ষ্যসমূহ"]·DE["[ובעדותיו]", "[ולעדותיך]", "[ועדותיו]", "[עדותיך]", "dein-Zeugnisse", "sein-testimonies", "sind-dein-Zeugnisse", "und-sein-testimonies", "von-dein-Zeugnisse", "zu-dein-Zeugnisse"]·EN["Your-testimonies", "and-His-testimonies", "and-his-testimonies", "and-in-his-testimonies", "and-to-your-testimonies", "are-Your-testimonies", "from-Your-testimonies", "his-testimonies", "to-Your-testimonies"]·FR["[ובעדותיו]", "[ולעדותיך]", "[ועדותיו]", "[עדותיך]", "dans-tes-témoignages", "de-tes-témoignages", "et-son-testimonies", "son-testimonies", "tes-témoignages"]·heb["ב-עדוותיך", "ו-ב-עדוותיו", "ו-ל-עדותיך-ך", "ו-עדותיו", "ו-עדותיו-ו", "מ-עדוותיך", "עדוותיו", "עדוותיך", "עדותיך-ך"]·HI["उसकी-गवाहियों", "और-उसकी-साक्षियों", "और-तेरी-चेतावनियों", "और-में-उसकी-गवाहियों", "गवाहियों-उसकी", "तेरी-गवाहियों"]·ID["dan-dalam-kesaksian-Nya", "dan-kesaksian-kesaksian-Nya", "dan-kesaksian-kesaksianNya", "dan-peringatan-peringatan-Mu", "dari-kesaksian-kesaksian-Mu", "kesaksian-kesaksian-Mu", "kesaksian-kesaksian-Nya", "pada-kesaksian-kesaksian-Mu", "peringatan-peringatannya"]·IT["[ובעדותיו]", "[ולעדותיך]", "[ועדותיו]", "[עדותיך]", "da-le-tue-testimonianze", "e-suo-testimonianze", "in-le-tue-testimonianze", "le-tue-testimonianze", "suo-testimonianze"]·jav["dhateng-paseksi-Paduka", "lan-dhateng-paseksen-Paduka", "lan-ing-paseksen-ipun", "lan-paseksenipun", "lan-paseksi-paseksi", "paseksen-paseksen", "paseksen-paseksen-Sampeyan", "paseksen-paseksenipun", "paseksi-Paduka", "saking-paseksi-Paduka"]·KO["그리고-그의-증거들에", "그리고-그의-증거들을", "그리고-아니", "그리고-주의-증거들-으로", "그의-증거들을", "당신-의-증거들-에", "당신-의-증거들-에서", "당신-의-증거들-은", "당신-의-증거들-을", "당신-의-증거들-의", "당신-의-증거들-이", "당신의-증거들을", "증거들-그분의"]·PT["aos-teus-testemunhos", "dos-teus-testemunhos", "e-a-testemunhos-Teus", "e-em-seus-testemunhos", "e-seus-testemunhos", "os-teus-testemunhos", "são-os-teus-testemunhos", "testemunhos-dele", "teus-testemunhos"]·RU["и-в-свидетельствах-Его", "и-свидетельства-Его", "и-свидетельствам-Твоим", "к-откровениям-Твоим", "от-откровений-Твоих", "откровений-Твоих", "откровения-Твои", "откровения-твои", "откровениям-Твоим", "свидетельства-Его"]·ES["a-testimonios-de-ti", "de-testimonios-de-ti", "sus-testimonios", "testimonios-de-ti", "testimonios-tuyos", "y-a-testimonios-de-ti", "y-en-sus-testimonios", "y-sus-testimonios"]·SW["kama-ilivyoandikwa", "kutoka-kwa-shuhuda-zako", "na-katika-ushahidi-wake", "na-maonyo-yako", "na-shuhuda-zako", "shuhuda-zake", "shuhuda-zako", "wedwֺtayw"]·TR["tanıklıkların", "tanıklıklarına", "tanıklıklarından", "tanıklıklarını", "tanıklıklarının", "ve-de-tanıklıklarında", "ve-uyarılarına", "ve-şahadetlerini", "ve-şahitliklerini", "şahıdelerini", "şehadetlerini"]·urd["اور-تیری-شہادتوں-کی-طرف", "اور-شہادتوں-اس-کی", "اور-گواہیوں", "اور-گواہیوں-اُس-کی-میں", "تیری-شہادتوں", "تیری-شہادتوں-سے", "تیری-شہادتوں-کو", "تیری-شہادتوں-کی", "تیری-شہادتیں", "شہادتوں-اُس-کی"]
1 Kgs 2:3, 2 Kgs 17:15, 2 Kgs 23:3, 1 Chr 29:19, 2 Chr 34:31, Neh 9:34, Ps 119:14, Ps 119:31, Ps 119:36, Ps 119:99, Ps 119:111, Ps 119:129 (+3 more)
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
† עֵדוּת19 and עֵדֻת27 n.f. testimony;—ע׳ abs. Ex 16:34 +, cstr. ψ 19:8 +; pl. sf. עֵדְוֹתֶיךָ 119:14 +, עֵדְוֹתָיו Je 44:23 + 4 times;— 1. testimony of the Ten Words on the tablets as a solemn divine charge, לֻחֹת הע׳ Ex 31:18; 32:15; 34:29 (P), הע׳ 25:16, 21; 40:20 (P); ark as containing tables, אֲרוֹן הע׳ 25:22; 26:33, 34; 30:6, 26; 39:35; 40:3, 5, 21 Nu 4:5; 7:89 (all P), Jos 4:16 (JE; Kue…