Hebrew word · H4030

מִגְדָּנָה

umigdanot

precious thing

'Choice things, precious articles, costly goods.' It is related to meged 'excellence, choice produce' (Deut 33:13–16; Song 4:13, 16).

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

choice thing, excellent thing

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Chronicles 32:23

Range of meaning

'Choice things, precious articles, costly goods.' It is related to meged 'excellence, choice produce' (Deut 33:13–16; Song 4:13, 16). It occurs only a few times: Genesis 24:53 (the jewelry, clothing and 'precious things' Abraham's servant gives Rebekah's family), Ezra 1:6 (valuables given to the returning exiles), 2 Chronicles 21:3 (Jehoshaphat's gifts to his sons) and here.

Against the English

KJV says 'presents', WEB 'precious things', BSB 'valuable gifts', YLT 'precious things'. All are adequate. 'Presents' is the weakest, because it can sound casual or personal.

Used elsewhere in the period

In every occurrence it describes high-value items given in formal settings: a marriage negotiation, a royal grant, an endowment. It is a luxury word, not an everyday one.

Similar words

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 24:53 וּמִ֨גְדָּנֹ֔ת and precious gifts

    Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

2 Chronicles · 2

  1. 2 Chronicles 21:3 וּלְמִגְדָּנ֔וֹת and to excellent things

    Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and precious things, as well as the fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

  2. 2 Chronicles 32:23 וּמִ֨גְדָּנ֔וֹת and excellent things

    Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the LORD and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah, and from then on he was exalted in the eyes of all nations.

    Here: High-value luxury goods such as jewelry, fine cloth and costly items. This word is kept for the human king, while the God-directed gift is called minḥâ.

Ezra · 1

  1. Ezra 1:6 וּבַמִּגְדָּנ֑וֹת and with <the> precious things

    And all their neighbors supported them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all their freewill offerings.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.