Hebrew word · H4065

מַדּוּחַ

umaduchim

enticement

This word occurs only here, so its meaning must be inferred from its root, nadach. In its causative forms nadach means (a) to drive out, banish, scatter (Deut 30:1; Jer 8:3; 27:10) and (b) to entice, seduce, lead astray (Deut 13:6, 11, 14; 2 Kgs 17:21).

Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

seduction, enticement, a thing to draw aside

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 Lamentations 2:14

Range of meaning

This word occurs only here, so its meaning must be inferred from its root, nadach. In its causative forms nadach means (a) to drive out, banish, scatter (Deut 30:1; Jer 8:3; 27:10) and (b) to entice, seduce, lead astray (Deut 13:6, 11, 14; 2 Kgs 17:21). The noun can therefore mean 'enticements, seductions' or 'causes of banishment'.

Against the English

KJV/WEB 'causes of banishment', YLT 'causes of expulsion' (following the LXX/Vulgate tradition). BSB/NIV/ESV 'misleading' or 'deceptive' (the enticement sense). Each English rendering has to choose one meaning. The Hebrew may hold both.

Used elsewhere in the period

Jeremiah 27:10, 15 is the closest parallel. The false prophets 'prophesy a lie to you, so as to remove you far from your land, and I will drive you out (nadach) and you will perish'. This is nadach in exactly the setting of false prophecy and exile. Deuteronomy 13 uses the same root for a prophet who 'entices' (hiddiach) Israel away from the LORD. The LXX here has exōsmata, 'expulsions'.

Where it appears

Lamentations · 1

  1. Lamentations 2:14 וּמַדּוּחִֽים׃ ס and enticement<s>

    The visions of your prophets were empty and deceptive; they did not expose your guilt to ward off your captivity. The burdens they envisioned for you were empty and misleading.

    Here: This word occurs only here in the Bible. It comes from nadach, which means both 'to lure or lead astray' and 'to drive out or banish'. The oracles seduced the people, and by seducing them led to their being driven from the land.

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