Hebrew word · H5373

נֵרְדְּ

neradim

nard

Nard or spikenard, an aromatic oil made from the root of Nardostachys jatamansi, a plant of the Himalayas. The name came through Indian languages (compare Sanskrit nalada) into Hebrew and then Greek nardos. It appears in Song 1:12; 4:13 (plural, the only time) and 4:14.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) spikenard, nard

1a) an odoriferous aromatic plant from India

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 Song of Songs 4:13

Range of meaning

Nard or spikenard, an aromatic oil made from the root of Nardostachys jatamansi, a plant of the Himalayas. The name came through Indian languages (compare Sanskrit nalada) into Hebrew and then Greek nardos. It appears in Song 1:12; 4:13 (plural, the only time) and 4:14.

Against the English

KJV and WEB say 'spikenard,' modern versions 'nard.' Both are accurate. The plural 'nard plants' (WEB, NASB) brings out that the poet imagines living plants growing in the garden, which they could never do in Israel.

Used elsewhere in the period

Song 1:12 ('my nard gave forth its fragrance'); Pliny, Natural History 12.42–43, on its very high price; Mark 14:3 and John 12:3 (the costly 'pure nard' poured on Jesus).

Where it appears

Song of Songs · 3

  1. Song of Songs 1:12 נִרְדִּ֖י nard my

    While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.

  2. Song of Songs 4:13 נְרָדִֽים׃ nard plants

    Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates with the choicest of fruits, with henna and nard,

    Here: Nard is a costly aromatic oil from a Himalayan plant that came to Israel only through long trade routes. The plural 'nard plants' appears only here. Nard could not actually grow in a garden in Israel, so this is a dream garden. Verse 14 starts with 'nard' again, so the list runs straight on across the verse break.

  3. Song of Songs 4:14 נֵ֣רְדְּ׀ nard

    with nard and saffron, with calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of frankincense tree, with myrrh and aloes, with all the finest spices.

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