מַדְהֵבָה
mad.he.vah
insolence
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word "madhevah" (H4062) carries a strong connotation of insolence. Its definition suggests a sense of proud, arrogant, or defiant behavior, which challenges authority or social norms. As this word occurs only once in the Bible, its significance is somewhat limited in scope. However, its presence may indicate the gravity or severity of the action described in that specific context. Given its limited usage, we cannot generalize the range of "madhevah" to every occasion or situation. It is likely a word employed to convey a sense of stark injustice, rebellion, or haughty disregard for conventional expectations. The nature of a single occurrence also suggests that "madhevah" might be used to highlight a specific aspect of a situation or emphasize the emotional impact of a protagonist's actions. The uniqueness of "madhevah" in the biblical text implies that its meaning is closely tied to the circumstances in which it is used. Its connotation of insolence likely serves to underscore the reprehensibility of the described behavior, perhaps highlighting an egregious breach of social or moral norms.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence across the text