Lexicon
אַדִּיר
ad.dir
H0117
H:A Hebrew

great

27
Occurrences
11
Books
Hebrew
Language

ad.dir describes eminent or formidable persons and, in some contexts, imposing natural features or objects.

The word most often marks persons of elevated standing or formidable stature, including gods, nobles, rulers, leaders, and kings. It also describes imposing things in scenes involving waters, a ship, a cedar, forest trees, and a bowl.

Senses in use

  1. Eminent or formidable persons · dominant

    The adjective repeatedly occurs for persons identified by status, rule, or power: in 1 Samuel 4:8 the APB renders the clause with “mighty gods,” and in 2 Chronicles 23:20 it lists “the nobles” among the leaders who bring the king to the throne. Its construct plural form is used in the recurring address to the “nobles of the flock” in Jeremiah 25:34, while Jeremiah 30:21 places the singular construct form with a coming leader and ruler.

  2. Imposing natural features or objects · common

    The adjective also appears in depictions of striking physical things. In Ezekiel 17:23 the singular absolute form occurs in the clause that the APB renders “a majestic cedar”; Isaiah 33:21 mentions broad rivers and says that no “great ship” will pass through, and Psalm 93:4 sets the many waters and sea breakers beside the LORD on high. Zechariah 11:2 applies the plural absolute form in the lament over fallen cedar and ruined “mighty trees.”

In the Anselm Paraphrase: Across these verses, the APB uses terms such as “mighty,” “nobles,” “great ones,” “majestic,” and “great.” Those renderings reflect the surrounding clauses but are not a word-by-word alignment to the Hebrew adjective.

Across Scripture