Isaiah 10:31 — Word Study
WLCנָדְדָ֖ה מַדְמֵנָ֑ה יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הַגֵּבִ֖ים הֵעִֽיזוּ׃
BSAMadmenahMadmênâh△ [is a fugitive, has wandered away] fleesnâdad■ the peopleyâshab [inhabitants, dwellers] of GebimGêbîym△ [a village with a name meaning cistern] take refugeʻûwz■ [seek safety, gather to flee, putting their goods in a safe place]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נָדְדָ֖ה | it has fled | Verb, Qal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| מַדְמֵנָ֑ה | Madmenah | Noun proper |
| יֹשְׁבֵ֥י | [the] inhabitants of | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural common |
| הַגֵּבִ֖ים | Gebim | Particle, noun proper |
| הֵעִֽיזוּ׃ | they have taken refuge | Verb, Hiphil, perfect third person common plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Madmenah flees; the people of Gebim take refuge. |
| KJV | Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee. |
| ASV | Madmenah is a fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. |
| YLT | Fled away hath Madmenah, The inhabitants of the high places have hardened themselves. |
| WEB | Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. |
| BBE | Madmenah has gone; the men of Gebim are putting their goods in a safe place. |
Where they part company is over the verbs נָדְדָ֖ה and הֵעִֽיזוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a subordinate clause, clearly delineating the actions of both subjects.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמַדְמֵנָה
verbנָדַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
2 of 5 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 10:31
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Prophecy of Destructiongenerated
Isaiah 10:31 describes a scene of panic where Madmenah flees and the people of Gebim seek refuge. This reflects the turmoil and fear among the inhabitants as they face impending threats. The surrounding verses emphasize the urgency of their situation, as they are called to cry out and listen to the warnings of destruction coming upon them.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 15:31 | Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נָדְדָ֖ה, na.de.Dahgenerated
The verb נָדַד (nadad) means to wander or flee. It is used here in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action: Madmenah has already fled. This word captures the sense of urgency and desperation in the context of the fleeing village.
The root of נָדַד encompasses various forms of movement, including retreating and straying. The use of this verb in this verse highlights the chaotic situation faced by the people, emphasizing their need to escape danger.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses flees and take refuge.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse features two main clauses, with the finite verbs נָדְדָ֖ה and הֵעִֽיזוּ governing the actions of Madmenah and the inhabitants of Gebim respectively. The word order emphasizes the fleeing action first, followed by the response of the people seeking refuge.
The noun phrases identify the subjects: מַדְמֵנָ֑ה (Madmenah) as the subject fleeing and יֹשְׁבֵ֥י (the inhabitants) as the subject taking refuge, linking their actions in the context of danger.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נָדְדָ֖ה as ἐχέστη (ekhestē), which conveys a sense of being cast out or thrown away. This choice suggests a more dramatic interpretation of fleeing, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
For הֵעִֽיזוּ, the LXX uses παρακαλεῖτε (parakaleite), which means to call for help or seek refuge, reinforcing the notion of seeking safety amidst chaos.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 10:31 tells us that Madmenah is fleeing while the people of Gebim are seeking refuge. This reflects a time of danger and urgency, as the inhabitants are trying to find safety from impending threats.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Madmenah's flight indicates a desperate attempt to escape danger, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
They are seeking safety from impending threats, reflecting a common biblical theme of finding shelter during times of trouble.
Madmenah means 'dunghill' and refers to a specific village in the region of Benjamin, indicating its geographical and cultural context.
This verse illustrates the consequences of impending judgment and the need for safety, which is a recurring theme throughout the book of Isaiah.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can seek refuge in times of trouble, as the inhabitants of Gebim did?
- How does understanding the urgency of fleeing in this verse relate to my own life experiences?
- In what ways can I support others who are in need of safety or refuge?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of community during times of crisis?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 10:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMadmenah is removed,.... That is, the inhabitants of it, who removed from thence upon hearing that the Assyrian army had invaded the land, and was coming up to Jerusalem.
Read John Gill on Isaiah 10 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages: Onward gradual march of Sennacherib's army toward Jerusalem, and the panic of the inhabitants, vividly pictured before the eyes.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 10 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 10:31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.Ver. 31. Madmena is removed,] i.e., Fled for fear, as Gibeah.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges31. Madmenah (Dung-hill) and Gebim (Cisterns) are both unknown. For gather themselves to flee render: hastily secure (their belongings), Exodus 9:19.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 10 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMadmenah - This city is mentioned nowhere else. The city of Madmanna, or Medemene, mentioned in Joshua 15:31, was in the bounds of the tribe of Simeon, and was far south, toward Gaza. It cannot be the place intended here.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 10 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible29-34. The towns or villages lay within from two to twelve miles (English) north-northeast from Jerusalem.“He comes from Ayyath; (Ai, probably ten to twelve miles from Jerusalem;) passes through
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 10 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Madmenah flees; the people of Gebim take refuge.
Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.
Madmenah flees; the people of Gebim take refuge.
Madmenah flees, the residents of Gebim have hidden.
Tyndale line
Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
Madmenah is a fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.
Madmenah is a fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
Madmenah is remoued: the inhabitants of Gebim haue gathered themselues together.
Strictly literal
Madmenah is fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim take to flight.
Fled away hath Madmenah, The inhabitants of the high places have hardened themselves.
Madmenah has fled away, || The inhabitants of the high places have hardened themselves.
Madmenah is in motion; the inhabitants of Gebim are assembled to flee.
Madmenah is fleeing, and the inhabitants of Gebim run for safety.
From the Latin
Medemena is removed: ye inhabitants of Gabim, take courage.
Simplified
The people of Madmenah, are all running away. The inhabitants of Gebim are looking for somewhere safe.
Madmenah has gone; the men of Gebim are putting their goods in a safe place.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the main structure and wording of the verse, with all five words matching in their respective translations. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align closely with the MT, confirming the integrity of the text despite some restoration in 4Q57.
נָדְדָ֖ה מַדְמֵנָ֑ה יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הַגֵּבִ֖ים הֵעִֽיזוּ׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
נדדה מרמנה יושבי הגבים העיזו
5 words on the leather.
נדדה ממנה [ישבי] [הגבים] [העיזו]
1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 10:31
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נָדַד (nadad) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses meanings related to movement, such as retreating, fleeing, departing, straying, and wandering. It can also refer to the fluttering of wings. The word has various forms, including Qal, Poal, Hiphil, Hophil, and Hithpolel, indicating different nuances of fleeing or being chased. Its Aramaic equivalent is נְדַד (H5075), meaning 'to flee.'
[נָדַד] vb. retreat, flee, depart, stray, wander, flutter
Qal
retreat, flee
flee, depart
wander, stray
trans. flutter wings
Po‛ēl the sun hath arisen and it (the locust swarm) fleeth away
Hiph. chase away
Hoph. be chased away
Hithpo‛l. flee away
base
H5074 [נָדַד] retreat, flee, depart, stray, wander, flutter
5074 nadad naw-dad'
a primitive root; properly, to wave to and fro (rarely to
flap up and down); figuratively, to rove, flee, or
(causatively) to drive away:--chase (away), X could not,
depart, flee (X apace, away), (re-)move, thrust away, wander
(abroad, -er, -ing).
נָדַד (na.dad) — to wander.
1) to retreat, flee, depart, move, wander abroad, stray, flutter
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to retreat, flee
1a2) to flee, depart
1a3) to wander, stray
1a4) to flutter (of birds)
1b) (Poal) to flee away, be chased
1c) (Hiphil) to chase away
1d) (Hophal) to be chased away
1e) (Hithpolel) to flee away
Aramaic equivalent: ne.dad (נְדַד "to flee" H5075)
V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singularHVqp3fs
מַדְמֵנָה (Madmenah) refers to a location in Benjamin, north of Jerusalem, and is noted in Isaiah 10:31. The name is associated with the meaning "dunghill." It is closely related to the entry for H4087, indicating it is a specific place in Palestine.
מַדְמֵנָה n.pr.loc. in Benjamin, N. of Jerusalem Is 10:31.
done
H4088 מַדְמֵנָה in Benjamin, N. of Jerusalem
4088 Madmenah mad-may-naw'
the same as 4087; Madmenah, a place in Palestine:--Madmenah.
see HEBREW for 04087
מַדְמֵנָה (mad.me.nah) — Madmenah.
§ Madmenah = "dunghill"
one of the Benjamite villages north of Jerusalem
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
mad-me'-na (madhmenah; Madebena): A place mentioned only in Isaiah's description of the Assyrian advance upon Jerusalem (Isa 10:31). It is not identified.
Madmenah
Ibid., a town in Benjamin, not far from Jerusalem, towards the north (Isa. 10:31). The same Hebrew word occurs in Isa. 25:10, where it is rendered “dunghill.” This verse has, however, been interpreted as meaning “that Moab will be trodden down by Jehovah as teben [broken straw] is trodden to fragments on the threshing-floors of Madmenah.”
(dunghill), one of the, Benjamite villages north of Jerusalem the inhabitants of which were frightened away by the approach of Sennacherib along the northern road. (Isaiah 10:31)
A town not far from Jerusalem, site not known, Isa 10:31.
יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.
יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell
Qal
sit
sit, sit down
sit down
sit = be set (as a jewel)
remain, stay, tarry
with special emphasis of qualifying phr.
dwell, have one’s abode
of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited
Niph. be inhabited, of land
Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee
Hiph.
cause to sit
cause to abide
cause to dwell
cause cities to be inhabited
marry (prop. give a dwelling to)
Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land
base
H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell
3427 yashab yaw-shab'
a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as
judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to
remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)
abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease
self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)
inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),
(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),
(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),
take, tarry.
יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.
1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sit, sit down
1a2) to be set
1a3) to remain, stay
1a4) to dwell, have one's abode
1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited
1c) (Piel) to set, place
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to sit
1d2) to cause to abide, set
1d3) to cause to dwell
1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited
1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be inhabited
1e2) to make to dwell
Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural commonHVqrmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
גֵּבִים (Gebiym) refers to 'trenches' or 'cisterns' and is noted as a place name in Palestine, specifically a village north of Jerusalem. The entries indicate that it is a plural form derived from another Hebrew word, and it appears in Isaiah 10:31.
גֵּבִים n.pr.loc. (trenches) N. fr. Jerusalem, c. art. הַגּ׳ Is 10:31; site unknown.
done
H1374 גֵּבִים (trenches)
1374 Gebiym gay-beem'
plural of 1356; cisterns; Gebim, a place in
Palestine:--Gebim.
see HEBREW for 01356
גֵּבִים (ge.vim) — Gebim.
§ Gebim = "cisterns"
a village north of Jerusalem apparently between Anathoth (modern Anata) and the ridge on which Nob was situated
Art | N-proper — Particle · noun properHTd/Npl
ge'-bim (gebhim, "trenches"): A place named only in Isa 10:31. Some would place it at Jebia, identifying it with the Geba of Eusebius, 5 Roman miles from Gophna (modern Jifneh), on the way to Shechem. Its place, however, in the order of names, after Anathoth, seems to point to some position South of that village, to the Northeast of Jerusalem.
Gebim
Cisterns, (rendered “pits,” Jer. 14:3; “locusts,” Isa. 33:4), a small place north of Jerusalem, whose inhabitants fled at the approach of the Assyrian army (Isa. 10:31). It is probably the modern el-Isawiyeh.
(grasshoppers), a village north of Jerusalem, (Isaiah 10:31) apparently between Anathoth (the modern Anata) and the ridge on which Nob was situated.
grasshoppers; height
עוּז (uz) is a Hebrew verb meaning to take or seek refuge. It is built from a primitive root that conveys strength and the act of saving by fleeing. The word appears in various forms, including the Hiphil, which emphasizes bringing someone into safety. The primary reference noted is Isaiah 30:2.
[עוּז], עוֹז vb. take or seek refuge
Qal Is 30:2.
Hiph. bring into safety
base
H5756 [עוּז], עוֹז take or seek refuge
5756 `uwz ooz
a primitive root; to be strong; causatively, to stregthen,
i.e. (figuratively) to save (by flight):--gather (self, self
to flee), retire.
עוּז (uz) — to seek refuge.
(Hiphil) to take refuge, bring to refuge, seek refuge
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person common pluralHVhp3cp
ref'-uj: A place of resort and safety. The principal words in the Old Testament are machceh (Ps 14:6; 46:1; 62:7,8; Isa 4:6, etc.), and manoc (2Sa 22:3; Ps 59:16, etc.), both applied chiefly to God as a "refuge" for His people. For the King James Version "refuge" in De 33:27, the Revised Version (British and American) has "dwelling-place," and in Ps 9:9, "high tower." Conversely, the Revised Version (British and American) has "refuge" for the King James Version "shelter" in Ps 61:3, and "hope" in
→ CITIES OF
From the avenger of blood Ex 21:13,14; Nu 35:11-32; De 4:41-43; 19:2-13; Jos 20:1-6