🔼The name Adithaim: Summary
- Meaning
- Double Ornaments
- Etymology
- From the verb עדה ('ada), to pass by or to ornament.
🔼The name Adithaim in the Bible
The name Adithaim occurs just one time in the Bible. It is mentioned in an enormous list of town and environs that were assigned to the tribe of Judah. Nothing else is known about this place.
🔼Etymology of the name Adithaim
The name Adithaim is a so-called dual form, of a noun taken from the root עדה II, meaning to ornament oneself:
עדד
Root עדד ('adad) describes a repeated passing by or over, or a repeated encountering. Noun עדה ('idda) describes any well-worn item.
Verb עדה ('ada I) means to advance or pass on. Nouns עד ('ad) and ועד (w'ad) describe the difficult concept of a future era advancing upon the now, or else the prey or booty upon which a predator advances. The conjunction עד ('ad) or עדי ('ady) means "as far as" or until.
The same verb, namely עדה ('ada II) is used to mean to adorn or ornament oneself — that is: to have items approach the canvas of one's bulk in order to testify of some social rank or perhaps the trade or order one belongs to. Noun עדי ('adi) means ornamentation: fancy or declarative things worn on one's body or clothes.
Verb יעד (ya'ad) means to meet, habitually and repeatedly rather than incidentally. Noun עדה ('eda) means congregation or some other joint collective. Nouns מועד (mo'ed), מועד (mo'ad) and מועדה (mu'ada) describe a place (or time) of meeting.
Verb עוד ('ud) means to return and repeat. Noun עוד ('od) denotes an addition, repetition or continuance. Nouns עד ('ed), עדה ('eda), עדה ('eda), עדת ('edut), עדות ('edut) and תעודה (te'uda) all mean witness or testimony in various nuances, and verb עוד ('ud) means to bear witness.
🔼Adithaim meaning
Of course, the core-part of this name may be taken from any of the above mentioned roots, but scholars generally agree that the original name-giver meant to refer to עדה II. For a meaning of the name Adithaim, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Double Ornaments and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names offers the similar Twofold Ornament. BDB Theological Dictionary does not translate this name but lists it under the root עדה II.