🔼The name Medan: Summary
- Meaning
- Strife, Judgment
- Etymology
- From the noun מדון (madon), strife, from the verb דין (din), to judge or govern.
🔼The name Medan in the Bible
The name Medan occurs only once in the Bible. He is mentioned as a son of Abraham with Keturah (Genesis 25:2).
🔼Etymology of the name Medan
The name Medan appears to be taken from the noun מדון (madon), meaning strife, derived of the Hebrew verb דין (din), meaning to judge or plead:
דין
The verb דין (din) means to judge or govern. It's an old verb that mostly describes the authority of a naturally superior (because that person is wiser, stronger, older, etcetera) in contrast to the governing done by a formal government (by politically favored and appointed officials).
The noun דין (dayyan) describes one such a leader, and noun דין (din) describes anything pertaining to primitive governing: a judgment, plea, complaint, contention. Noun מדון (madon) literally describes a "place or judging" and is synonymous with the contending that goes on in such a place. Noun מדונה (medina) described the jurisdiction of one judge, and became the word for province.
🔼Medan meaning
For a meaning of the name Medan, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Strife and NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Judgment.