3966. meod

Lexical Summary

meod: Very, exceedingly, much, greatly

Original Word: מְאֹד
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: m`od
Pronunciation: meh-ODE
Phonetic Spelling: (meh-ode')
KJV: diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), X louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very (+ much, sore), well
NASB: very, greatly, great, exceedingly, highly, badly, diligently
Word Origin: [from the same as H181 (אוּד - brand)]

1. (properly) vehemence
2. (with or without preposition) vehemently
3. (by implication) wholly, speedily, etc.
{often with other words as an intensive or superlative especially when repeated}

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

diligently, especially, exceedingly, far, fast, good, greatly, louder and louder,

From the same as 'uwd; properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated) -- diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), X louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very (+ much, sore), well.

see HEBREW 'uwd

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
muchness, force, abundance
NASB Translation
abundantly (1), all (1), almost (1), badly (3), carefully (1), closely (1), diligent (1), diligently (3), enough (1), especially (1), exceeding (1), exceedingly (14), exceedingly* (3), excessive (1), extremely* (1), far (1), firmly (1), fully (1), great (16), great abundance (1), greatly (52), greatly* (1), hard (1), harder* (1), highly (4), immense (1), louder (1), measure (2), might (2), more (2), more* (1), most (1), much* (1), quickly (1), richly (1), serious* (1), severely (1), so (2), so much (1), sorely (1), strongly (1), swiftly (1), too (2), utterly (1), utterly* (3), very (139), very well (1), very* (2), violently (1), violently* (1), well (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מְאֹד noun masculine muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly (compare Assyrian mu'du, abundance, Hom^{ZMG 1878, 711} ('treasures ana mu'di, in abundance') Dl^{HWB 399}): —

1 force, might, Deuteronomy 6:5 וּבְכָלמְֿאֹדֶ֑ךָ and with all thy might; hence 2 Kings 23:25.

2 in different idioms (298 t.) to express the idea of exceedingly, greatly, very (whether of magnitude or degree):

a. (so mostly) as adverb accusative, qualifying both adjectives and obs., Genesis 1:31 טוֺב מְאֹד good exceedingly, Genesis 4:5 וַיִּחַד לְקַיִן מְאֹד and Cain was wroth exceedingly, Genesis 7:18 מְאֹד וַיִּרְבּוּ הַמַּיִם וַיִּגְבְּרוּ, Genesis 12:14; Genesis 13:2 בַּמִּקְנֶה מְאֹד כָּבֵד וְאַבְרָם, Genesis 13:13 מאד ׳חַטָּאִים לי, Genesis 18:20; Genesis 19:3,9; Genesis 21:11; Genesis 24:16,35, + often, Psalm 46:2 נִמְצָא מְאֹד עֶזְרָה בְצָרוֺת as a help in troubles, to be found (= present) exceedingly; with an infinitive Isaiah 47:9 בְּעָצְמַת חֲבָרַיִח מְאֹד despite of thy spells being very numerous, Joshua 9:13 מֵרֹב הַדֶּרֶךְ מְאֹד, 1 Kings 7:47; הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד Genesis 15:1; Genesis 41:49; Deuteronomy 3:5 +, for which in the later language is found לָרֹב מְאֹד Zechariah 14:14; 2Chronicles 4:18; 9:9 (in 1 Kings 10:10 הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד); 2 Chronicles 24:24; 30:13, and even לְהַרְבֵּה מְאֹד2Chronicles 11:12; 16:8. מְאֹד is not usually separated from the word it qualifies by more than one or two words (as Genesis 20:8 האנשׁים מאד וייראו, Numbers 11:10 מאד ׳ויחר אף י); see, however, Deuteronomy 30:14; Judges 12:2; 2 Samuel 12:5; 1 Kings 11:19; Psalm 31:12. It precedes its verb, Psalm 47:10 מְאֹד נַעֲלָה (hence Psalm 97:9), Psalm 92:6.

b. עַדמְֿאֹד up to abundance, to a great degree, exceedingly, Genesis 27:33 חֲדָדָה גְּדֹלָה ׳עַדמֿ, Genesis 27:34; 1 Samuel 11:15 ׳וישׂמח ֗֗֗ עד מ, 1 Samuel 25:36 וְהוּא ׳שִׁכֹּר עַדמֿ, 2 Samuel 2:17; 1 Kings 1:4; Isaiah 64:8 (compare Lamentations 5:22), Lamentations 5:11; Psalm 38:7; Psalm 38:9; Psalm 119:8; Psalm 119:43; Psalm 119:51; Psalm 119:107; Daniel 8:8; Daniel 11:25.

c. עַדלִֿמְאֹד (see עַד לְ) 2 Chronicles 16:14.

d. duplicated (Ges^{§ 113k}), Genesis 7:19 ׳מ ׳וְהַמַּיִם גָָּֽבְרוּ מ, Genesis 30:43; Numbers 14:7; 1 Kings 7:47; 2 Kings 10:4; Ezekiel 37:10.

e. בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד literally with muchness, muchness, Genesis 17:2,6,20; Exodus 1:7 (all P), Ezekiel 9:9; Ezekiel 16:13.

Topical Lexicon

Summary of Meaning and Function

The Hebrew word translated most often as “very,” “much,” or “exceedingly” serves as Scripture’s primary intensifier. It amplifies qualities, actions, emotions, quantities, and commands. Because it can stand alone as an adverb or function substantivally (“abundance,” “might,” “strength”), it is remarkably versatile, shaping nearly every genre of the Old Testament.

Frequency and Distribution in Scripture

Appearing close to three hundred times, the term is woven through the Torah, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets. Genesis and Deuteronomy contain the heaviest concentration, yet no major section is without it, underscoring its importance to biblical expression.

Key Semantic Domains

1. Degree or Quality: “very good” (Genesis 1:31)
2. Quantity or Extent: “rich in livestock, silver, and gold” (Genesis 13:2)
3. Emotional Intensity: “he wept loudly” (Genesis 27:34)
4. Strength or Might: “with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5)
5. Urgency or Speed: “the famine was severe” (Genesis 43:1)
6. Abundance or Wealth: “become extremely prosperous” (Deuteronomy 30:9)

Usage in the Pentateuch

• Creation praise—Genesis 1:31 presents the seventh-day appraisal: “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” The intensified goodness anticipates the harmony of Eden and the tragedy of the Fall.
• Covenant prosperity—Genesis 13:2; 26:13 show Abraham and Isaac becoming “very wealthy,” foreshadowing covenant blessing.
• Total devotion—Deuteronomy 6:5 commands Israel to love God “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Here the word steps beyond degree to encompass the believer’s entire capacity, laying groundwork for Jesus’ greatest-commandment teaching (Mark 12:30).
• Warning language—Deuteronomy 28 repeatedly heightens blessings and curses: obedience results in being “abundantly prosperous,” whereas disobedience brings plagues that will “grieve you severely.”

Usage in the Historical Books

• Valor and fear—Joshua 10:2 notes the Gibeonites were “greatly afraid.” The intensifier sharpens the narrative tension.
• National flourishing—1 Chronicles 22:5 reports Solomon’s preparations as “abundant,” portraying the splendor of the temple project.
• Moral evaluation—2 Kings 21:6 records Manasseh’s sin as “did evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger exceedingly,” highlighting the depths of apostasy that led to exile.

Usage in Poetry and Wisdom Literature

• Praise and wonder—Psalm 139:14: “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know this very well.”
• Suffering—Psalm 38:6 renders David “greatly bowed down,” conveying intense anguish.
• Instruction—Proverbs 4:7 urges, “Though it cost all you have, get understanding,” where the term stands behind the costly pursuit of wisdom.

Usage in the Prophets

• Eschatological hope—Isaiah 60:2 proclaims that darkness will cover the earth, “but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will appear over you.” The glory will be “great,” underscoring future restoration.
• Judgment—Jeremiah 6:1 warns of “great destruction,” multiplying urgency for repentance.
• Consolation—Joel 2:21 encourages, “Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things!”

Theological and Devotional Insights

1. God’s superlative goodness: The first use in Genesis 1:31 establishes a baseline of perfection.
2. Total-life allegiance: Deuteronomy 6:5 translates into New Testament discipleship; believers are called to love God with unreserved intensity.
3. Reality of extremes: Blessings and judgments in Deuteronomy 28–30 employ the term to stress that God’s covenant dealings are never mediocre.
4. Honest emotion: The Psalms use the word to legitimize both ecstatic praise and deep lament, teaching believers to bring every emotion to God.
5. Prophetic assurance: Whether announcing doom or restoration, the prophets rely on this intensifier to display the magnitude of God’s acts.

Ministry Applications

• Preaching on wholehearted love: Use Deuteronomy 6:5 to urge congregations to surrender every faculty to Christ.
• Counseling lament: Point sufferers to Psalms that allow them to confess pain “greatly” yet trust God’s “exceeding” faithfulness.
• Stewardship teaching: Genesis 13:2 and Deuteronomy 28 expose material abundance as divine trust, fostering gratitude and generosity.
• Evangelism and missions: Joel 2:21–27 and Isaiah 60 underscore God’s great deeds, fueling confidence in proclaiming the gospel to the nations.

Related Words and Concepts

• “Strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5) links to heart and soul, forming a triad for comprehensive devotion.
• “Might” parallels terms for power (Joshua 14:11), highlighting physical capacity offered to God.
• In Septuagint translation, Greek σφόδρα and μέγα often convey the same force, bridging Old and New Testament usage.

Christological Implications

Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 as the foremost command (Mark 12:30), confirming that loving God “very much” encompasses every sphere of life. His “very great sorrow” in Gethsemane (using the equivalent Greek intensifier in Matthew 26:38) reveals perfect obedience amid extreme agony. The resurrection manifests God’s “incomparably great power” (Ephesians 1:19), the New Testament fulfillment of Old Testament superlatives.

Conclusion

Whether magnifying the goodness of creation, the depth of covenant love, or the severity of judgment, this Hebrew intensifier functions as Scripture’s exclamation point. It calls believers to wholehearted devotion, honest emotion, and confident hope, magnifying the greatness of the Lord from Genesis to Malachi and finding its ultimate expression in Jesus Christ.

Forms and Transliterations

בִּמְאֹ֣ד בִּמְאֹ֥ד במאד לִמְאֹֽד׃ למאד׃ מְ֝אֹ֗ד מְ֭אֹד מְּאֹ֑ד מְאֹ֑ד מְאֹ֔ד מְאֹ֖ד מְאֹ֗ד מְאֹ֛ד מְאֹ֜ד מְאֹ֡ד מְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֤ד מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃ מְאֹד֒ מְאֹד֔וֹ מְאֹד֙ מְאֹד֮ מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ מְאֹד־ מאד מאד־ מאד׃ מאדו מאדך׃ bim’ōḏ bim·’ōḏ bimOd lim’ōḏ lim·’ōḏ limOd mə’ōḏ mə’ōḏ- mə’ōḏeḵā mə’ōḏōw mə·’ō·ḏe·ḵā mə·’ō·ḏōw mə·’ōḏ mə·’ōḏ- meOd meoDecha meoDo

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 1:31
HEB: וְהִנֵּה־ ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־ עֶ֥רֶב
NAS: and behold, it was very good.
KJV: he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good.
INT: and behold good very and there was evening

Genesis 4:5
HEB: וַיִּ֤חַר לְקַ֙יִן֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ פָּנָֽיו׃
NAS: became very angry
KJV: And Cain was very wroth,
INT: became Cain very fell and his countenance

Genesis 7:18
HEB: הַמַּ֛יִם וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד עַל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ
NAS: and increased greatly upon the earth,
KJV: and were increased greatly upon the earth;
INT: the water and increased greatly upon the earth

Genesis 7:19
HEB: וְהַמַּ֗יִם גָּ֥בְר֛וּ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹ֖ד עַל־
NAS: prevailed more and more
INT: the water prevailed more and more upon

Genesis 7:19
HEB: גָּ֥בְר֛וּ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹ֖ד עַל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ
NAS: more and more upon the earth,
INT: prevailed more and more upon the earth

Genesis 12:14
HEB: יָפָ֥ה הִ֖וא מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: saw that the woman was very beautiful.
KJV: the woman that she [was] very fair.
INT: beautiful he was very

Genesis 13:2
HEB: וְאַבְרָ֖ם כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד בַּמִּקְנֶ֕ה בַּכֶּ֖סֶף
NAS: Now Abram was very rich in livestock,
KJV: And Abram [was] very rich in cattle,
INT: now Abram rich was very livestock silver

Genesis 13:13
HEB: וְחַטָּאִ֑ים לַיהוָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: were wicked exceedingly and sinners
KJV: before the LORD exceedingly.
INT: and sinners the LORD exceedingly

Genesis 15:1
HEB: שְׂכָרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: to you; Your reward shall be very great.
KJV: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great
INT: your reward great shall be very

Genesis 17:2
HEB: וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.
INT: between will multiply exceedingly exceedingly

Genesis 17:2
HEB: אוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
INT: will multiply exceedingly exceedingly

Genesis 17:6
HEB: וְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ
NAS: I will make you exceedingly fruitful,
INT: will make exceedingly exceedingly will make

Genesis 17:6
HEB: אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם
INT: will make exceedingly exceedingly will make nations

Genesis 17:20
HEB: וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י אֹת֖וֹ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד שְׁנֵים־
NAS: and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father
INT: and will make and will multiply exceedingly exceedingly both

Genesis 17:20
HEB: אֹת֖וֹ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד שְׁנֵים־ עָשָׂ֤ר
INT: and will multiply exceedingly exceedingly both ten

Genesis 18:20
HEB: כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: and their sin is exceedingly grave.
KJV: and because their sin is very grievous;
INT: is indeed grave is exceedingly

Genesis 19:3
HEB: וַיִּפְצַר־ בָּ֣ם מְאֹ֔ד וַיָּסֻ֣רוּ אֵלָ֔יו
NAS: Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside
KJV: And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in
INT: urged strongly turned to him

Genesis 19:9
HEB: בָאִ֤ישׁ בְּלוֹט֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֖וּ לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר
NAS: them. So they pressed hard against Lot
KJV: with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man,
INT: against Lot hard and came to break

Genesis 20:8
HEB: וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: and the men were greatly frightened.
KJV: and the men were sore afraid.
INT: frightened and the men were greatly

Genesis 21:11
HEB: וַיֵּ֧רַע הַדָּבָ֛ר מְאֹ֖ד בְּעֵינֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם
NAS: Abraham greatly because
KJV: And the thing was very grievous
INT: distressed the matter greatly sight Abraham

Genesis 24:16
HEB: טֹבַ֤ת מַרְאֶה֙ מְאֹ֔ד בְּתוּלָ֕ה וְאִ֖ישׁ
NAS: The girl was very beautiful, a virgin,
KJV: And the damsel [was] very fair
INT: beautiful upon was very A virgin man

Genesis 24:35
HEB: אֶת־ אֲדֹנִ֛י מְאֹ֖ד וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיִּתֶּן־
NAS: The LORD has greatly blessed
KJV: my master greatly; and he is become great:
INT: blessed my master has greatly has become has given

Genesis 26:13
HEB: כִּֽי־ גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: until he became very wealthy;
KJV: and grew until he became very great:
INT: for became very

Genesis 26:16
HEB: עָצַֽמְתָּ־ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: Go away from us, for you are too powerful
KJV: Go from us; for thou art much mightier
INT: powerful at are too

Genesis 27:33
HEB: גְּדֹלָ֣ה עַד־ מְאֹד֒ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר מִֽי־
INT: very against diligently and said Who

300 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3966
300 Occurrences

bim·’ōḏ — 6 Occ.
lim·’ōḏ — 1 Occ.
mə·’ōḏ — 291 Occ.
mə·’ō·ḏe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
mə·’ō·ḏōw — 1 Occ.