5715. eduth
Lexical Summary
eduth: Testimony, Witness, Ordinance

Original Word: עֵדוּת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: `eduwth
Pronunciation: ay-dooth
Phonetic Spelling: (ay-dooth')
KJV: testimony, witness
NASB: testimony, testimonies, admonitions, ordinance, warnings
Word Origin: [feminine of H5707 (עֵד - witness)]

1. testimony

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
testimony, witness

Feminine of ed; testimony -- testimony, witness.

see HEBREW ed

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from ud
Definition
testimony
NASB Translation
admonitions (1), ordinance (1), testimonies (13), testimony (43), warnings (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
עֵדוּת19 and עֵדֻת27

noun feminine testimony; — ׳ע absolute Exodus 16:34 +, construct Psalm 19:8 +; plural suffix עֵדְוֺתֶיךָ Psalm 119:14 +, עֵדְוֺתָיו Jeremiah 44:23 4t.; —

1 testimony of the Ten Words on the tables as a solemn divine charge, ׳לֻחֹת הע Exodus 31:18; Exodus 32:15; Exodus 34:29 (P), ׳הע Exodus 25:16,21; Exodus 40:20 (P); ark as containing tables, ׳אֲרוֺן הע Exodus 25:22; Exodus 26:33,34; Exodus 30:6,26; Exodus 39:35; Exodus 40:3,5,21; Numbers 4:5; Numbers 7:89 (all P), Joshua 4:16 (J E; Kue הברית [against him Di], so Benn Steuern), ׳הארן לע Exodus 31:7 (P); abbreviated ׳לִפְנֵי הע Exodus 16:34; Exodus 30:36; Numbers 17:19; Numbers 17:25 (P); ׳עַל הע Exodus 27:21 (= ׳הע Leviticus 24:3), Lev 30:6; Leviticus 16:13 (P); tabernacle as containing ark of testimony, ׳משׁכן הע tabernacle of the testimony Exodus 38:21; Numbers 1:50,53 (twice in verse); Numbers 10:11 (P); so ׳אֹהֶל הע Numbers 9:15; Numbers 17:22; Numbers 17:23; Numbers 18:2 (P) 2 Chronicles 24:6.

2 the code of law in General (late), as a testimony of God: Psalm 19:8; Psalm 119:88; Psalm 122:4; "" תּוֺרָה Psalm 78:5; "" חֹק Psalm 81:6. In titles, עַלֿ ׳שׁוּשַׁן ע Psalm 60:1, ׳אֶלשֹֿׁשַׁנּ֑ים ע Psalm 80:1 = melody whose first line compare law as testimony to a choice flower. Special laws of the code are denoted by plural; + חֻקּוֺת etc. 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 23:3 2Chronicles 34:31 (+ חקים etc.), Jeremiah 44:23; חֻקִּים etc. 1 Chronicles 29:19; מִצְוֺת Nehemiah 9:34; plural of contents of covenant 2 Kings 17:15; plural elsewhere Psalm 119:14; Psalm 119:31; Psalm 119:36; Psalm 119:99; Psalm 119:111; Psalm 119:129; Psalm 119:144; Psalm 119:157. See also III.[[עֵדָה]. — For הָעֵדוּת 2 Kings 11:12 2Chronicles 23:11 read probably הַצְּעָדוֺת (compare 2 Samuel 1:10 We and others).

Topical Lexicon
Concept Overview

עֵדוּת (eduth) centers on the idea of “testimony” or “witness,” almost always referring to God’s own self-attesting word, whether inscribed, proclaimed, or embodied in sacred objects. Its occurrences gather around three principal spheres: the Sinai covenant (tablets, ark, tabernacle), the worship life of Israel (festival and song), and the wisdom tradition (especially the Psalms).

Sinai and the Covenant: Tablets of the Testimony

Exodus 31:18 records the first appearance: “When He had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony”. The term marks the tablets as God’s sworn covenant document, not merely moral instruction.
Exodus 32:15; 34:29 echo the same designation, underscoring that Israel’s relationship with the LORD rests on a written, divinely authored witness that cannot be altered by human preference (Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4).

The Ark and the Tabernacle of the Testimony

• The chest that housed the tablets is repeatedly called “the ark of the Testimony” (Exodus 25:22; 26:33; 30:6; 40:5). Here עֵדוּת functions metonymically: the ark’s holiness flows from the covenant document inside it.
• The tent itself becomes “the tabernacle of the Testimony” (Exodus 38:21; Numbers 1:50–53), an architectural proclamation that Israel’s camp revolves around the revealed word.
Numbers 17:4–11 shows Aaron’s budding staff laid “before the Testimony,” confirming priestly authority in the very presence of the covenant witness.

Cultic Calendar and Ritual Memory

Leviticus 24:3 situates the perpetual lamp “outside the veil of the Testimony,” tying daily priestly service to the ongoing witness of the covenant.
Numbers 9:15 speaks of the cloud that covered “the tabernacle of the Testimony,” linking guidance in the wilderness to faithful adherence to God’s word.
Joshua 4:16 commands the priests to bring up “the ark of the Testimony” from the Jordan, signaling that entry into the land depends on covenant fidelity.

Psalms and Wisdom Literature: Testimonies as Divine Revelation

The term shifts from an object to a literary and ethical category, especially in Psalm 119 where it appears more than twenty times. Examples:
• “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart” (Psalm 119:2).
• “I delight in Your testimonies as much as in all riches” (119:14).
• “Your testimonies are my heritage forever” (119:111).

In these contexts עֵדוּת embraces the entire corpus of revealed instruction, revered as treasure, counselor, and source of joy (Psalm 19:7; 25:10; 78:5).

Prophetic Usage: Testimony in Covenant Lawsuit

Prophets appeal to the written witness to indict covenant breakers. For instance, Isaiah 8:16 commands, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples.” Habakkuk 2:3 refers to the inscribed vision as a testimony that will surely come to pass. Such usage frames prophecy as prosecution on the basis of the standing covenant document.

Historical Books: National Faithfulness Gauged by the Testimony

1 Kings 2:3 exhorts Solomon to “keep His testimonies” as the path to prosperity.
2 Kings 23:3 depicts Josiah reading “the words of the covenant that had been found” and renewing obedience, showing reform rooted in rediscovered testimony.

Intertextual Bridge to the New Testament

While עֵדוּת itself is Hebrew, its theological load is carried over by the Greek μαρτυρία (martyria). Jesus declares, “Search the Scriptures…these are the very words that testify about Me” (John 5:39). The ark once housed stone tablets; the incarnation houses the living Word (John 1:14). Revelation 12:17 speaks of those “who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus,” merging Sinai testimony with Christ’s gospel.

Ministry Implications

1. Centrality of Scripture: Worship, guidance, and communal identity revolve around the inscripturated testimony. Modern ministry that marginalizes Scripture forfeits the very presence it mediates.
2. Covenant Accountability: Like the ark amid the camp, the word stands in the midst of the church, both assuring mercy and exposing unfaithfulness (Hebrews 4:12–13).
3. Testimony as Mission: Psalm 119 portrays personal delight spilling over into proclamation. Believers bear witness not merely by reciting facts but by embodying the life-giving power of the testimony in word and deed.

Summary of Distribution

Approximately fifty-nine occurrences cluster as follows: Torah and historical narratives (about twenty-six, largely Exodus–Numbers, Joshua, Kings), Psalms (about thirty-one, chiefly Psalm 119 and related psalms), and isolated prophetic references. The pattern traces a movement from physical artifact to internalized delight, yet the core remains unchanged: God’s covenant word stands as the permanent, authoritative testimony to His character and will.

Forms and Transliterations
בְעֵֽדְוֹתֶ֑יךָ בעדותיך הָ֣עֵד֔וּת הָ֣עֵדֻ֔ת הָֽעֵד֔וּת הָֽעֵדֻת֙ הָעֵד֑וּת הָעֵד֔וּת הָעֵד֖וּת הָעֵדֻ֑ת הָעֵדֻ֔ת הָעֵדֻ֖ת הָעֵדֻ֗ת הָעֵדֻ֜ת הָעֵדֻֽת׃ הָעֵדֻת֙ הָעֵדֽוּת׃ העדות העדות׃ העדת העדת׃ וְעֵֽדְוֹתָ֣יו וְעֵדְוֹתָ֔יו וּבְעֵדְוֹתָ֖יו וּלְעֵ֣דְוֹתֶ֔יךָ ובעדותיו ולעדותיך ועדותיו לָֽעֵדֻ֔ת לעדת מֵ֝עֵדְוֹתֶ֗יךָ מעדותיך עֵ֝דְוֹתֶ֗יךָ עֵ֤דוּת ׀ עֵֽדְוֹתָ֔יו עֵד֣וּת עֵד֥וּת עֵד֨וּת ׀ עֵדְוֹתֶ֑יךָ עֵדְוֹתֶ֖יךָ עֵדְוֹתֶ֗יךָ עֵדְוֹתֶ֣יךָ עֵדְוֹתֶ֥יךָ עֵדְוֹתָ֤יו עדות עדותיו עדותיך ‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯāw ‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā ‘ê·ḏūṯ ‘êḏəwōṯāw ‘êḏəwōṯeḵā ‘êḏūṯ ḇə‘êḏəwōṯeḵā ḇə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā edevoTav edevoTeicha eDut hā‘êḏuṯ hā‘êḏūṯ hā·‘ê·ḏuṯ hā·‘ê·ḏūṯ haeDut haeiDut lā‘êḏuṯ lā·‘ê·ḏuṯ laeDut mê‘êḏəwōṯeḵā mê·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā meedevoTeicha ū·ḇə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯāw ū·lə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā ūḇə‘êḏəwōṯāw ūlə‘êḏəwōṯeḵā uleEdevoTeicha uveedevoTav veedevoTav veedevoTeicha wə‘êḏəwōṯāw wə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯāw
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Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 16:34
HEB: אַהֲרֹ֛ן לִפְנֵ֥י הָעֵדֻ֖ת לְמִשְׁמָֽרֶת׃
NAS: it before the Testimony, to be kept.
KJV: before the Testimony, to be kept.
INT: Aaron before the Testimony to be kept

Exodus 25:16
HEB: הָאָרֹ֑ן אֵ֚ת הָעֵדֻ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶתֵּ֖ן
NAS: into the ark the testimony which
KJV: into the ark the testimony which I shall give
INT: into the ark the testimony which shall give

Exodus 25:21
HEB: תִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־ הָ֣עֵדֻ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶתֵּ֖ן
NAS: you shall put the testimony which
KJV: thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give
INT: the ark shall put the testimony which will give

Exodus 25:22
HEB: עַל־ אֲרֹ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֑ת אֵ֣ת כָּל־
NAS: are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak
KJV: the ark of the testimony, of all [things] which I will give thee in commandment
INT: above the ark of the testimony all which

Exodus 26:33
HEB: אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְהִבְדִּילָ֤ה הַפָּרֹ֙כֶת֙
NAS: in the ark of the testimony there
KJV: the ark of the testimony: and the vail
INT: the veil the ark of the testimony shall serve and the veil

Exodus 26:34
HEB: עַ֖ל אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵדֻ֑ת בְּקֹ֖דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃
NAS: on the ark of the testimony in the holy
KJV: upon the ark of the testimony in the most
INT: on the ark of the testimony the holy of holies

Exodus 27:21
HEB: אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־ הָעֵדֻ֗ת יַעֲרֹךְ֩ אֹת֨וֹ
NAS: is before the testimony, Aaron
KJV: the vail, which [is] before the testimony, Aaron
INT: which is before the testimony shall keep Aaron

Exodus 30:6
HEB: עַל־ אֲרֹ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֑ת לִפְנֵ֣י הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶת
NAS: the ark of the testimony, in front
KJV: that [is] by the ark of the testimony, before
INT: near the ark of the testimony front of the mercy

Exodus 30:6
HEB: אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־ הָ֣עֵדֻ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֛ר אִוָּעֵ֥ד
NAS: that is over [the ark of] the testimony, where
KJV: the mercy seat that [is] over the testimony, where I will meet
INT: is over the testimony I will meet

Exodus 30:26
HEB: וְאֵ֖ת אֲר֥וֹן הָעֵדֻֽת׃
NAS: and the ark of the testimony,
KJV: therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
INT: of meeting and the ark of the testimony

Exodus 30:36
HEB: מִמֶּ֜נָּה לִפְנֵ֤י הָעֵדֻת֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד
NAS: part of it before the testimony in the tent
KJV: of it before the testimony in the tabernacle
INT: some before the testimony the tent of meeting

Exodus 31:7
HEB: וְאֶת־ הָֽאָרֹן֙ לָֽעֵדֻ֔ת וְאֶת־ הַכַּפֹּ֖רֶת
NAS: and the ark of testimony, and the mercy seat
KJV: and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat
INT: of meeting and the ark of testimony and the mercy after

Exodus 31:18
HEB: שְׁנֵ֖י לֻחֹ֣ת הָעֵדֻ֑ת לֻחֹ֣ת אֶ֔בֶן
NAS: tablets of the testimony, tablets
KJV: tables of testimony, tables
INT: the two tablets of the testimony tablets of stone

Exodus 32:15
HEB: וּשְׁנֵ֛י לֻחֹ֥ת הָעֵדֻ֖ת בְּיָד֑וֹ לֻחֹ֗ת
NAS: tablets of the testimony in his hand,
KJV: tables of the testimony [were] in his hand:
INT: the two tablets of the testimony his hand tablets

Exodus 34:29
HEB: וּשְׁנֵ֨י לֻחֹ֤ת הָֽעֵדֻת֙ בְּיַד־ מֹשֶׁ֔ה
NAS: tablets of the testimony [were] in Moses'
KJV: tables of testimony in Moses'
INT: the two tablets of the testimony hand Moses'

Exodus 38:21
HEB: הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר פֻּקַּ֖ד
NAS: the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were numbered
KJV: [even] of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted,
INT: the tabernacle the tabernacle of the testimony as they numbered

Exodus 39:35
HEB: אֶת־ אֲרֹ֥ן הָעֵדֻ֖ת וְאֶת־ בַּדָּ֑יו
NAS: the ark of the testimony and its poles
KJV: The ark of the testimony, and the staves
INT: the ark of the testimony poles and the mercy

Exodus 40:3
HEB: אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְסַכֹּתָ֥ עַל־
NAS: the ark of the testimony there,
KJV: the ark of the testimony, and cover
INT: there the ark of the testimony shall screen and

Exodus 40:5
HEB: לִפְנֵ֖י אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵדֻ֑ת וְשַׂמְתָּ֛ אֶת־
NAS: the ark of the testimony, and set
KJV: the ark of the testimony, and put
INT: before the ark of the testimony and set the veil

Exodus 40:20
HEB: וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־ הָעֵדֻת֙ אֶל־ הָ֣אָרֹ֔ן
NAS: Then he took the testimony and put
KJV: and put the testimony into the ark,
INT: took and put the testimony to the ark

Exodus 40:21
HEB: עַ֖ל אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה
NAS: the ark of the testimony, just
KJV: the ark of the testimony; as the LORD
INT: and the ark of the testimony after had commanded

Leviticus 16:13
HEB: אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־ הָעֵד֖וּת וְלֹ֥א יָמֽוּת׃
NAS: the mercy seat that is on [the ark of] the testimony, otherwise
KJV: the mercy seat that [is] upon the testimony, that he die
INT: that is on the testimony otherwise will die

Leviticus 24:3
HEB: מִחוּץ֩ לְפָרֹ֨כֶת הָעֵדֻ֜ת בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֗ד
NAS: the veil of testimony in the tent
KJV: the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle
INT: Without the veil of testimony the tent of meeting

Numbers 1:50
HEB: עַל־ מִשְׁכַּ֨ן הָעֵדֻ֜ת וְעַ֣ל כָּל־
NAS: the tabernacle of the testimony, and over
KJV: over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels
INT: over the tabernacle of the testimony and over all

Numbers 1:53
HEB: סָבִיב֙ לְמִשְׁכַּ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֔ת וְלֹֽא־ יִהְיֶ֣ה
NAS: the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there will be no
KJV: the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath
INT: around the tabernacle of the testimony will be no become

59 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5715
59 Occurrences


‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯāw — 2 Occ.
‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā — 7 Occ.
‘ê·ḏūṯ — 5 Occ.
hā·‘ê·ḏuṯ — 37 Occ.
hā·‘ê·ḏuṯ — 1 Occ.
lā·‘ê·ḏuṯ — 1 Occ.
mê·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ū·lə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ū·ḇə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯāw — 1 Occ.
wə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯāw — 2 Occ.
ḇə·‘ê·ḏə·wō·ṯe·ḵā — 1 Occ.

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