Lexical Summary
medan: strife
Original Word:מְדָן
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:mdan
Pronunciation:meh-DAHN
Phonetic Spelling:(med-awn')
NASB:strife
Word Origin:[a form ofH4066 (מָדוֹן - strife)]
1. discord, strife
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
discord, strife
A form ofmadown -- discord, strife.
see HEBREWmadown
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originthe same as
madon, q.v.
NASB Translationstrife (2).
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Conceptמְדָן conveys the idea of contention, quarrel, or discord—an active conflict that fractures relationships. In the Hebrew mind it is more than a passing disagreement; it is an attitude that sets people against each other and corrodes community life.
Biblical Occurrences
1.Proverbs 6:19 – In the climactic line of the “six…yes, seven” abominations, the LORD denounces “one who stirs up discord among brothers”. Here מְדָן is the deliberate sowing of relational division, ranked with pride, lying, and shedding innocent blood.
2.Proverbs 10:12 – “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses”. מְדָן is the predictable harvest of hatred, contrasted with the reconciling power of love.
Though the term appears only twice, its placement in Proverbs’ foundational wisdom poems gives it enduring weight.
Theological Significance
• Divine Displeasure: Both contexts reveal that strife is not a neutral social problem but a moral offense God opposes. The Lord’s hatred of discord highlights His own triune harmony and His design that His people live in unity.
• Rooted in Hatred:Proverbs 10:12 links מְדָן to hatred, showing that outward conflict springs from an inner posture of hostility. This diagnosis parallelsJames 4:1–2, where battles among believers arise from warring desires within.
• Opposite of Covenant Love: Whereas חֶסֶד (steadfast love) builds and safeguards covenant relationships, מְדָן tears them apart, threatening the community’s stability and witness.
Wisdom Literature Themes
Wisdom literature assumes a communal setting—family, village, covenant assembly—where peace is precious. מְדָן undermines each sphere:
• Family: It fractures the “brothers” ofProverbs 6:19, destabilizing the basic social unit.
• City Gate: Strife at court produces miscarriages of justice (compareProverbs 18:6–7).
• Worship: Discord among worshipers nullifies sacrifices (Proverbs 21:27) by contradicting the covenant ethic of love and faithfulness.
Historical Background
Ancient Israel’s villages depended on cooperative farming, shared water rights, and collective defense. Persistent strife threatened survival. Elders mediated disputes, but Proverbs insists that internal self-control is the surest preventative. The wisdom tradition thus serves as Israel’s social charter, promoting shalom over מְדָן.
Practical Ministry Applications
1. Cultivating Peacemakers: Leaders must disciple believers toward the beatitude “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9), equipping them to defuse conflict before it matures into מְדָן.
2. Church Discipline:Titus 3:10–11 instructs shepherds to admonish a “divisive person” twice, then separate if unrepentant—echoing God’s abhorrence of stirred-up discord.
3. Restorative Love:Proverbs 10:12 calls the church to cover offenses with love, not by ignoring sin but by forgiving and reconciling (1 Peter 4:8).
4. Guarding Speech: Gossip and slander are prime vehicles of contention; thus,James 1:26 andEphesians 4:29 become frontline texts in counseling ministries.
Christological and New Testament Echoes
Jesus Christ embodies the opposite of מְדָן. He “made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20) and prayed for believers’ unity (John 17:21). The apostles continually warn against “dissensions” (Galatians 5:20) and urge efforts to “preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). In Him, the hostility that breeds strife is slain (Ephesians 2:14–16), fulfilling the wisdom ideal.
Summary
מְדָן exposes the destructive power of contention and the divine priority of peace. Though mentioned only twice, its strategic placement in Proverbs defines one of the most loathed behaviors before God and one of the most stubborn threats to covenant community. Wisdom urges God’s people to uproot hatred, restrain the tongue, and pursue reconciling love—an ethic fully realized in the Prince of Peace, who gifts His church with unity and calls her to guard it diligently.
Forms and Transliterations
מְ֝דָנִ֗ים מְדָנִ֑ים מדנים mə·ḏā·nîm medaNim məḏānîm
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