Original Word: מוֹדַע
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mowda`
Pronunciation: moh-DAH
Phonetic Spelling: (mo-dah')
KJV: kinswoman
NASB: intimate friend, kinsman
Word Origin: [from H3045 (יָדַע - know)]

1. an acquaintance

kinswoman

Or rather modao {mo-daw'}; from yada'; an acquaintance -- kinswoman.

see HEBREW yada'

Word Origin
from yada
Definition
kinsman
NASB Translation
intimate friend (1), kinsman (1).

מוֺדַע, מֹדָע noun masculine kinsman, מידע לְ Ruth 2:1 Kt, but Qr מוֺדַע a kinsman of her husband; figurative מֹדָע לַבִּינָה תִקְרָא Proverbs 7:4 a kinsman shalt thou call understanding ("" אֱמֹר לְחָכְמָה אֲחֹתִי אָ֑תְּ).

מידע Kt Ruth 2:1 see מודע below ידע.

מֵיחִים see מֵחַ below מחח.

[מֵיטָב] see יטב.

מִיכָא, מִיכָה, מִיכָיָה, מִיכָֽיְהוּ see מִי.

מִיכָאֵל see מִי.

Placement in Wisdom Literature

Proverbs 7:4 is the only place where מוֹדַע appears in the Old Testament. Set within a father’s urgent warning against the allure of the adulteress, it forms part of a cluster of commands to treasure and internalize God-given instruction. The verse reads, “Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister,’ and call understanding your friend” (Proverbs 7:4). The term translated “friend” underscores the intimate, covenant-like bond the learner is to have with wisdom and understanding, placing them in the circle of trusted family.

Family Language and Covenant Loyalty

In ancient Israel, kinship ties obligated protection, loyalty, and shared identity. By casting wisdom as a close relative, the writer elevates more than intellectual skill; he presents wisdom as a covenant partner whose honor must be defended and whose counsel must be heeded. Within this familial framework, wisdom is not optional advice but a duty akin to honoring a sister or safeguarding a near kinsman (compare Leviticus 25:49; Ruth 3:12). The call reflects Deuteronomy 6:6-9, where divine instruction is to be bound “as a sign on your hand” and written “on the doorposts of your houses.”

Contrast With the Forbidden Woman

The literary structure of Proverbs 7 juxtaposes two women: wisdom, bound to the disciple as family, and the adulteress, a stranger leading to death (Proverbs 7:5, 27). The contrast is moral and relational: one relationship is covenantally sanctioned; the other is illicit. This suggests that moral failure is not merely a lapse in judgment but a betrayal of family loyalty to wisdom.

Historical and Cultural Background

In patriarchal society, the “redeemer” (goel) and the “kinsman” functioned as guardians of family integrity. By invoking such imagery for wisdom, the text imports all the weight of kinship duty into the realm of moral and spiritual discernment. Thus, adherence to divine wisdom becomes a matter of honor before the clan and ultimately before the covenant God who covenants with His people (Exodus 20:12).

Redemptive-Historical Trajectory

New Testament writers echo this kinship intimacy with divine wisdom. Paul proclaims Christ as “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24), while Jesus calls His disciples “friends” because He has made known to them all that He heard from the Father (John 15:15). The family language of Proverbs 7:4 therefore foreshadows the believer’s relationship with Christ, the incarnate Wisdom, who unites His people to Himself in familial fellowship (Hebrews 2:11-12).

Pastoral and Discipleship Application

1. Spiritual Formation: Believers cultivate intimacy with wisdom by daily meditation on Scripture (Psalm 1:2), treating God’s word with the loyalty reserved for family.
2. Moral Safeguard: Recognizing wisdom as a trusted relative creates a relational barrier against temptation, grounding purity in love rather than mere rule-keeping.
3. Community Life: Churches embody this kinship when they uphold one another in accountability and instruction (Colossians 3:16), mirroring the protective role of a kinsman.
4. Evangelism: Presenting Christ as Wisdom invites seekers into a family, not just an ideology, fulfilling the relational vision implicit in מוֹדַע.

Related Biblical Themes

• Covenantal friendship: 1 Samuel 18:3; John 15:13
• Kinship redemption: Ruth 3:9-13; Galatians 4:4-7
• Wisdom personified: Proverbs 8:1-36; Matthew 11:19

Conclusion

The solitary appearance of מוֹדַע in Proverbs 7:4 resonates far beyond its single verse, weaving together themes of covenant, family, protection, and intimacy with God’s wisdom. Embracing wisdom as a beloved kinsman is not only ancient counsel; it remains a vital, relational imperative for the Church’s pursuit of holiness and mission today.

וּ֝מֹדָ֗ע ומדע ū·mō·ḏā‘ umoDa ūmōḏā‘Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts