Original Word: נִדָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: niddah
Pronunciation: nid-daw'
Phonetic Spelling: (nid-daw')
KJV: X far, filthiness, X flowers, menstruous (woman), put apart, X removed (woman), separation, set apart, unclean(-ness, thing, with filthiness)
NASB: impurity, menstrual impurity, abhorrent thing, menstruation, uncleanness, abhorrent, menstrual
Word Origin: [from H5074 (נָדַד - fled)]

1. (properly) rejection
2. (by implication) impurity
3. (especially) moral impurity (idolatry, incest, adultery, etc.)
4. (femininely, physically) menstruation

far, filthiness, flowers, menstruous woman, put apart, removed woman

From nadad; properly, rejection; by implication, impurity, especially personal (menstruation) or moral (idolatry, incest) -- X far, filthiness, X flowers, menstruous (woman), put apart, X removed (woman), separation, set apart, unclean(-ness, thing, with filthiness).

see HEBREW nadad

Word Origin
from nadad
Definition
impurity
NASB Translation
abhorrent (1), abhorrent thing (2), impurity (8), menstrual (1), menstrual impurity (7), menstrual period (1), menstruation (2), menstruation* (1), period (1), time (1), unclean (1), unclean thing (1), uncleanness (2).

נִדָּה noun feminine impurity (as abhorrent, shunned); — absolute ׳נ Ezekiel 18:6 +; construct נִדַּת Leviticus 12:2 +; suffix נִדָּתָהּ Leviticus 12:5 +; — impurity (especially P and Ezekiel):

1 of ceremonial impurity, as union with brother's wife, Leviticus 20:21; especially of menstruation Ezekiel 18:6 (read אִשָּׁה בְּנִדָּתָהּ for ᵑ0 נִדָּה ׳א ᵑ6 Co), ׳טְמֵאַת הַנּ Ezekiel 22:10, compare Ezekiel 36:17, נִדַּת דְּוֺתָהּ Leviticus 12:2, compare Leviticus 12:5; Leviticus 15:19,20,24,25 (׳עֶתנִֿדּ), (3 t. in verse), Leviticus 15:26 (׳מִשְׁכַּב נִדּ), Leviticus 15:26 (׳טֻמְאַת נִדּ), Leviticus 15:33; Leviticus 18:19; of defilement contracted by contact with a corpse, מֵי (הַ)נִּדָּה water of impurity (i.e. to remove it, compare Di) Numbers 19:9,13,20,21 (twice in verse); Numbers 31:23.

2 figurative (with allusion to cerem. usage), impure thing, Ezekiel 7:19,20 (of gold), Lamentations 1:17 (of Jerusalem); of idolatry, immorality, etc., 2Chronicles 29:5; Ezra 9:11 (אֶרֶץ נִדָּה), Ezra 9:11, Zechariah 13:1 (לְחַטַּאת וּלְנִדָּה).

Semantic Range and Core Idea

נִדָּה (niddah) designates a state or object of ceremonial impurity that necessitates separation from holy precincts. It refers concretely to menstrual blood, but extends to any uncleanness, physical or moral, that bars fellowship with God.

Menstrual Impurity in the Torah

• Genesis 31:35 introduces the term in Rachel’s appeal to her “way of women.”
• Leviticus 15:19–33 lays out the core legislation: “When a woman has a discharge and it consists of blood from her body, she shall remain in her menstrual impurity for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening” (Leviticus 15:19).
• Post-partum impurity is measured “as in the days of her menstruation” (Leviticus 12:2).
• Sexual relations during the period are forbidden (Leviticus 18:19) and punished (Leviticus 20:18).

The law affirms that menstruation is not sin, yet it underscores the gulf between human frailty and divine holiness.

Separation and Community Life

The seven-day exclusion shields the sanctuary from defilement, protects the woman during vulnerability, and tutors Israel in the principle that God’s presence is never casual. Evening restoration after washing (Leviticus 15:21–22) models both mercy and order.

“Water for Impurity”: The Red Heifer Typology

Numbers 19 applies niddah to the purifying solution made from red-heifer ashes: “They are to be kept … for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin” (Numbers 19:9). The paradox—uncleanness removed by a substance called “impurity”—anticipates Christ, whose blood cleanses while bearing sin (Hebrews 9:13–14).

Moral and Idolatrous Defilement

Beyond bodily flows, niddah brands idolatry and violence:
• “Remove all the filth from the holy place” (2 Chronicles 29:5).
• “Their silver and gold will not save them … they will be unable to satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs, for it has become their iniquity and an unclean thing” (Ezekiel 7:19).
• Ezra laments “the lands … are filled … with their impurity” (Ezra 9:11).

Here the term warns that spiritual corruption is as repulsive to God as physical uncleanness.

Temple Reforms and Corporate Purification

Hezekiah’s reforms (2 Chronicles 29:16) and Nehemiah’s cleansing of storerooms (Nehemiah 13:9, verb form) demonstrate that revival always entails ejecting niddah from sacred space, whether material idols or moral compromise.

Prophetic Imagery and Eschatological Cleansing

Zechariah transforms the word into promise: “On that day a fountain will be opened … to cleanse them from sin and impurity” (Zechariah 13:1). Isaiah anticipates the same when “the Lord will wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 4:4).

Theological Themes

1. Holiness: the Creator’s character sets the standard (Leviticus 20:26).
2. Separation: physical seclusion teaches moral distinctiveness (2 Corinthians 6:17).
3. Cleansing: restitution requires divinely appointed means.
4. Blood and Life: respect for blood underlies every restriction (Leviticus 17:11).

New Covenant Fulfillment

Jesus reverses niddah: the woman with a twelve-year flow touches Him and “immediately her bleeding stopped” (Mark 5:29). Holiness flows outward; He is undefiled. Hebrews 10:22 proclaims that believers are “sprinkled clean from an evil conscience,” and Revelation 7:14 depicts robes washed white in the Lamb’s blood—permanent freedom from niddah.

Practical Ministry Reflections

• Teach sexual ethics that honor both marital intimacy and reverence for life.
• Encourage regular confession so worship is not hindered by hidden defilement.
• Recognize everyday rhythms—such as menstruation—as moments to remember the gospel, not occasions for shame.
• Preach the assurance that “the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7), fulfilling the promise of the fountain opened to cleanse from sin and impurity.

בְּנִדַּ֖ת בְּנִדַּ֣ת בְּנִדָּתָ֔הּ בְּנִדָּתָ֖הּ בְנִדָּתָ֔הּ בנדת בנדתה הַנִּדָּ֔ה הַנִּדָּ֖ה הַנִּדָּה֙ הנדה וּלְנִדָּֽה׃ ולנדה׃ כְּנִדָּתָ֑הּ כנדתה לְנִדָּ֖ה לְנִדָּ֣ה לְנִדָּֽה׃ לנדה לנדה׃ נִדַּ֥ת נִדָּ֖ה נִדָּ֛ה נִדָּ֜ה נִדָּ֣ה נִדָּה֙ נִדָּתָ֑הּ נִדָּתָ֔הּ נִדָּתָ֖הּ נִדָּתָ֛הּ נִדָּתָֽהּ׃ נִדָּתָהּ֙ נדה נדת נדתה נדתה׃ bə·nid·dā·ṯāh ḇə·nid·dā·ṯāh bə·nid·daṯ benidDat bəniddaṯ beniddaTah bəniddāṯāh ḇəniddāṯāh han·nid·dāh hannidDah hanniddāh kə·nid·dā·ṯāh keniddaTah kəniddāṯāh lə·nid·dāh lenidDah ləniddāh nid·dā·ṯāh nid·dāh nid·daṯ nidDah niddāh nidDat niddaṯ niddaTah niddāṯāh ū·lə·nid·dāh ulenidDah ūləniddāh veniddaTahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts