Lexical Summary bada: To invent, to devise, to fabricate Original Word: בָּדָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance devise, feign A primitive root; (figuratively) to invent -- devise, feign. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to devise, invent NASB Translation devised (1), inventing (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בָּדָא verb devise, invent (bad sense) (Mishna id., Aramaic בְּדָא,  invent; compare Arabic  begin, make a beginning — Qal Perfect בָּדָא 1 Kings 12:33; Participle suffix בּוֺדָאם (instead of בּוֺדְאָם) Nehemiah 6:8 — Jeroboam devised a feast in 8th month 1 Kings 12:33; invent accusation Nehemiah 6:8. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Nuance בָּדָא points to the act of fabricating something that has no basis in reality—whether religious practice or spoken report. In Scripture it always carries the idea of human invention that runs contrary to God-given truth. Canonical Occurrences • 1 Kings 12:33 Jeroboam’s Invented Feast (1 Kings 12:33) After the schism of the united monarchy, Jeroboam feared that pilgrimages to Jerusalem might reunite the people under Rehoboam. He therefore “ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah” (1 Kings 12:33). The verb בָּדָא describes this feast as an innovation springing from Jeroboam’s own heart. By manufacturing a liturgy that imitated yet displaced the God-appointed Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-43), Jeroboam replaced revelation with human ingenuity. The result was idolatry centered on the golden calves at Bethel and Dan—a pattern of “self-made religion” that later prophets would openly condemn (Amos 7:13; Hosea 8:5-6). Sanballat’s Fabricated Accusations (Nehemiah 6:8) When Jerusalem’s wall neared completion, Sanballat and his allies alleged that Nehemiah planned to rebel and crown himself king. Nehemiah answered, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind” (Nehemiah 6:8). Here בָּדָא exposes the tactic of forging lies to intimidate God’s people. Nehemiah countered with prayer, vigilance, and steadfast labor (Nehemiah 6:9). The episode underscores that faithful leadership must resist fabricated narratives without abandoning the mission God assigns. Historical and Theological Significance 1. Supremacy of Divine Revelation: In both texts בָּדָא stands in contrast to God’s explicit word. Jeroboam’s feast violated Deuteronomy 12:32, and Sanballat’s rumors contradicted God’s promise to rebuild Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:20). Practical Ministry Applications • Guard Worship: Leaders must ensure that corporate practices arise from Scripture, not cultural convenience or personal preference. Intertextual Links • Isaiah 29:13—“their worship of Me is but rules taught by men” parallels Jeroboam’s man-made feast. Summary בָּדָא serves as a concise witness against all forms of invented worship and fabricated speech. Its limited appearances sharpen its message: God’s people must reject man-made substitutes and cling to the revelation that cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Forms and Transliterations בָּדָ֣א בדא בוֹדָֽאם׃ בודאם bā·ḏā baDa bāḏā ḇō·w·ḏām ḇōwḏām voDamLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 12:33 HEB: בַּחֹ֖דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־ בָּדָ֣א [מִלִּבַּד כ] NAS: which he had devised in his own heart; KJV: [even] in the month which he had devised of his own heart; INT: the month which had devised alone instituted Nehemiah 6:8 2 Occurrences |
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