🔼The name Raddai: Summary
- Meaning
- Come Down...!
- He Subdues, Subduing
- Etymology
- From the verb ירד (yarad), to descend.
- From the verb רדד (radad), to subdue.
🔼The name Raddai in the Bible
Raddai is the fifth son of Jesse, and older brother of David (1 Chronicles 2:14). He's mentioned but plays no further role in the Bible.
🔼Etymology of the name Raddai
There are several ways to go about interpreting the name Raddai. The name Raddai looks like an imperative of the verb ירד (yarad), go down:
ירד
The verb ירד (yarad) means to go down or descend, either literally down a mountain or figuratively away from a place of prominence. The noun מורד (morad) means descent or refers to something that hangs.
This imperative form רדי is used in Isaiah 47:1 and Jeremiah 48:18: Come down...!
BDB Theological Dictionary and others however suggest that the name Raddai comes from the verb רדד (radad), meaning to beat down or subdue:
רדד
The verb רדד (radad) describes the act of hammering a metal sheet into a protective cover, in order to extract wealth from what has been covered. Figuratively, this verb also describes the formation of a formal government. The noun רדיד (redid) describes a kind of cape or veil.
The obviously related verb רדה (rada) means to rule or have dominion, and is also used to describe the treading of grapes in a vat.
The letter yod added to form the name Raddai, some suggest, is a remnant of the name of the Lord YHWH.
🔼Raddai meaning
For a meaning of the name Raddai, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Yahweh Has Subdued. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads simply Subduing.