To impel ; hence, to volunteer (as a soldier), to present spontaneously
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נָדַב (nadab) is a verb for volunteering, offering freely, giving willingly, or moving oneself to participate. In the tabernacle contribution texts, people whose hearts move them bring materials, and Exodus 35:29 summarizes the response as a willing offering for the work commanded through Moses.
Reader summary
Full entry for נָדַב (H5068) · Open the biblical lexicon
נָדַב (nadab) is a verb for volunteering, offering freely, giving willingly, or moving oneself to participate. In the tabernacle contribution texts, people whose hearts move them bring materials, and Exodus 35:29 summarizes the response as a willing offering for the work commanded through Moses.
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include prompted (2), and willingly (1), brought (1), compels him (1), gave freewill offerings (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 25:2. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Chronicles (7), Exodus (3), Ezra (3), Judges (2).
נָדַב (nadab) is a verb for volunteering, offering freely, giving willingly, or moving oneself to participate. In the tabernacle contribution texts, people whose hearts move them bring materials, and Exodus 35:29 summarizes the response as a willing offering for the work commanded through Moses. The verb emphasizes willing participation within an already given divine assignment.
Judges 5 praises leaders and people who volunteered in Israel's crisis, while Nehemiah 11:2 blesses those who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. These occurrences show that nadab concerns more than money. It can describe accepting responsibility, risk, service, or a communal burden without reducing willingness to emotion or spontaneity.
First Chronicles 29 repeatedly uses the verb for leaders and people willingly contributing toward the temple. David's prayer immediately confesses that everything comes from God and that the people give back from God's hand. The passage supports grateful, willing generosity but does not erase questions of stewardship, justice, ordinary obligations, or pressure. A free act can still occur within communal leadership and a defined project.
Nadab traces willing participation in sanctuary contributions, battle leadership, temple preparation, return from exile, offerings, and communal resettlement. The common element is voluntary readiness to give, serve, or accept responsibility in a named situation.
Moses is to receive sanctuary contributions from each person whose heart willingly moves toward the gift.
Israelite men and women bring a willing offering for the work the Lord commanded through Moses.
Deborah's song praises the Lord when leaders lead and the people volunteer in the conflict.
The people rejoice because leaders offer willingly with a whole heart for the temple project.
The people bless those who willingly offer to live in Jerusalem as the community is resettled.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. Voluntary action driven by internal impulse; giving or serving willingly without obligation or external compulsion.
Voluntary action driven by internal impulse; giving or serving willingly without obligation or external compulsion.
to impel; hence, to volunteer (as a soldier), to present spontaneously BDB: incite Usage: offer freely, be (give, make, offer self) willing(-ly).
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 17 lexical occurrence verses.
נָדַב is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Nadab helps a congregation distinguish willing participation from manipulation while keeping willingness connected to real responsibility. Exodus does not portray people inventing their own preferred worship project; the Lord gives the tabernacle assignment, and willing hearts supply and serve within it. Judges applies the verb to volunteering amid danger, Chronicles to generous temple preparation, and Nehemiah to people accepting the cost of living in Jerusalem.
The range reaches beyond donations to courage, presence, labor, and communal burden. A sermon can invite generosity and service without manufacturing guilt, promising divine repayment, or implying that emotional enthusiasm is the only faithful motive. First Chronicles 29 also corrects ownership pride: people give from what already comes from God's hand. Willingness is beautiful, but it does not cancel justice, family care, truthful financial disclosure, or other obligations that leaders must respect.
Exod.35.29
H5068 is the action verb; H5071 is a related noun for a freewill offering. The verb's stem and subject determine whether English emphasizes volunteering, willingness, or free giving.
Second Corinthians 8-9 and other church-giving passages emphasize willingness and non-compulsion. Their own contexts govern Christian application.
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