ABHORRENT THING

The Hebrew word nid·dahʹ occurs some twenty-seven times in the Hebrew Scriptures and is derived from the root word na·dhadhʹ, which means, in its causative sense, “to excommunicate, to exclude, to put out of mind (refuse to think of).” Nid·dahʹ, then, indicates impurity, something abhorrent, whether physically, as, for example, from menstruation (Lev. 12:2, 5; 15:20, 24, 25, 33), or morally, as from idolatry. (Ezra 9:11; 2 Chron. 29:5) The same Hebrew word is used with regard to the “water for cleansing” (Num. 19:9-21; 31:23, NW; “water of separation,” AV; “water for impurity [i.e., for removing impurity],” RS, AT; “lustral water,” JB), and this phrase might also be rendered “water used in case of menstruation,” as indicating water used to remove that which is impure or unclean.

Thus, at Lamentations 1:17, Jeremiah says that Jerusalem in her desolation “has become an abhorrent thing [as a menstruous woman, AV; ‘objeto de abominacion,ʼ NC; abhorrent, AT] in among them [that is, among the surrounding nations].”

Prior to Jerusalem’s destruction by Babylon, Jehovah said of the people of Israel through his prophet Ezekiel: “The house of Israel are dwelling upon their soil, and they keep making it unclean with their way and with their dealings. Like the uncleanness of menstruation [nid·dahʹ] their way has become before me.” (Ezek. 36:17) Due to idolatrous practices, Israel was spiritually impure, and would thus be avoided by her husbandly owner, Jehovah God, and would be reunited with him spiritually only after cleansing. Thus, at verse 25, Jehovah says: “And I will sprinkle upon you clean water, and you will become clean; from all your impurities and from all your dungy idols I shall cleanse you.”—Compare Ezekiel 18:6.

At Ezekiel 7:19, 20 God expresses his anger against Israel for having made religious images with their silver and their gold and says that he will, therefore, cause them to throw their silver and their gold into the streets as an “abhorrent thing [nid·dahʹ].”—Compare Isaiah 30:22; see DISGUSTING THING.