Nod

The land of Nod, the country where Cain withdrew after slaying Abel. (Gen. 4: 16.) It should seem that this wretch going thither gave this name to the place, for it means vagabond or wanderer. See Vagabond.

LAND OF, the country to which Cain withdrew after the murder of Abel. As the precise situation of this country cannot possibly be known, so it has given rise to much ingenious speculation. All that we are told of it is, that it was “on the east of Eden,” or, as it may be rendered, “before Eden;” which very country of Eden is no sure guide for us, as the situation of that also is disputed. But, be it on the higher or lower Euphrates, (see Eden,) the land of Nod which stood before it with respect to the place where Moses wrote, may still preserve the curse of barrenness passed on it for Cain’s sake, namely, in the deserts of Syria or Arabia. The Chaldee interpreters render the word Nod, not as the proper name of a country, but as an appellative applied to Cain himself, signifying a vagabond or fugitive, and read, “He dwelt a fugitive in the land.” But the Hebrew reads expressly, “He dwelt in the land of Nod.”

Nod, the land to which Cain withdrew, and in which he appears to have settled (Gen 4:16). While the site of paradise itself remains undetermined, it is useless to seek for that of the land of Nod. This land, wherever it was, could not have had a name till Cain went to it; and it was doubtless called Nod (which signifies flight, wandering), from the circumstance that Cain fled to it.

Wandering, a region east of Eden so named on account of wanderings in it of the exiled Cain, Gen 4:16 .\par

Nod. (flight). The land to which Cain fled, after the murder of Abel. See Cain.

("wandering".) E. of Eden. Cain’s place of flight.

Nod (nŏd), flight. The region eastward of Eden, to which Cain fled from the presence of Jehovah. Gen 4:14-16. The Chaldee interpreters apply the term to Cain, and not to a land: "He dwelt a fugitive in the land."

The land to which Cain went after the murder of Abel, when he went out from the presence of the Lord. It was on the east of Eden, but is not identified. Gen 4:16. The name signifies ’wandering’ or ’nomad;’ the verb is translated ’vagabond’ in Gen 4:12; Gen 4:14.

NOD.—According to Gen 4:16, the country in which Cain the fratricide took up his abode after his sentence of banishment. The place is unknown. It is probably connected in some way etymologically with the epithet nâd of v. 14 (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘wanderer’). The addition’ eastward of Eden’ is of little help for its location.

J. F. M‘Curdy.

Wandering

nod (נוד, nōdh): The land of Eden, to which Cain migrated after the murder of his brother and his banishment by Yahweh (Gen 4:16). Conjecture is useless as to the region intended. The ideas of China, India, etc., which some have entertained, are groundless. The territory was evidently at some distance, but where is now undiscoverable.