From H1777 (diyn, to judge/contend). Refers to quarreling, contention, and ongoing conflict between people. Proverbs uses this word extensively to warn against the destructive power of a contentious spirit, especially within households and communities.
The wisdom literature treats madon as one of the most corrosive forces in human relationships. Proverbs 6:19 lists 'he who sows madon among brethren' as one of the seven things the LORD hates. The word reveals that God is not merely concerned with individual sin but with relational destruction. Division within the covenant community grieves God's heart because it contradicts the unity He designed. James 3:16 echoes this: 'where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.'