The Hebrew word ard (עַרְד) carries the meaning of a fugitive or wild one — one who roams or wanders. It appears as a personal name in the genealogies of Benjamin. As a common noun it relates to the concept of wandering or wildness.
The names preserved in Israel's genealogies carry theological weight. Ard — the wanderer — is part of God's covenant people despite being a fugitive figure. This reflects a consistent biblical pattern: God includes the wandering, the wild, and the displaced in His covenant family. The genealogy of Jesus himself includes foreigners, sinners, and social outcasts. No one is too far gone, too wild, or too much a fugitive to be included in God's redemptive story.