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Bible Lexicons
Old Testament Hebrew Lexical Dictionary Hebrew Lexicon
Strong's #5172 - נָחַשׁ
- Brown-Driver-Briggs
- Strong
- to practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortunetelling, take as an omen
- (Piel)
- to practice divination
- to observe the signs or omens
- (Piel)
- Book
- Word
did not use
this Strong's Number
2395) shn (נההסה NHhSh) AC: ? CO: Bronze AB: ?
V) shn (נההסה NHhSh) - Divine: To learn something through divination. [Unknown connection to root;] KJV (11): (vf: Piel) enchantment, divine, enchanter, indeed, certainly, learn, experience, diligently, observe - Strongs: H5172 (נָחַשׁ)
Nm) shn (נההסה NHhSh) - I. Bronze:[Aramaic only] II. Divination:[Unknown connection to root;] KJV (11): brass, enchantment - Strongs: H5173 (נַחַשׁ), H5174 (נְחָשׁ)
cf2) tsfhn (נההוסהת NHhWShT) - Bronze: KJV (141): brass, brasen, fetters, chain, copper, filthiness, steel - Strongs: H5178 (נְחשֶׁת)
dm) sfhn (נההוסה NHhWSh) - Bronze: KJV (1): brass - Strongs: H5153 (נָחוּשׁ)
df1) esfhn (נההוסהה NHhWShH) - Bronze: KJV (10): brass, steel - Strongs: H5154 (נְחֻשָׁה)
Jeff Benner, Ancient Hebrew Research Center Used by permission of the author.
Pi`el practise divination, divine, observe signs (denominative from נָהָשׁ according to Nö Zeitschr. f. Völkerpsychol. i (1860), 413 Bau Semitic Rel. i. 287 Lag BN 188 Gerber Verb. Denom. 29; otherwise We Skizzen iii. 147 Mei Chrest. Targ. 8. see Ba Esther 48 (against him see Sta ThLz April 28,1894, 235); chief difficulty is that Aramaic, which has נַחֵשׁ, has no נָחָשׁ compare RS JPh.xiv. 115; — Late Hebrew Qal Participle נוֺחֵשׁ, and Pi`el; Aramaic Pa`el נַחֵשׁ, , all = divine, learn by omens; perhaps compare also Arabic be unlucky Lane2775 compare Mei1.c); — Perfect 3 masculine singular וְנִחֵשׁ 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chronicles 33:6; 1 singular נִחַ֫שְׁתִּי Genesis 30:27; Imperfect יְגַחֵשׁ Genesis 44:5,15; 3 masculine plural יְנַחֲשׁוּ 1 Kings 20:33, וַיְנַחָ֑שׁוּ 2 Kings 17:17; 2 masculine plural תְּנַחֲשׁוּ Leviticus 19:26; Infinitive absolute נַחֵשׁ 1 Kings 20:33; Participle מְנַחֵשׁ Deuteronomy 18:10 (compare especially RS JPhoenician xiv. .113ff.); —
1 practise divination Genesis 44:5 (J; by means of cup, i.e. by hydromancy), with implied power to learn secret things Genesis 44:15; condemned by prophetic writer 2 Kings 21:6 2 Chronicles 33:6 (+ עוֺנֵן וְעָשָׂח אוֺבוְיִדְּעֹנִים), 2 Kings 17:17 ("" וַיִּקְסְמוּ קְסָמִים); forbidden in D and H: Deuteronomy 18:10 ( + קֹסֵם קְסָמִים מְעוֺנֵן וּמְכַשֵּׁף), Leviticus 19:26 (H; "" תְּעוֺנֵנ֑וּ).
2 observe the signs or omens Genesis 30:27 (j); so probably יְנַחֲשׁוּ 1 Kings 20:33 now the men were observing the signs.
נָחַשׁ unused in Kal, an onomatop. word, i.q. לָחַשׁ to hiss, to whisper (zifchen, zifcheln), specially used of the whispering of soothsayers (see לָחַשׁ Piel, Psalms 58:6) compare Nasor. ܢܚܫܝ to whisper (see Cod. Nas. III. p. 88, line 16, 18; II. p. 138, line 9).
Piel
(1) to practise enchantment, to use sorcery, i.q. Arab. قَنَحَّشَ. Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17, 21:6. Some understand this of ὀφιμαντεία, divination by serpents; as if it were denom. from נָחָשׁ, see Bochart, Hieroz. t. i. p. 21. Hence
(2) to augur, to forebode, to divine, Gr. οἰωνίζομαι, comp. Syr. ܢܚܫܝ Pe. and Pa. id. Genesis 30:27, נִחַשְׁתִּי וַיְבָֽרֲכֵנִי יְהֹוָה בִּגְלָלֶךָ “I augur that Jehovah blesses me for thy sake.” Genesis 44:15, “do ye not know כִּי נַחֵשׁ יְנַחֵשׁ אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר כָּמוֹנִי that such a man as I can certainly divine?” Verse Genesis 44:5.
(3) 1 Kings 20:33, וְהָאֲנָשִׁים יְנַחֲשׁוּ Vulg. et acceperunt viri pro omine, “and the men took as an omen,” sc. Ahab’s words (verse 32 1 Kings 20:32).
[II. נָחַשׁ a second root is given in Thes. probably signifying to shine, whence נְחשֶׁת brass, etc.]
[Derivatives of No. I the following words, also נָחוּשׁ and נְחוּשָׁה.]