Language Studies

Hebrew Thoughts

nûwach - נוּחַ (Strong's #5117)
To to rest, settle

nûwach 'to to rest, settle' נוּחַ (Strong's #5117)

"And the ark rested in the seventh month" (Genesis 8:4, JPS)

The root verb נוּחַ nûwach (Strong's #5117, x64) "to to rest, settle" suggests relief and rest in the sense of being able to relax, take breath, and breathe out. A place of settled calm. A similar notion may be found in the root verb רוּחַ rûwach (Strong's #7306, x11) which shares the same second syllable sound and means "to breathe" whether as exhalation from which we also get the word for "spirit, wind, breath" רוּחַ rûwach (Strong's #7307, x378) or inhalation as in to smell.

Indeed, when God shared some of the רוּחַ rûwach that was upon Moses and shared it also among the 70 elders, it says "when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied" (Numbers 11:25) using רוּחַ rûwach and נוּחַ nûwach together.

The image of a dove as figurative of peace and God's Rûach or Spirit, is interesting in that it was also the bird sent out by Noah after the Flood to confirm the availability of dry land for a resting place. Initially, he sent a raven, then a dove on three occasions (Genesis 8:6-12).

Now, Noah's name in Hebrew is נחַ nôach (Strong's #5146, x46) or fully נוֹחַ nôwach (Strong's #5118, x4), from נוּחַ nûwach and meaning "resting place". A prophetic word play on the sound of Noah's name when he was born was made by his 182 year-old father, Lamech, when "he called his name Noah, saying, 'This same shall comfort us' (Genesis 5:29). The word "comfort" is נָחַם nâcham (Strong's #5162, x108), which also means "to be sorry, repent, regret, have pity/compassion".

Another derived name is נוֹחַה nôwchâh (Strong's #5118), one of the sons of Benjamin (I Chronicles 8:2).

נוּחַ nûwach is used of God's "resting" on the seventh day of creation, Exodus 20:11, and also of animals resting, whether the plague of locusts of Exodus 10:14 or of one's livestock (Exodus 23:12; Deuteronomy 5:14) on the seventh day when one "rests" - in this case using שָׁבַת shâbhath (Strong's #7673, x73) "to rest, or observe the Sabbath".

In Arabic, the equivalent verb to נוּחַ nûwach is نوخ n-w-h which means to rest, take up residence, and to make a camel kneel down. Whether the Hebrew verb is used of animals resting, or the Spirit coming down, there seems to be a gentleness attached to this verb. Given its association with breath, one can imagine it being used of a feather or leaf falling and landing on the ground. It is used of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, of when their feet "rested", literally when they were just "dipped in the brim" of the waters of the River Jordan, which caused the river to mount up allowing them to pass over dry (Joshua 3:13,15).

It is regularly used of the space and security of rest from one's enemies, indicating not just a temporary pause but a full break from threat or conflict. Indeed, it was prophesied of Solomon's birth, whose name שְׁלמה shelômôh (Strong's #8010, x293) means "peace", שָׁלוֹם shâlôwm (Strong's #7965, x236) that he and Israel would receive rest, peace and quietness, in his days (I Chronicles 22:9).

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