נָגַר
to flow; figuratively, to stretch out; causatively, to pour out or down; figuratively, to deliver over
Definition
The Hebrew verb נָגַר (nâgar) primarily means 'to flow' or 'to pour,' describing the movement of liquids like water or blood (e.g., Psalm 75:8). In a figurative sense, it can mean 'to be poured out' or 'stretched out,' as in the spreading of one's hands in prayer (Psalm 77:2). Causatively, it means 'to pour out' or 'deliver over,' often in contexts of divine judgment where God pours out wrath (Jeremiah 18:21) or where the wicked are delivered to destruction (Job 20:28). It also appears in poetic reflections on the transience of life, where people 'flow away' like water (2 Samuel 14:14).
Biblical Usage
נָגַר is used 10 times in the Old Testament, primarily in poetic and prophetic books like Psalms, Job, and Jeremiah. Its usage spans literal descriptions of flowing liquids (Psalm 75:8) to metaphorical applications for prayer (Psalm 77:2), judgment (Jeremiah 18:21; Lamentations 3:49), and the fleeting nature of human life (2 Samuel 14:14). A pattern emerges where it conveys movement—either physical pouring or the handing over of someone to a fate, often under God's sovereign action.
Etymology
As a primitive root, נָגַר is not derived from other Hebrew words. It is cognate with other Semitic languages where similar roots convey pouring or flowing. Its core meaning relates to liquid motion, which expanded figuratively to include stretching out (as in hands) and delivering over, reflecting a semantic development from physical to abstract actions of transfer or extension.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it often depicts God's active role in judgment and sovereignty. In passages like Jeremiah 18:21 and Psalm 75:8, it illustrates God pouring out wrath, emphasizing divine justice. In 2 Samuel 14:14, it highlights human mortality under God's plan, while in Psalm 77:2, it shows earnest prayer as a 'pouring out' of the soul. Understanding נָגַר enriches reading by revealing how biblical authors used fluid imagery to communicate themes of transience, judgment, and devotion.
In ancient Israelite culture, pouring liquids (like water, oil, or blood) was a common ritual act in sacrifices and libations, symbolizing dedication or atonement. The figurative use of 'pouring out' hands or soul in prayer (Psalm 77:2) would resonate with practices of stretching hands toward God. The concept of life 'flowing away' like water (2 Samuel 14:14) reflected an agrarian understanding of water's precious and ephemeral nature, contrasting with modern views of time.
שָׁפַךְ (shâphak, H8210) — more common for pouring out, often in sacrificial or violent contexts; נָטַף (nâṭaph, H5197) — to drip or drop, emphasizing a slower, trickling flow; יָצַק (yâtsaq, H3332) — to pour out molten metal or cast, focusing on a deliberate, forming action.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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