נָקַף
to strike with more or less violence (beat, fell, corrode); by implication (of attack) to knock together
Definition
The Hebrew verb נָקַף (nâqaph) primarily means 'to go around' or 'to encircle,' often describing a physical movement of surrounding something, as seen when Israel's armies compassed Jericho (Joshua 6:3, 11). In a more violent sense, it can mean 'to strike down' or 'to cut off,' referring to the forceful removal or destruction of something, such as cutting off the hair in Leviticus 19:27. The word also carries the sense of 'to border' or 'to be set around,' used for architectural features like the ornamental rows encircling the molten sea in Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 7:24).
Biblical Usage
נָקַף is used 19 times in the Old Testament, appearing in narrative, legal, and descriptive contexts. Its most frequent usage describes the act of surrounding, whether militarily (Joshua 6:3, 2 Kings 6:14) or ceremonially (2 Kings 11:8, 2 Chronicles 23:7). The sense of 'cutting off' or 'destroying' is less common but significant in legal texts (Leviticus 19:27). Architectural descriptions employ it to denote something fashioned in a circular pattern (1 Kings 7:24, 2 Chronicles 4:3).
Etymology
נָקַף is a primitive root. Its fundamental meaning relates to circular motion or action. Cognates in other Semitic languages support senses of 'going around,' 'encircling,' or 'turning.' The development from the core idea of circular movement explains its range of meanings—from physically surrounding to striking in a circular motion (like a scythe) to cutting off.
Semantic Range
This word enriches the understanding of God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His commands. The 'compassing' of Jericho was an act of obedient faith to God's specific instructions, leading to a miraculous victory. In Leviticus 19:27, its use in the prohibition against cutting the hair at the temples ('rounding the corners of the head') highlights the call to distinct holiness, separating Israel from pagan mourning rituals. The architectural use for the Temple's sea (1 Kings 7:24) adds to the symbolism of God's ordered and complete creation within His dwelling place.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, the act of surrounding a city was a standard military tactic for siege and conquest. The prohibition against 'compassing' or rounding the hair (Leviticus 19:27) was likely directed against specific pagan mourning practices or idolatrous hairstyles, making it a marker of cultural and religious identity for Israel.
סבב (sâbab, H5437) — A more common general term for 'to turn around' or 'to surround,' often used interchangeably but with a broader range of circular motion. כרת (kârath, H3772) — Specifically 'to cut off' or 'cut down,' focusing on the severing action without the circular connotation. הקיף (hâqîph, H5362 variant) — A later form with the same essential meaning of encircling.
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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