נְקָרָה
Definition
The Hebrew noun נְקָרָה (nᵉqârâh) refers to a 'cleft' or 'fissure' in a rock. It describes a narrow opening or crevice formed naturally in stone, often providing shelter or a hiding place. In its two biblical occurrences, it carries a consistent meaning of a rocky crevice used for protection. In Exodus 33:22, God places Moses in the 'cleft of the rock' to shield him as His glory passes by. Similarly, in Isaiah 2:21, people flee into the 'clefts of the rocks' to hide from the terror of the Lord's majesty.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times in poetic or narrative contexts describing refuge. In Exodus 33:22, it is part of the narrative where God reveals Himself to Moses. In Isaiah 2:21, it is used in a prophetic oracle about the Day of the Lord, depicting people seeking shelter. In both cases, the 'cleft' is a place of concealment from a direct encounter with divine presence or judgment.
Etymology
Derived from the root verb נָקַר (nāqar, H5365), meaning 'to bore, pick, or dig out.' This root conveys the action of hollowing or piercing, which naturally leads to the noun's meaning of a hollowed-out crevice or fissure in rock. The development is straightforward: from the action of digging or piercing to the resulting hole or cleft.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it appears in key passages about divine revelation and human response to God's holiness. In Exodus 33:22, the 'cleft of the rock' becomes a place of protected encounter, illustrating God's gracious provision for mediating His presence to a finite human (Moses). In Isaiah 2:21, the 'clefts of the rocks' symbolize futile human attempts to hide from God's overwhelming judgment and majesty, highlighting human inadequacy before the Holy One. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the imagery of God as both a protective refuge and an awesome power from whom one cannot ultimately hide.
In the arid, rocky landscape of the ancient Near East, crevices in cliffs and large rock formations were common natural features used for immediate shelter from the sun, storms, or danger. They were not man-made dwellings but temporary refuges. This cultural reality informs the biblical imagery: a cleft was a readily available, though often cramped and insecure, hiding place.
סֶלַע (selaʿ, H5553) — a crag or large rock, the mass itself, not the fissure within it. | מְעָרָה (mᵉʿārâh, H4631) — a cave, a larger, more enclosed cavern, often used for more permanent habitation.
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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