נוּק
to suckle
Definition
The Hebrew verb נוּק (nûwq) means 'to suckle' or 'to nurse.' It specifically describes the act of an infant drawing milk from its mother or a wet nurse. In its single biblical occurrence, it refers to a mother nursing her own child, as seen in Exodus 2:9, where Pharaoh's daughter instructs Moses's mother, 'Take this child away and nurse him for me.' While the basic meaning is straightforward, the context carries significant narrative weight, as it allows Moses to be nurtured within his own Israelite family during a time of oppression.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only once in the Old Testament, in Exodus 2:9. It appears in the narrative context of Moses's infancy, where his biological mother is hired to nurse him. The usage is literal, describing the physical act of breastfeeding. There are no other occurrences or figurative uses in the biblical text.
Etymology
The word נוּק (nûwq) is a primitive root in Hebrew. It is related to other Semitic roots for sucking or drinking. A direct cognate is the Arabic word 'naqa' (to suck). The meaning is specific and has remained consistent, focusing on the nourishment of an infant.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a simple action verb, its single use in Exodus 2:9 is theologically significant. It highlights God's providence and irony in Israel's salvation story. In the very house of Pharaoh, the future deliverer is nourished and preserved by his own Hebrew mother, subverting the king's decree of death. Understanding this term underscores how God works through ordinary, familial acts to accomplish His redemptive purposes.
In the ancient Near East, breastfeeding was a vital and culturally understood means of nurturing infants. Wealthy households, like Pharaoh's, often employed wet nurses. The act of nursing created a strong bond and was a period of crucial early care, typically lasting two to three years. The cultural norm makes the specific instruction in Exodus 2:9 perfectly understandable to the original audience.
יָנַק (yānaq, H3243) — A more common verb for 'to suck' or 'suckle,' used for both humans and animals (e.g., Isaiah 11:8).
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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