Bible Word Study
נַחְבִּי
Nachbîy · Nachbi, an Israelite
נַחְבִּי
Nachbi, an Israelite
Definition
Nachbi is the name of a single individual in the Old Testament, identified as the son of Vophsi from the tribe of Naphtali (Numbers 13:14). As a proper noun, it refers exclusively to this man who was chosen as one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. The name itself carries a meaning derived from its root, suggesting 'hidden' or 'protected.' There are no other biblical characters or alternative meanings associated with this name.
Biblical Usage
The word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Numbers 13:14. Its usage is strictly as a personal name within the list of the twelve spies appointed from each tribe of Israel. It appears in a historical-narrative context within the Pentateuch, specifically in the account of the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.
Etymology
The name Nachbi (נַחְבִּי) is derived from the Hebrew root חָבָה (H2247), which means 'to hide, to conceal, or to withdraw.' It is a participial form, likely meaning 'hidden,' 'protected,' or 'my hiding place.' This connects it conceptually to the idea of being sheltered or secret. It is related to the verb used in passages like Psalm 17:8, where the psalmist asks God to hide him in the shadow of His wings.
Semantic Range
While the individual Nachbi is not a major theological figure, his inclusion as a spy is significant. He represents the tribe of Naphtali in a critical moment of testing Israel's faith in God's promise. The failure of the majority of the spies, except Joshua and Caleb, underscores themes of faith versus fear, obedience, and the consequences of unbelief. Understanding that his name means 'hidden' can poetically contrast with the spies' mission to reveal and report on the land, and perhaps points to God as the true hiding place for those who trust Him. In ancient Israelite culture, names often carried meaning related to circumstances, hopes, or attributes. A name meaning 'hidden' could reflect a parent's prayer for protection or a sense of divine shelter for the child. As one of the spies, Nachbi participated in a high-stakes reconnaissance mission central to the national narrative, though the biblical text does not record his individual report or actions. There are no direct synonyms as this is a unique proper name. Conceptually, it relates to words from its root: חָבָה (chabah, H2247) — the verb meaning 'to hide, to conceal.'
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]