Bible Word Study
נְפַק
nᵉphaq · to issue; causatively, to bring out
נְפַק
to issue; causatively, to bring out
Definition
The Aramaic verb נְפַק (nᵉphaq) fundamentally means 'to go out' or 'to come forth,' describing movement from an interior to an exterior space. In its causative stem (Hiphil), it means 'to bring out' or 'to take out,' indicating an agent causing something or someone to exit. For example, in Ezra 5:14, King Cyrus 'brought out' (הַנְפֵּק) the temple vessels from Babylon. In Daniel, it often describes people 'coming out' from a place, such as the wise men being 'taken out' for execution in Daniel 2:13, or the three men emerging unharmed from the furnace in Daniel 3:26.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, specifically in the books of Ezra and Daniel. Its usage consistently involves physical movement out of a contained or defined location. In Ezra, it is used for the removal of sacred objects (Ezra 5:14; 6:5). In Daniel, it appears in narratives of royal decrees and dramatic escapes, describing people being brought out for judgment (Daniel 2:13-14) or emerging from danger (Daniel 3:26), and objects being brought out for use (Daniel 5:2-3).
Etymology
נְפַק is an Aramaic primitive root, not a Hebrew one, which is why it appears only in the Aramaic sections of the Bible. It is a cognate with the common Hebrew verb יָצָא (yatsa', H3318), which also means 'to go out' or 'to come forth.' The meaning is straightforward and did not develop significantly beyond the core sense of exiting.
Semantic Range
While נְפַק itself is a common verb for movement, its usage in specific contexts carries theological weight. In Ezra, it highlights God's sovereignty in orchestrating the return of the temple vessels, a tangible sign of restoration. In Daniel, its use in the furnace narrative (Daniel 3:26) underscores divine deliverance—the faithful are miraculously 'brought out' unharmed from a place of certain death, a powerful image of God's protection and vindication. In the Aramaic court settings of Ezra and Daniel, the verb often relates to the execution of royal commands. The act of 'bringing out' vessels, people, or decrees was a formal, public action demonstrating the king's authority. The dramatic 'coming out' of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the furnace would have been a shocking public spectacle, visibly contradicting the absolute power claimed by the Babylonian monarchy. יָצָא (yatsa', H3318) — The primary Hebrew synonym meaning 'to go out,' used throughout the OT. נְפַק is its Aramaic equivalent used in specific passages.
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]