נְחַ֥שׁ
𐤍𐤇𐤔
nechash-2
the serpent
from נָחַשׁ; a snake (from its hiss); serpent.
H5175
Numbers 21:9 · Word #16
Lexicon H5175
| Lemma | נָחָשׁ |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤍𐤇𐤔 |
| Transliteration | nâchâsh |
| Strong's | H5175 |
| In-context | the serpent |
Morphology HNcmsc
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | c — Construct — The noun is bound to the following word |
SIBI-P1 H5175-05
serpent (masculine singular; in construct: “serpent of …” )
| Root | נחש (n-ḥ-š) |
| Core Meanings | hissing, whispering, serpent, divination, shining bronze |
| Semantic Range | serpent, snake; by association: diviner (one who practices נחשׁ), omen-reading; bronze or copper (likely from the idea of shining or gleaming like a serpent’s skin). |
| Conceptual Significance | The serpent is a potent biblical symbol—associated with cunning (Genesis 3), judgment and healing (Numbers 21), and later polemical destruction of idolatry (2 Kings 18:4). The shared root linking serpent, divination, and bronze underscores thematic connections between deception, forbidden knowledge, and objects of misplaced trust. |
| Morphological Notes | Noun, common masculine singular (absolute and construct forms attested). In construct state (HNcmsc) it links to a following noun (“serpent of …”); in absolute adjectival form (ANcmsa), it can function attributively, sometimes describing something as bronze or serpentine. |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun נָחָשׁ is a masculine singular form derived from the root נחש, associated with hissing and serpentine movement, and by extension with divination and shining bronze. Rendering it as “serpent” preserves the core zoological sense tied to the root’s imagery of hissing. The masculine singular form is maintained, and where the morphology is construct (HNcmsc), it naturally carries the sense “serpent of …” in English. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root נחש (hissing, whispering, serpent, divination, shining bronze)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
H5178-01 |
banechoshet | in the bronze |
H5175-01 |
hanachash | the hissing serpent |
H5175-02 |
kanachash | like the hissing serpent |
H5178-04 |
lanechoshet | for the bronze |
H5175-03 |
lenachash | to a hissing serpent |
H5175-04 |
nachash | serpent (masculine singular; plural: serpents) |
H5172-01 |
nachesh | You (ms), whisper-divine! |
H5177-01 |
nacheshon | Serpent-Enchanter |
H5174-01 |
nechasha | the bronze-metal |
H5173-01 |
nechashim | divinings |
H5178-09 |
nechoshet | bronze-metal |
H5178-10 |
nechushetah | her bronze |
H5178-12 |
nechushetekhe | your copper |
H5174-02 |
unechash | and bronze |
H5177-02 |
venacheshon | and Naḥshon (Serpent-like One) |
H5172-02 |
venichesh | and he omen-whispered |
H5172-03 |
yenachashu | they will practice whisper-divining |
H5172-04 |
yenachesh | he will practice spell-divining |
Word Usage (31 occurrences of H5175)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis 3:1 | וְ/הַ/נָּחָשׁ֙ | vehanachash | the serpent |
| Genesis 3:2 | הַ/נָּחָ֑שׁ | hanachash | the serpent |
| Genesis 3:4 | הַ/נָּחָ֖שׁ | hanachash | the serpent |