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נְבָא

𐤍𐤁𐤀

nᵉbâʼ

H5013 verb

SILEX Entry

Root נבא to announce, proclaim, declare as a spokesperson

Definition

To deliver a message claimed to be from a divine source, to prophesy, to act as a spokesperson who communicates revelation, often in the context of official or inspired speech. In Aramaic, used particularly for formal pronouncements attributed to divine inspiration.

Semantic Range

to prophesy, to speak under divine inspiration, to proclaim an inspired message, to deliver an inspired song or utterance

Root / Etymology

From the root נבא, meaning 'to call, proclaim, announce as a spokesperson'. The form נְבָא is the Aramaic verbal equivalent of the Hebrew נָבָא, both stemming from the same Semitic base referring to proclamation or inspired speech.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (notably Daniel and Ezra), נְבָא refers specifically to the act of prophesying as performed by those considered inspired speakers. The term is functionally identical in these passages to its Hebrew counterpart, though it appears only in Aramaic contexts and thus is less frequent. In these settings, the word designates formal pronouncement rather than generic prediction; it can include both singing and discursive (spoken) forms of inspired utterance. Unlike related verbs such as גלה (to reveal), נְבָא emphasizes the role of the agent as active spokesperson, not merely the activity of receiving revelation. English translations such as 'prophesy' often obscure the cultural context in which such figures operated as court functionaries, advisors, or critics. In the Aramaic segments of the Tanakh, the term carries the same weight as its Hebrew form, with no significant shift in meaning over time, though it is much rarer.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to נָבָא; {to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse) to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)}; prophesy.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נבא (n-b-ʾ) — announce, proclaim, declare as spokesperson

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5012 נָבָא in his prophesying
H5016 נְבוּאָה the prophetic utterance
H5017 נְבוּאָה in prophetic utterance of
H5029 נְבִיא the divine proclaimer
H5030 נָבִיא in the proclaiming-spokesmen

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5013-01 וְ/הִתְנַבִּ֞י vehitenabi AC/VMp3ms and prophesied and he proclaimed as inspired spokesman 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5013-01 Ezra 5:1 וְ/הִתְנַבִּ֞י vehitenabi AC/VMp3ms and prophesied and he proclaimed as inspired spokesman
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