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נָהַג

𐤍𐤄𐤂

nâhag

H5090 verb

SILEX Entry

Root נהג to drive, to lead, to conduct

Definition

To drive, lead, or guide, especially in relation to animals, people, or objects; also, to conduct or move forward in a directed manner. The verb can describe the act of driving flocks, herding, directing a chariot or vehicle, leading groups of people (including captives), or conducting oneself in a certain manner, sometimes with an implication of motion away from the speaker or the subject’s location. In a less common reflexive or intransitive sense, it can denote moving oneself forward or behaving in a certain manner.

Semantic Range

drive (animals, vehicles, people), lead or bring (groups, individuals, chariots), carry away (especially captives or property), conduct oneself, move forward, guide, cause to proceed, (rarely) sigh or pant as from exertion

Root / Etymology

From the root נהג, which fundamentally conveys the idea of driving, leading, or conducting something or someone. The root indicates the causative act of setting something in motion or moving it with purpose or direction. From this root, the verb נָהַג takes on the meaning of leading or driving in various literal and metaphorical contexts.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, נָהַג appears most frequently in contexts where flocks, chariots, or people are driven or led from one place to another. For example, it often describes shepherds driving animals or conquerors leading away captives. In certain poetic or figurative contexts, it may be used of guidance or behavioral conduct. There is occasional metonymic extension to describe the action of sighing or panting, likely derived from the exertion involved in driving or being driven, but this usage is rare and context-dependent. The English translations 'drive,' 'lead,' or 'carry away' generally capture the core sense but may miss nuances, such as intentional direction, authority, or the state of those led (e.g., captives, animals, or oneself). In later Hebrew and rabbinic usage, נָהַג comes to mean 'to practice' or 'to behave,' showing lexical development, but this is typically outside of biblical usage. Not to be confused with related verbs of guidance such as נָחָה (to lead or guide, especially in the context of divine guidance), which carries a gentler nuance than the sometimes forceful או directive sense of נָהַג. The term is not associated with specific ethnic, geographic, or religious identities and refers generally to the action of driving or leading across periods.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to drive forth (a person, an animal or chariot), i.e. lead, carry away; reflexively, to proceed (i.e. impel or guide oneself); also (from the panting induced by effort), to sigh; acquaint, bring (away), carry away, drive (away), lead (away, forth), (be) guide, lead (away, forth).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נהג (n-h-g) — drive, lead, conduct

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4491 מִנְהָג like the driving-style

Word Forms

23 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5090-15 וַ/יִּנְהַ֣ג vayinehag HC/Vqw3ms and he drove away and he drove 5
H5090-10 נֹהֵ֥ג noheg HVqrmsa who leads the one who drives 3
H5090-22 יִנְהָֽג yinehag HVqi3ms he drives he drives 2
H5090-09 נֹהֲגִ֖ים nohagim HVqrmpa driving those driving 2
H5090-23 יִנְהָ֑גוּ yinehagu HVqi3mp they drive away they drive 1
H5090-11 וַ/תְּנַהֵג֙ vatenaheg HC/Vpw2ms and carried away and you drove forth 1
H5090-03 נָהַ֛ג nahag HVqp3ms He has driven he drove 1
H5090-01 אֶנְהָֽגֲ/ךָ֗ enehagakha HVqi1cs/Sp2ms I would lead you I will drive you 1
H5090-19 יְנַהֲגֵ֣/נוּ yenahagenu HVpi3ms/Sp1cp will guide us he will drive us 1
H5090-18 יְנַהֲגֵ֔/ם yenahagem HVpi3ms/Sp3mp will-guide-them he will drive them 1

Occurrences in Scripture

31 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5090-15 Genesis 31:18 וַ/יִּנְהַ֣ג vayinehag HC/Vqw3ms he drove and he drove
H5090-11 Genesis 31:26 וַ/תְּנַהֵג֙ vatenaheg HC/Vpw2ms and carried away and you drove forth
H5090-15 Exodus 3:1 וַ/יִּנְהַ֤ג vayinehag HC/Vqw3ms and he led and he drove
H5090-07 Exodus 10:13 נִהַ֤ג nihag HVpp3ms drove he drove
H5090-12 Exodus 14:25 וַֽ/יְנַהֲגֵ֖/הוּ vayenahagehu HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3ms and He made them drive and he drove him
H5090-20 Deuteronomy 4:27 יְנַהֵ֧ג yenaheg HVpi3ms he will lead he will drive forward
H5090-21 Deuteronomy 28:37 יְנַהֶגְ/ךָ֥ yenahegekha HVpi3ms/Sp2ms he drives you he will drive you
H5090-15 1 Samuel 23:5 וַ/יִּנְהַג֙ vayinehag HC/Vqw3ms and he drove away and he drove
H5090-16 1 Samuel 30:2 וַ/יִּֽנְהֲג֔וּ vayinehagu HC/Vqw3mp and they drove/carried off and they drove forth
H5090-04 1 Samuel 30:20 נָהֲג֗וּ nahagu HVqp3cp they drove they drove
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