נַחַל
𐤍𐤇𐤋
Nachal
H5158 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A wadi or seasonal stream; a riverbed or ravine that channels water during periods of rain, often dry in the summer. Can refer to the stream itself, the watercourse when flowing, or, by extension, the valley or ravine in which it runs. In limited contexts, may refer to a shaft or channel (as in mining).
Semantic Range
seasonal stream, wadi, riverbed, ravine, valley (with stream/bed), shaft/channel (in mining contexts), torrent (ephemeral flood channel)
Root / Etymology
From the root נחל meaning 'to flow, stream'. Derived as a noun, נַחַל denotes a channel or bed that conducts water, especially during seasonal rains.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In most biblical contexts, נַחַל refers to ephemeral watercourses characteristic of the Levant, which often flow only after rainstorms and are otherwise dry (i.e., wadis). Unlike permanent rivers (נהר, nahar), a נַחַל is typically not a perennial source of water. The term sometimes denotes the ravine or valley formed by such a watercourse, and in some cases, the area adjacent to it (e.g., borders, locations). In rarer instances (e.g., mining contexts), it refers to a shaft or conduit. English translations as 'brook', 'stream', or 'valley' often fail to capture the nuance of seasonality and the distinction from permanent rivers. The semantic boundary between נַחַל (ephemeral stream/valley) and נהר (perennial river) is generally maintained but can overlap poetically. The form נַחְלָה (feminine) appears in specific textual traditions, especially later or poetic passages, but refers to the same basic concept. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term continues to denote wadis, and remains a common geographic descriptor in modern usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (feminine) נַחְלָה; (Psalm 124:4), or נַחֲלָה; (Ezekiel 47:19; Ezekiel 48:28), from נָחַל in its original sense; a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine); brook, flood, river, stream, valley.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נחל (n-ḥ-l) — to flow, to stream, to run (liquids)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2470 | חָלָה | inherited allotment |
| H5157 | נָחַל | in causing to inherit |
| H5159 | נַחֲלָה | in the inherited allotment |
| H5160 | נַחֲלִיאֵל | Wadi of El |
Word Forms
29 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5158-15 |
נָ֑חַל | nachal | HNcmsa |
brook | seasonal stream | 50 |
H5158-05 |
הַ/נָּ֑חַל | hanachal | HTd/Ncmsa |
the valley | the seasonal stream | 22 |
H5158-03 |
בְּ/נַֽחַל | benachal | HR/Ncmsc |
in the brook | in a seasonal stream of | 11 |
H5158-18 |
נַ֣חֲלֵי | nachaley | HNcmpc |
of brooks | wadis of | 6 |
H5158-01 |
בַּ/נָּ֑חַל | banachal | HRd/Ncmsa |
in the valley | in the seasonal stream | 5 |
H5158-13 |
מִ/נַּ֥חַל | minachal | HR/Ncmsc |
from the brook | from a wadi of | 4 |
H5158-06 |
הַ/נְּחָלִ֖ים | hanechalim | HTd/Ncmpa |
of the wadis | the seasonal streams | 4 |
H5158-21 |
נְחָלִ֔ים | nechalim | HNcmpa |
of wadis | seasonal streams | 4 |
H5158-07 |
כְּ/נַ֤חַל | kenachal | HR/Ncmsa |
like a stream | like a seasonal stream | 3 |
H5158-11 |
לְ/נַ֣חַל | lenachal | HR/Ncmsa |
as a stream | to a seasonal streambed | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
141 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5158-03 |
Genesis 26:17 | בְּ/נַֽחַל | benachal | HR/Ncmsc |
in the valley | in a seasonal stream of |
H5158-01 |
Genesis 26:19 | בַּ/נָּ֑חַל | banachal | HRd/Ncmsa |
in the valley | in the seasonal stream |
H5158-05 |
Genesis 32:24 | הַ/נָּ֑חַל | hanachal | HTd/Ncmsa |
the stream | the seasonal stream |
H5158-25 |
Leviticus 11:9 | וּ/בַ/נְּחָלִ֖ים | uvanechalim | HC/Rd/Ncmpa |
and in the streams | and in the wadis |
H5158-25 |
Leviticus 11:10 | וּ/בַ/נְּחָלִ֔ים | uvanechalim | HC/Rd/Ncmpa |
and in the streams | and in the wadis |
H5158-15 |
Leviticus 23:40 | נָ֑חַל | nachal | HNcmsa |
of-the-brook | seasonal stream |
H5158-15 |
Numbers 13:23 | נַ֣חַל | nachal | HNcmsc |
brook/valley | seasonal stream |
H5158-15 |
Numbers 13:24 | נַ֣חַל | nachal | HNcmsc |
valley | seasonal stream |
H5158-03 |
Numbers 21:12 | בְּ/נַ֥חַל | benachal | HR/Ncmsc |
in the wadi | in a seasonal stream of |
H5158-06 |
Numbers 21:14 | הַ/נְּחָלִ֖ים | hanechalim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the wadis | the seasonal streams |