נַחַשׁ
𐤍𐤇𐤔
nachash
H5173 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An act, practice, or utterance intended to discern hidden knowledge or predict future events, often by observing signs, omens, or through incantation; specifically refers to divinatory or magical practices in which the practitioner seeks to determine will, fate, or outcome through ritual means or verbal formulas.
Semantic Range
divination, incantation, omen, act of soothsaying, augury, ritual or magical utterance
Root / Etymology
From the root נחש, meaning 'to practice divination, to observe omens.' The noun נַחַשׁ (nachash) derives directly from the verbal root, carrying the sense of divination or an act of augury. The root itself may be onomatopoeic, reflecting the hissing or whispering associated with incantations, but this is speculative; the primary lexical concept is divination or interpreting omens.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, נַחַשׁ denotes the act or product of seeking knowledge of the future through prohibited ritual means, including augury, soothsaying, or use of incantations. It is typically mentioned in contexts where such practices are forbidden or frowned upon for Israelite society, distinguishing them from acceptable forms of discerning divine will (e.g., through prophets or the Urim and Thummim). Laws in Torah (e.g., Leviticus 19:26, Deuteronomy 18:10) proscribe נַחַשׁ, positioning it alongside other forms of divination as expressions of foreign religious practice. In narrative texts, references to נַחַשׁ often serve to contrast proper Israelite reliance on YHWH against forbidden reliance on omen-seeking or magical arts. English translations usually render the word as 'enchantment,' 'divination,' or 'augury,' but these terms may not capture the full variety of context, which can include both ritual acts and spoken incantations. The term differs from קֶסֶם (qesem, 'lot-casting divination') and עָנָן (‘anan, ‘soothsaying’) in both scope and method, emphasizing the ritual or magical character of discerning omens.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נָחַשׁ; an incantation or augury; enchantment.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נחש (n-ḥ-sh) — to practice divination, to observe omens, to whisper spells
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5153 | נָחוּשׁ | bronze-made |
| H5154 | נְחוּשָׁה | copper-bronze |
| H5174 | נְחָשׁ | copper |
| H5178 | נְחֹשֶׁת | in the bright-metal |
| H5180 | נְחֻשְׁתָּן | Bronze-Thing |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5173-01 |
נַ֨חַשׁ֙ | nachash | HNcmsa |
enchantment | act of divination | 1 |
H5173-02 |
נְחָשִׁ֑ים | nechashim | HNcmpa |
omens | divinations | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5173-01 |
Numbers 23:23 | נַ֨חַשׁ֙ | nachash | HNcmsa |
enchantment | act of divination |
H5173-02 |
Numbers 24:1 | נְחָשִׁ֑ים | nechashim | HNcmpa |
omens | divinations |