נִקָּיוֹן
𐤍𐤒𐤉𐤅𐤍
niqqâyôwn
H5356 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State or quality of being clean, pure, or free from impurity—used both in literal (physical cleanliness) and figurative (moral or ritual purity, innocence) contexts. The term denotes absence of defilement, whether tangible (dirt, contamination) or metaphorical (guilt, stain).
Semantic Range
cleanness, purity, absence of contamination, freedom from guilt, innocence, ritual or moral blamelessness
Root / Etymology
From the root נקה (n-q-h), which fundamentally means 'to be clean, pure, free from guilt or punishment.' The noun form נִקָּיוֹן (niqqâyôn) is derived by morphological patterning to express a state, quality, or condition (the '-ôn' suffix sometimes functions abstractly). Thus, the word designates the quality or state of being clean or pure.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, נִקָּיוֹן occurs sparingly, its meaning consistently aligning with an abstract state of purity or innocence. In contexts such as Psalm 24:4, the word refers to purity of hands—signaling ritual appropriateness or moral innocence necessary for entering holy spaces. While English translations often render it as 'cleanness' or 'innocence,' the Hebrew concept can encompass both physical and figurative dimensions, and is closely linked with ritual status and ethical integrity. Other Hebrew words for 'clean' or 'pure' (e.g., טָהוֹר, בר) can emphasize either ceremonial fitness (esp. טָהוֹר) or ethical innocence (esp. בר). נִקָּיוֹן, however, evokes the absence of any contamination (literal or metaphorical), with an emphasis on intrinsic state rather than achieved status. Over time, in later Hebrew and Jewish tradition, related terms sometimes focused more narrowly on moral or legal blamelessness. The word does not reference ethnic, religious, or social identity but rather the universal condition of being 'clean.' The English 'innocency' sometimes affixed in translations is a later theological interpretation rather than the original nuance of physical or moral state.
Translation Consistency
Purity best captures the full semantic range of נִקָּיוֹן — literal cleanness and ritual/moral freedom from defilement or guilt. It is a natural, widely used English noun for both physical and figurative senses (broader than 'innocence' and more idiomatic than 'cleanness'), making it the most consistent single choice for all occurrences.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or נִקָּיֹן; from נָקָה; clearness (literally or figuratively); cleanness, innocency.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נקה (n-q-h) — to clean, to purge, to be guiltless, to be free from punishment
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4518 | מְנַקִּית | the purifying basins |
| H5343 | נְקֵא | clean, pure |
| H5352 | נָקָה | I will declare you clean |
| H5355 | נָקִי | the guiltless one |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5356-01 |
בְּ/נִקָּי֣וֹן | beniqayon | HR/Ncmsa |
in innocence | in cleanness | in innocence | 2 |
H5356-02 |
נִקָּיֹֽן | niqayon | HNcmsa |
of innocence | cleanness | cleanness | 1 |
H5356-03 |
נִקְי֤וֹן | niqeyon | HNcmsc |
cleanness of teeth | cleanness of | cleanness | 1 |
H5356-04 |
וּ/בְ/נִקְיֹ֥ן | uveniqeyon | HC/R/Ncmsc |
and in innocence | and in purity-of | and in purity | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5356-04 |
Genesis 20:5 | וּ/בְ/נִקְיֹ֥ן | uveniqeyon | HC/R/Ncmsc |
and in innocence | and in purity-of | and in purity |
H5356-02 |
Hosea 8:5 | נִקָּיֹֽן | niqayon | HNcmsa |
of innocence | cleanness | cleanness |
H5356-03 |
Amos 4:6 | נִקְי֤וֹן | niqeyon | HNcmsc |
cleanness of teeth | cleanness of | cleanness |
H5356-01 |
Psalms 26:6 | בְּ/נִקָּי֣וֹן | beniqayon | HR/Ncmsa |
in innocence | in cleanness | in innocence |
H5356-01 |
Psalms 73:13 | בְּ/נִקָּי֣וֹן | beniqayon | HR/Ncmsa |
in innocence | in cleanness | in innocence |