נִקְּב֥וּ
𐤍𐤒𐤁𐤅
nâqab
were designated
To pierce, puncture, or bore (in a physical sense); to pronounce distinctly, specify, or name explicitly (in a verbal or legal sense); to assign, appoint, or designate (in legal or ritual contexts); in certain contexts, to blaspheme or denounce. The verb נָקַב serves both as a term for physical penetration or opening (through boring or piercing), and for verbal acts of clear enunciation, naming, or specifying, including legal and social designations. Occasionally, it is used for verbal acts of cursing or blaspheming, especially in relation to the divine name.
Ezra 8:20 · Word #12
Lexicon H5344
| Lemma | נָקַב |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤍𐤒𐤁 |
| Transliteration | nâqab |
| Strong's | H5344 |
| Definition | To pierce, puncture, or bore (in a physical sense); to pronounce distinctly, specify, or name explicitly (in a verbal or legal sense); to assign, appoint, or designate (in legal or ritual contexts); in certain contexts, to blaspheme or denounce. The verb נָקַב serves both as a term for physical penetration or opening (through boring or piercing), and for verbal acts of clear enunciation, naming, or specifying, including legal and social designations. Occasionally, it is used for verbal acts of cursing or blaspheming, especially in relation to the divine name. |
Morphology HVNp3cp
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state |
| Binyan | N — Niphal — Simple passive or reflexive |
| Conjugation | p — Perfect — Completed action |
| Person | 3 — 3rd person — Third person ("he/she/they") |
| Gender | c — Common — Common (both genders) |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
Common Translation
| Phrase | were designated |
SIBI-P1 Translation H5344-07
they were specified
| Morphological Notes | Verb, Niphal (passive/reflexive), perfect, 3rd person common plural. |
| Rendering Rationale | The Niphal stem gives a passive sense, and the perfect 3rd common plural indicates a completed action upon them: "they were specified." This preserves the root idea of making something distinct or clearly designated, derived metaphorically from the act of piercing or boring through. |
View full lexicon entry for H5344 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
were designated
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | 'Were designated' accurately reflects the passive context and usage in this passage, as per silex_definition, rather than the less idiomatic 'they were specified.' |