נָגַח
𐤍𐤂𐤇
nâgach
H5055 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To butt or gore with the horns, typically referring to the behavior of horned animals such as oxen or rams. By extension, the verb can denote aggressive physical contact, and in figurative usage, it refers to attacking, striking or making war against an opponent—particularly implying forceful opposition or violent confrontation.
Semantic Range
to gore with horns, butt (of an animal), to attack or strike violently, to engage in aggressive confrontation, to wage war (figuratively), to push down or overthrow
Root / Etymology
The root נגש occurs in Semitic languages with the sense of striking or pushing with force. In Hebrew, the root נָגַח specifically developed the sense of butting or goring with horns, likely onomatopoeic or imitative of the action. The term appears in cognate languages such as Aramaic, where similar forms carry related meanings.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, נָגַח is most commonly used in legal or narrative contexts concerning the behavior of oxen and other animals (e.g., Exod 21:28-36), particularly within the Covenant Code describing liability for goring. The verb may also be applied figuratively in prophetic or poetic passages to describe military confrontation or the forceful opposition of peoples or leaders (e.g., Deut 33:17; 1 Kings 22:11). English translations often render the concrete sense as 'gore' or 'butt' and the figurative sense as 'push,' 'attack,' or 'war against.' The transition from literal to metaphorical usage depicts increasing violence or hostile intent. Notably, later post-exilic usage narrows almost exclusively to metaphor, especially in prophetic imagery.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to butt with the horns; figuratively, to war against; gore, push (down, -ing).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נגח (n-g-ḥ) — to butt, to gore, to strike forcefully
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5056 | נַגָּח | habitually goring |
Word Forms
7 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5055-06 |
יִגַּ֨ח | yigach | HVqi3ms |
it gores | he gores | 4 |
H5055-03 |
תְּנַגַּ֥ח | tenagach | HVpi2ms |
you shall gore | you will violently gore | 2 |
H5055-02 |
נְנַגֵּ֑חַ | nenagecha | HVpi1cp |
we gore | we fiercely gore | 1 |
H5055-01 |
מְנַגֵּחַ֩ | menagecha | HVprmsa |
butting | the violently goring one | 1 |
H5055-05 |
יְנַגַּ֥ח | yenagach | HVpi3ms |
he will push | he will gore | 1 |
H5055-04 |
תְּנַגְּח֖וּ | tenagechu | HVpi2mp |
you pushed | you will gore fiercely | 1 |
H5055-07 |
יִתְנַגַּ֤ח | yitenagach | HVti3ms |
will-push | he will engage in goring attack | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
11 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5055-06 |
Exodus 21:28 | יִגַּ֨ח | yigach | HVqi3ms |
gores | he gores |
H5055-06 |
Exodus 21:31 | יִגָּ֖ח | yigach | HVqi3ms |
it gores | he gores |
H5055-06 |
Exodus 21:31 | יִגָּ֑ח | yigach-2 | HVqi3ms |
it gores | he gores |
H5055-06 |
Exodus 21:32 | יִגַּ֥ח | yigach | HVqi3ms |
gores | he gores |
H5055-05 |
Deuteronomy 33:17 | יְנַגַּ֥ח | yenagach | HVpi3ms |
he will push | he will gore |
H5055-03 |
1 Kings 22:11 | תְּנַגַּ֥ח | tenagach | HVpi2ms |
you shall gore | you will violently gore |
H5055-04 |
Ezekiel 34:21 | תְּנַגְּח֖וּ | tenagechu | HVpi2mp |
you pushed | you will gore fiercely |
H5055-02 |
Psalms 44:6 | נְנַגֵּ֑חַ | nenagecha | HVpi1cp |
we gore | we fiercely gore |
H5055-01 |
Daniel 8:4 | מְנַגֵּחַ֩ | menagecha | HVprmsa |
butting | the violently goring one |
H5055-07 |
Daniel 11:40 | יִתְנַגַּ֤ח | yitenagach | HVti3ms |
will-push | he will engage in goring attack |