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נְהַר

𐤍𐤄𐤓

Nehar

H5103 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נהר to flow, to stream

Definition

A river or large stream; in biblical Aramaic, נְהַר (nᵉhar) typically refers to a major river or flowing body of water, most often applied to significant regional rivers such as the Euphrates. The term appears in narrative and legal contexts denoting physical rivers marking boundaries, serving as means of transportation, or as elements in visions and metaphorical speech. While predominantly a geographic and topographic term, its referent may also carry symbolic connotations depending on context (e.g., abundance, fertility, or boundary).

Semantic Range

river, major stream, watercourse, river as a boundary, toponymic element in river names

Root / Etymology

נְהַר is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew root נהר, meaning 'to flow' or 'to stream.' Though Aramaic in its form, it shares the same Semitic root found widely in Northwest Semitic languages. The term as a noun denotes a river (a naturally flowing body of freshwater) and is not limited solely to the Euphrates but may refer to significant rivers in a given geographical or textual setting.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the biblical corpus, especially in the Aramaic sections of Daniel and Ezra, נְהַר is used to describe major rivers such as the Euphrates and Tigris. Its Hebrew counterpart נָהָר carries an identical range of meaning. The term is mostly restricted to prose and administrative texts, likely reflecting the common usage of Aramaic as a lingua franca during the Persian period. English translations often render נְהַר simply as 'river,' which adequately corresponds in most contexts, though the sense may be broader than English 'river' in places. The term may function as a toponymic element (e.g., נְהַר־פְּרָת 'River Euphrates') or appear in lists of boundaries. In post-biblical and later Jewish Aramaic, the term continues to denote rivers generally. The word does not, in the biblical context, have the secondary poetic sense that its Hebrew counterpart sometimes attains, as it is not employed in metaphorical imagery as frequently in Aramaic compositions.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to נָהַר; a river, especially the Euphrates; river, stream.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נהר (n-h-r) — to flow, to stream

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4492 מִנְהָרָה the rock-crevices
H5094 נְהִיר brightness
H5102 נָהַר and you radiated
H5104 נָהָר in the flowing river
H5105 נְהָרָה streaming daylight

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5103-02 נַהֲרָ֖/ה naharah ANp/Td the River the river 13
H5103-03 נְהַ֣ר nehar ANcmsa river river of 1
H5103-01 נַהֲרָ֔/א nahara ANp/Td the River the river 1

Occurrences in Scripture

15 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5103-03 Daniel 7:10 נְהַ֣ר nehar ANcmsa river river of
H5103-02 Ezra 4:10 נַהֲרָ֖/ה naharah ANp/Td the River the river
H5103-02 Ezra 4:11 נַהֲרָ֖/ה naharah ANp/Td the-River the river
H5103-01 Ezra 4:16 נַהֲרָ֔/א nahara ANp/Td the River the river
H5103-02 Ezra 4:17 נַהֲרָ֛/ה naharah ANp/Td the River the river
H5103-02 Ezra 4:20 נַהֲרָ֑/ה naharah ANp/Td the River the river
H5103-02 Ezra 5:3 נַהֲרָ֛/ה naharah ANp/Td the River the river
H5103-02 Ezra 5:6 נַהֲרָ֗/ה naharah ANp/Td the-River the river
H5103-02 Ezra 5:6 נַהֲרָ֑/ה naharah-2 ANp/Td the-River the river
H5103-02 Ezra 6:6 נַהֲרָ֜/ה naharah ANp/Td the River the river
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