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נָכָה

𐤍𐤊𐤄

nâkâh

H5221 verb

SILEX Entry

Root נכה to strike, to hit, to give a blow

Definition

To strike, hit, or inflict a blow, either physically or figuratively. The verb נָכָה encompasses a range of force, from a simple tap or touch to a severe blow causing harm or death. It is frequently used for actions ranging from causing wounds or physical damage, defeating in battle, killing, or otherwise causing a decisive impact on individuals, groups, and even objects or nations. It can also appear in idiomatic expressions conveying certainty or emphasis (e.g., 'surely,' as an intensifier), or signaling the execution of divine or judicial judgment. The precise force and outcome of the action depend on context, with senses spanning from causing mild injury to enacting capital punishment or military defeat.

Semantic Range

to strike, to hit, to wound, to kill, to defeat, to punish, to afflict, to destroy, to cause death, to inflict a blow, to beat, to slay, to smite, to cause disease or harm, to impose judgment, to clap (hands), in idiomatic usage: to surely do (an action), to emphasize certainty

Root / Etymology

The root נכה (נ-כ-ה) is attested as a verb form and is associated with striking or hitting. The core semantic notion is 'to strike' or 'to deal a blow.' The development of derived senses—such as 'kill,' 'punish,' or 'smite'—comes through typical extension from a basic action (hitting) to consequences of that action (harm, death, defeat, or judgment).

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, נָכָה is used in a literal sense for hitting, beating, or killing (Genesis 4:15, Exodus 21:12), as well as metaphorically for military defeat (Joshua 10:20) or divine affliction (Exodus 12:23, 'to strike' the Egyptians). It can denote physical punishment, battlefield actions, or even judicial processes (Deuteronomy 25:2). In poetic and prophetic texts, it is used for the impact of disasters or plagues (Amos 4:9). In idiomatic usage, especially in infinitive absolute constructions (e.g., הַכּוֹ תַכֶּה 'surely you shall strike'), it serves as a literary intensifier, expressing the certainty or severity of an action. Some English translations, particularly in the King James tradition, render the word as 'smite' or 'slay' in contexts of battle or divine action, but these terms may obscure the word’s broader semantic range, which includes milder forms of striking or harm. There is overlap with terms like הָרַג (to kill) or שָׁפַט (to judge/punish), but נָכָה emphasizes the action of striking itself, whether or not death occurs.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively); beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נכה (n-k-h) — to strike, to hit, to inflict a blow

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4347 מַכָּה like the strike-of
H5218 נָכֵא struck ones
H5219 נְכֹאת fragrant struck resin
H5222 נֵכֶה stricken men
H5223 נָכֶה stricken one

Word Forms

119 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5221-78 וַ/יַּךְ֙ vayakhe HC/Vhw3ms and struck and he struck 72
H5221-80 וַ/יַּכּ֤וּ vayaku HC/Vhw3mp and they struck and they struck 47
H5221-21 הִכָּ֣ה hikah HVhp3ms struck he struck 43
H5221-76 וַ/יַּכֵּ֥/הוּ vayakehu HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3ms and struck him and he struck him 22
H5221-49 מַכֶּ֥ה makeh HVhrmsa strikes the one who causes a blow 16
H5221-77 וַ/יַּכֵּ֑/ם vayakem HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3mp and struck them and he struck them 15
H5221-90 וְ/הִכָּה vehikah HC/Vhq3ms and struck and he struck 13
H5221-41 לְ/הַכּ֥וֹת lehakot HR/Vhc to strike to strike 11
H5221-83 וַ/יַּכּ֥וּ/ם vayakum HC/Vhw3mp/Sp3mp and struck them and they struck them 11
H5221-110 יַכֶּה֩ yakeh HVhi3ms strikes he will strike 10

Occurrences in Scripture

502 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5221-09 Genesis 4:15 הַכּוֹת hakot HVhc strike to inflict a blow
H5221-41 Genesis 8:21 לְ/הַכּ֥וֹת lehakot HR/Vhc to strike/destroy to strike
H5221-80 Genesis 14:5 וַ/יַּכּ֤וּ vayaku HC/Vhw3mp and defeated and they struck
H5221-80 Genesis 14:7 וַ/יַּכּ֕וּ vayaku HC/Vhw3mp and they struck and they struck
H5221-77 Genesis 14:15 וַ/יַּכֵּ֑/ם vayakem HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3mp and defeated them and he struck them
H5221-52 Genesis 14:17 מֵֽ/הַכּוֹת֙ mehakot HR/Vhc from the defeat from striking
H5221-32 Genesis 19:11 הִכּוּ֙ hiku HVhp3cp they struck they caused to strike
H5221-91 Genesis 32:9 וְ/הִכָּ֑/הוּ vehikahu HC/Vhq3ms/Sp3ms and strikes it and he struck him
H5221-93 Genesis 32:12 וְ/הִכַּ֔/נִי vehikani HC/Vhq3ms/Sp1cs and strike me and he struck me
H5221-103 Genesis 34:30 וְ/הִכּ֔וּ/נִי vehikuni HC/Vhp3cp/Sp1cs and attack me and they struck me
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