נִרְגָּן
𐤍𐤓𐤂𐤍
nirgân
H5372 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person who secretly speaks disparagingly about others, often fomenting strife or dissension through confidential or insidious speech. The word primarily refers to someone who spreads rumors or malicious reports, especially with the aim of undermining relationships or community cohesion. In various contexts, it carries the nuance of a whisperer, one who covertly circulates harmful information, or instigates discord via gossip.
Semantic Range
whisperer, slanderer, talebearer, one who secretly spreads rumors, instigator of discord, agent of social strife
Root / Etymology
The root נרג (n-r-g) is not attested elsewhere in Hebrew, making the precise verbal origin uncertain; most lexicographers relate it to the notion of 'murmuring' or 'whispering' in a negative sense, possibly by analogy with similar Semitic roots or as suggested by traditional etymology linking to 'rolling to pieces' (i.e., breaking apart relationships). Thus, while the specific verbal root is unused in the Bible, the form reflects a participial formation indicating an agent (one who acts in a certain way).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, נִרְגָּן appears only a handful of times (e.g., Proverbs 16:28, 18:8, 26:20, 26:22), always with a negative connotation as someone who causes alienation or conflict by secretive harmful speech. This role overlaps with but is distinct from רָכִיל (rakil, 'gossiper/merchant of slander'), which often describes a professional talebearer or informer. נִרְגָּן more specifically stresses the covert or insidious aspect of spreading dissension—hence its frequent association with 'whispering' or murmuring. English translations have variously rendered this as 'whisperer,' 'slanderer,' or 'talebearer,' though none captures the exact nuance of the original. In Israelite society, such behavior was viewed as socially destructive. The term sees no significant shift in meaning across historical periods, but later rabbinic tradition generalized the concept of damage done by secret speech (cf. lashon hara).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to roll to pieces; a slanderer; talebearer, whisperer.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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נרג (n-r-g) — murmuring, whispering, covert speech
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5372-01 |
נִ֭רְגָּן | niregan | HVNrmsa |
a gossip | covert whisperer | 3 |
H5372-02 |
וְ֝/נִרְגָּ֗ | venirega | HC/VNrmsa |
and whisperer | covert whisperer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5372-02 |
Proverbs 16:28 | וְ֝/נִרְגָּ֗ | venirega | HC/VNrmsa |
and whisperer | covert whisperer |
H5372-01 |
Proverbs 18:8 | נִ֭רְגָּן | niregan | HVNrmsa |
a whisperer | covert whisperer |
H5372-01 |
Proverbs 26:20 | נִ֝רְגָּ֗ן | niregan | HVNrmsa |
whisperer | covert whisperer |
H5372-01 |
Proverbs 26:22 | נִ֭רְגָּן | niregan | HVNrmsa |
a gossip | covert whisperer |