Word Study for H5023 (נְבִזְבָּה)

nᵉbizbâh /neb-iz-baw'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) of uncertain derivation

Meaninga largess

KJV usagereward.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nᵉbizbâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word nᵉbizbâh, represented by H5023, refers to a largess or reward. It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning is derived from contexts where a substantial prize is offered for a significant service.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

Both occurrences of H5023 are found in the book of Daniel, in exchanges between a prophet and a powerful king. In the first instance, King Nebuchadnezzar promises "gifts and rewards and great honour" to any wise man who can interpret his dream Daniel 2:6. Later, Daniel, before interpreting the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar, rejects the king's incentives, stating, "Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another" Daniel 5:17. In both cases, the word signifies a prize offered by a monarch in exchange for supernatural insight.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear alongside H5023, clarifying the nature of the offered compensation:

H4978 mattᵉnâ' (gift): This word for a present appears directly with nᵉbizbâh in both verses. It is part of the package offered by Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 2:6 and rejected by Daniel Daniel 5:17.
H3367 yᵉqâr (glory, honour): This term is promised by Nebuchadnezzar as the third component of his offered payment, alongside gifts and rewards Daniel 2:6. It represents the dignity and status that would accompany the material prizes.

Theological Significance

The thematic weight of H5023 lies in its specific context within royal courts and its connection to divine knowledge.

Royal Incentive: The word is used exclusively to describe rewards offered by earthly kings. It represents the highest form of material compensation and royal favor a monarch could bestow for a requested service Daniel 2:6.
Value Distinction: Daniel's rejection of the king's rewards establishes a clear distinction between the motivations of the world and the purposes of God. It demonstrates that divine wisdom and prophetic insight are not commodities to be bought or sold Daniel 5:17.
Source of True Honour: While the kings offer H5023 as a reward, the narrative contrasts this with H3367 (glory, honour), which is ultimately a gift from God. God is the one who gives kings their kingdom and glory in the first place (Daniel 2:37, Daniel 5:18).

Summary

In summary, H5023 is a specific term for a royal reward used only in the book of Daniel. While limited in use, it plays a key role in highlighting the tension between earthly power and divine authority. Its context illustrates that the gifts of God's servants are not motivated by the prizes offered by men, establishing a powerful theme regarding the integrity of prophetic ministry.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

נְבָזְבְּיָתָ
נְבִזְבָּה

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

2 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.