### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nêd**, represented by `{{H5067}}`, describes a **mound** or **heap**, often in the context of a piled-up wave of water. Its base definition suggests piling up. It is a rare term, appearing only **6 times** in **6 unique verses**, making its every use significant.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H5067}}` is most prominently used to describe God's miraculous control over water. During the Exodus, the waters of the sea "stood upright as an **heap**" [[Exodus 15:8]], and this imagery is echoed in the Psalms, which state God made the waters "to stand as an **heap**" [[Psalms 78:13]]. The term is used again to describe the parting of the Jordan River, where the waters "stood and rose up upon an **heap**" to allow the Israelites to cross [[Joshua 3:16]]. In a contrasting metaphorical sense, Isaiah uses the term to describe a harvest that will be a "**heap** in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow" [[Isaiah 17:11]], signifying an overwhelming accumulation of calamity.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words are used in conjunction with `{{H5067}}` to describe the action of piling up or standing firm:
* **`{{H6192}}` ʻâram** (to pile up; gather together): This root is used to describe the action that forms the heap of water in the Song of the Sea, where the waters "were **gathered together**" [[Exodus 15:8]].
* **`{{H3664}}` kânaç** (to collect; gather (together), heap up): Similar to the above, this verb describes God's power as he "**gathereth** the waters of the sea together as an heap" [[Psalms 33:7]].
* **`{{H5324}}` nâtsab** (to station, erect, establish, make to stand): This word emphasizes the stability of the miraculous event, noting how the floods "**stood upright**" [[Exodus 15:8]] and the waters were made "**to stand**" [[Psalms 78:13]].
* **`{{H5975}}` ʻâmad** (to stand, appoint, arise, set up, make to stand): This verb is used in the account of the Jordan crossing, where the waters that came from above "**stood** and rose up" [[Joshua 3:16]] and were promised to "**stand** upon an heap" [[Joshua 3:13]].
* **`{{H6965}}` qûwm** (to rise, rear up, make to stand up): Used alongside `{{H5975}}` in the Jordan account, this word specifies that the waters not only stood, but "**rose up** upon an heap" [[Joshua 3:16]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5067}}` is centered on God's direct intervention in the natural world.
* **Divine Power over Creation:** The word is overwhelmingly used to illustrate God's absolute sovereignty over nature. By making waters stand as a **heap**, He demonstrates that the laws of the physical world are subject to His will ([[Exodus 15:8]], [[Joshua 3:16]]).
* **A Pathway for Salvation:** The creation of a **heap** of water is a divine act to make a path for His people. This occurs at two foundational moments for Israel: the escape from Egypt and the entrance into the Promised Land ([[Psalms 78:13]], [[Joshua 3:13]]).
* **A Mound of Calamity:** The word's usage in Isaiah shifts from a physical miracle to a powerful metaphor. The "harvest" becoming a **heap** represents the accumulation of sorrow and grief that results from disobedience, showing that God's power can also be manifested in judgment [[Isaiah 17:11]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5067}}` is a potent and specific term. While used sparingly, it captures the immense power of God to suspend the natural order, piling up water like a solid **heap** to deliver His people. Its use extends from the literal parting of seas and rivers to a metaphorical mound of sorrow, consistently illustrating a supernatural accumulation orchestrated by divine power. It serves as a vivid biblical image of God's ability to intervene directly in the world.
TRV