English · KJV
H5132

נוּץ

nûwts /noots/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningproperly, to flash; hence, to blossom (from the brilliancy of color); also, to fly away (from the quickness of motion)
KJV usageflee away, bud (forth).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nûwts — 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 Hebrew word nûwts, represented by H5132, is a primitive root with a dual meaning derived from its core idea "to flash." This can refer to the brilliant flash of color, meaning to blossom, or the quick flash of movement, meaning to fly away. It appears only 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, highlighting two starkly different concepts.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5132 illustrates a contrast between life and exile. In the Song of Solomon, it describes the vibrant budding of nature. The lovers go to the vineyards to see if the pomegranates bud forth Song of Solomon 7:12, and in another passage, the speaker goes down to the garden of nuts to see if the pomegranates budded Song of Solomon 6:11. In sharp contrast, Lamentations uses the word to describe a sudden departure due to judgment. After being declared unclean, the people fled away and wandered, with the heathen noting they could no longer sojourn there Lamentations 4:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H5132 appears:

  • H6524 pârach (to flourish): This word is used in direct parallel with H5132 in the Song of Solomon, describing how the vine will flourish while the pomegranates bud Song of Solomon 6:11. It means to break forth as a bud, or bloom.
  • H7416 rimmôwn (pomegranate): This is the specific plant that is described as budding forth H5132. The pomegranate is a symbol of fruitfulness and beauty in the garden settings of the Song of Solomon Song of Solomon 7:12.
  • H5128 nûwaʻ (to wander): In Lamentations, this word is paired with H5132 to describe the state of the people who have fled. They fled away H5132 and wandered H5128, indicating a life of instability and exile Lamentations 4:15.
  • H2931 ṭâmêʼ (unclean): This term provides the reason for the flight in Lamentations. The people are commanded to depart because they are unclean H2931, making their quick departure a consequence of their defiled state Lamentations 4:15.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5132 lies in its powerful dualism, stemming from the root idea of a "flash."

  • A Flash of Life and Beauty: In Song of Solomon, the word signifies a brilliant, visible sign of life and promise. The budding of the pomegranates is an event to be witnessed, representing the flourishing of creation and the blossoming of love Song of Solomon 7:12.
  • A Flash of Judgment and Removal: In Lamentations, the word signifies a sudden, swift removal as a result of sin. The act of "fleeing away" is not a choice but a consequence of being declared unclean, a rapid expulsion from a place of dwelling Lamentations 4:15.
  • Contrasting Destinies: The two uses present a clear dichotomy. One path leads to the vibrant blossoming of life in a garden, a place of love and fruitfulness. The other leads to a swift flight into wandering and exile, cut off due to uncleanness.

Summary

In summary, H5132 is a potent word whose rare usage emphasizes two opposite outcomes. While its primary meaning is "to flash," it is applied either to the beautiful blossoming of a pomegranate or the quick fleeing of a people under judgment. It vividly contrasts the flourishing that comes from a state of beauty and love with the sudden exile that results from uncleanness.

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 verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

  • הֵנֵצוּ
  • יָנֵאץ
  • נָצוּ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H6524 פָּרַח a primitive root; to break forth as a bud, i.e. bloom; generally, to spread; specifically, to fly (as extending the wing H7416 רִמּוֹן or רִמֹּן; from רָמַם; a pomegranate, the tree (from its upright growth) or the fruit (also an artificial ornament); pom H5128 נוּעַ a primitive root; to waver, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (as subjoined); continually, H2931 טָמֵא from טָמֵא; foul in a religious sense; defiled, [phrase] infamous, polluted(-tion), unclean.

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

Appears in 3 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Song of Solomon (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

2
Song of Solomon
1
Lamentations

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.