Word Study for H5173 (נַחַשׁ)

nachash /nakh'-ash/ Ask about this word

Meaningan incantation or augury

KJV usageenchantment.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nachash — 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 nachash, represented by H5173, refers to an incantation or augury; enchantment. It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses, both within the same biblical narrative. Its meaning is specifically tied to the practice of attempting to summon or manipulate supernatural forces for a desired outcome.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

Both occurrences of H5173 are found in the account of Balaam. In Numbers 23:23, Balaam, under divine compulsion, declares that such practices are futile against God's people: "Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel." This verse places the power of God in direct opposition to the power of human enchantment. Later, in Numbers 24:1, Balaam acknowledges this reality and changes his methods. Seeing that the LORD intended to bless Israel, he "went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments," showing that this was his previous, failed strategy to curse them.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of H5173:

H7081 qeçem (divination, witchcraft): This word appears alongside nachash in Numbers 23:23, where both enchantment and divination are declared powerless against Israel. It refers to a broader category of forbidden occult practices.
H7125 qirʼâh (meet, seek): This term is used to describe Balaam's action in Numbers 24:1, where he had previously gone "to seek for enchantments." It illustrates the active pursuit involved in these magical rites.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5173 is focused and powerful, despite its infrequent use.

Futility of Occult Practices: The primary point made in its usage is that human attempts at enchantment are completely ineffective when set against the sovereign will and protection of God Numbers 23:23.
Contrast with Divine Power: The declaration that there is no enchantment against Jacob is immediately followed by the exclamation, "What hath God wrought!" Numbers 23:23. This starkly contrasts the empty rituals of man with the mighty acts of God.
A Forbidden Path: Balaam's decision to stop seeking for enchantments when he perceives God's will demonstrates that this practice is contrary to following the LORD Numbers 24:1.

Summary

In summary, H5173 defines the specific practice of enchantment or augury. Though used only twice, its context within the story of Balaam serves as a decisive statement on the powerlessness of such occult rituals. It illustrates that no human or spiritual manipulation can thwart God's declared purpose for His people, rendering all such enchantments utterly void.

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.

נְחָשִׁים
נַחַשׁ

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 Numbers — 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.