Word Study for H5308 (נְפַל) | Strong's Concordance

nᵉphal /nef-al'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to נָפַל

Meaning(to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative))

KJV usagefall (down), have occasion.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nᵉphal — 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 nᵉphal, represented by H5308, means to fall. It appears 13 times across 11 unique verses, primarily in the book of Daniel. Its base definition, corresponding to the Hebrew נָפַל, covers a wide variety of applications, both literal and figurative, such as to fall down, to have an occasion, or to be cast down.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5308 is most prominently featured in the narrative of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. The king's decree commands all people to fall down and worship the idol upon hearing music Daniel 3:5. The consequence for disobedience is also framed by this word, stating that whoever does not fall down will be cast into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:6, Daniel 3:11). The word is used to describe both the required act of false worship Daniel 3:7 and the legitimate act of reverence, as when King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face to worship Daniel Daniel 2:46. Its application extends to the figurative, such as when a voice fell from heaven Daniel 4:31 or when horns fell in Daniel's prophetic vision Daniel 7:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words provide context for the actions associated with H5308:

H5457 çᵉgid (to prostrate oneself (in homage); worship): This word is almost always paired with H5308 in Daniel 3, creating the command to "fall down and worship" Daniel 3:10.
H7412 rᵉmâh (to throw, set, (figuratively) assess; cast (down), impose): This word describes the direct consequence for those who refuse to fall down, as they are to be cast into the fiery furnace Daniel 3:6.
H6966 qûwm (to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative); appoint, establish, make, raise up self, (a-) rise (up), (make to) stand, set (up)): This serves as a thematic counterpoint, as the image which people are commanded to fall before is the one the king has set up Daniel 3:5.
H5709 ʻădâʼ (to advance, i.e. pass on or continue; causatively, to remove; specifically, to bedeck (i.e. bring an ornament upon); alter, depart, pass (away), remove, take (away)): This is linked to a figurative use of "fall," where a voice fell from heaven and the kingdom subsequently departed from Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 4:31.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5308 is centered on themes of authority, worship, and judgment.

A Posture of Submission: The physical act of "falling down" is the primary expression of submission to authority, whether to a pagan idol Daniel 3:5 or to a prophet of God Daniel 2:46.
Divine Intervention: The word is used to describe a direct act of God. When a voice "fell" from heaven, it was a divine pronouncement of judgment against the king's pride Daniel 4:31, demonstrating that God's authority supersedes earthly power.
Figurative Application: In a unique instance, the word is translated as "have occasion" in Ezra, referring to a need that "falls" to someone to provide for the house of God Ezra 7:20, showing its application in an administrative or providential sense.

Summary

In summary, H5308 is a dynamic word that moves beyond a simple physical action. It is a cornerstone in the dramatic narratives of Daniel, defining the critical choice between idolatry and faithfulness. Whether describing a literal fall into a furnace Daniel 3:23, a figurative fall of kingdoms in a vision Daniel 7:20, or the falling of a voice from heaven Daniel 4:31, nᵉphal consistently illustrates the consequences of confronting divine and human power.

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 10 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

יִפֵּל
תִּפְּלוּן
נְפַל
נָפְלִין
נְפַלוּ

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 11 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Daniel (10 verses); never once in the other 37.

Ezra

Daniel

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.