or נֵפֶל; from נָפַל; something fallen, i.e. an abortion; untimely birth.
Transliteration:nephel
Pronunciation:neh'-fel
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term `{{H5309}}` (נֶפֶל, *nephel*) is derived directly from the verb `{{H5307}}` (נָפַל, *naphal*), meaning "to fall." This etymological root is crucial for understanding its core meaning. Literally, `{{H5309}}` signifies "something fallen." Its semantic range is quite narrow and specific, referring to an "untimely birth" or "abortion"—a fetus or infant that has fallen or been expelled from the womb prematurely, before viability, or without ever achieving a full, independent existence. The term thus encapsulates the idea of a life that fails to come to fruition, remaining unformed, unviable, or unremembered.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word `{{H5309}}` appears in the Hebrew Bible in only two instances, both within poetic and lamenting contexts, underscoring its profound and often tragic implications:
1. **[[Job 3:16]]**: "Or as a hidden untimely birth (נֶפֶל) I had not existed, as infants who never saw light." In this deeply poignant lament, Job expresses his wish that he had never been born, preferring the oblivion of an `{{H5309}}`. He desires to have been like a stillborn child, hidden and never having seen the light of day. Here, `{{H5309}}` symbolizes non-existence, a state of being utterly forgotten and having never experienced the pain and suffering of life. It speaks to a profound despair that views non-being as preferable to a life filled with affliction.
2. **[[Psalm 58:8]]**: "Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes, like the untimely birth (נֶפֶל) of a woman, that they may not see the sun." This verse is part of an imprecatory psalm, where the psalmist calls upon God to execute judgment against the wicked. The `{{H5309}}` here serves as a potent metaphor for utter annihilation and forgottenness. Just as an untimely birth never sees the light of the sun and is quickly discarded and forgotten, so too the psalmist desires that the wicked will vanish without a trace, their existence brief, unfulfilled, and ultimately obliterated from memory. The image conveys a complete cessation of being and influence.
In both contexts, `{{H5309}}` represents a life that is unfulfilled, unviable, and ultimately absent from the realm of the living and remembered. It is a powerful image of non-existence or a fleeting, unformed state.
### Related Words & Concepts
The primary linguistic connection for `{{H5309}}` is its root verb, `{{H5307}}` (נָפַל, *naphal*), "to fall." This root is pervasive in the Hebrew Bible, conveying a wide range of "falling" actions, from physical descent to falling in battle, falling into sin, or falling into ruin. In the case of `{{H5309}}`, the "falling" refers to the premature expulsion of a fetus.
Conceptually, `{{H5309}}` stands in stark contrast to terms denoting healthy, full-term offspring, such as `{{H1121}}` (בֵּן, *ben*, "son, child") or `{{H3206}}` (יֶלֶד, *yeled*, "child, boy"). It is also related to broader themes of birth (`{{H3205}}`, יָלַד, *yalad*, "to bear, bring forth") and death (`{{H4191}}`, מוּת, *muth*, "to die"), specifically highlighting a form of death that occurs at the earliest stage of potential life. The term also evokes concepts of futility, transience, and unfulfilled potential, aligning with wisdom literature's reflections on the brevity and uncertainty of life.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H5309}}` is profound, despite its limited occurrences.
1. **Human Vulnerability and the Fragility of Life:** The very existence of a term like `{{H5309}}` underscores the inherent fragility and vulnerability of human life from its earliest moments. It is a stark reminder that life is not guaranteed and can be extinguished before it truly begins, highlighting the preciousness of every full-term birth and lived existence.
2. **Divine Sovereignty over Life and Death:** While not explicitly stating God's direct action, the concept of an "untimely birth" implicitly falls under the broader theological understanding of God's ultimate sovereignty over the beginning and end of life. In a biblical worldview, even such tragic occurrences are not outside the purview of divine knowledge and, ultimately, divine purpose, however mysterious that may be to human understanding.
3. **The Value of Existence vs. Non-Existence:** In Job's lament, the wish to be an `{{H5309}}` is a radical expression of despair, valuing non-existence over a life of unbearable suffering. This highlights the profound human desire for meaning and the agony when life seems devoid of it. Conversely, in Psalm 58, being like an `{{H5309}}` is a curse desired for the wicked, emphasizing the theological concept of ultimate judgment and the complete eradication of evil from the memory of God and humanity.
4. **Justice and Retribution:** In Psalm 58, `{{H5309}}` serves as a powerful metaphor for divine justice. The desire for the wicked to vanish like an untimely birth speaks to a longing for the complete cessation of their harmful influence and their utter removal from the earth, a form of retribution that ensures they leave no legacy or lasting mark.
### Summary
`{{H5309}}` (נֶפֶל, *nephel*), derived from the verb `{{H5307}}` (נָפַל, *naphal*) meaning "to fall," denotes an "untimely birth" or "abortion." Its two biblical occurrences in [[Job 3:16]] and [[Psalm 58:8]] consistently portray it as a powerful symbol of non-existence, unfulfilled potential, or a life that never truly begins or is quickly forgotten. Theologically, `{{H5309}}` underscores the profound vulnerability and fragility of human life, implicitly acknowledging divine sovereignty over life and death. It serves as a stark contrast to a full, lived existence, highlighting the preciousness of life when it is granted, and functioning as a metaphor for the ultimate cessation and oblivion desired for the wicked in the context of divine justice.
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