### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **nᵉphaq**, represented by `{{H5312}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to issue; causatively, to bring out; come (go, take) forth (out)**. It appears **11 times** across **9 unique verses** in the Bible. Its use in scripture often describes a significant emergence, whether a command, a person, an object, or a divine manifestation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H5312}}` is used to depict several types of "coming out." It can describe the issuing of an official order, such as when a decree "went forth" to slay the wise men of Babylon [[Daniel 2:13]]. The word also portrays supernatural events, as when the "fingers of a man's hand came forth" to write on the palace wall [[Daniel 5:5]]. In a display of divine deliverance, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are commanded to "come forth" and subsequently "came forth of the midst of the fire" [[Daniel 3:26]]. It is also used causatively to mean "take out," as when Nebuchadnezzar "had taken" the sacred vessels out of the temple in Jerusalem [[Daniel 5:2]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the context of "coming forth":
* `{{H5047}}` **nᵉgad** (to flow... issue): This word is used alongside `{{H5312}}` to describe the powerful emergence of a "fiery stream" that "issued and came forth" in a divine vision, emphasizing the flowing nature of the issuance [[Daniel 7:10]].
* `{{H858}}` **ʼâthâh** (to arrive; (be-) come, bring): This term for general arrival is used when Nebuchadnezzar commands the three men to "come forth, and come hither" [[Daniel 3:26]], distinguishing the specific act of exiting the furnace from the general act of arriving.
* `{{H2987}}` **yᵉbal** (to bring; bring, carry): This word describes the action that follows removal. Nebuchadnezzar first "took forth" (`{{H5312}}`) the temple vessels and then "brought" (`{{H2987}}`) them to Babylon, showing a sequence of removal and transport [[Ezra 6:5]].
* `{{H8421}}` **tûwb** (to come back... restore, return (an answer)): This word often acts as a counterpart to `{{H5312}}`. The vessels "took forth" from Jerusalem were commanded to "be restored" [[Ezra 6:5]]. Similarly, Daniel "answered" (`{{H8421}}`) the captain who had "gone forth" (`{{H5312}}`) to execute a decree [[Daniel 2:14]].
### Theological Significance
The conceptual weight of `{{H5312}}` is significant and appears in several key themes:
* **Execution of Authority:** `{{H5312}}` is linked to the enactment of power. A royal decree "went forth" [[Daniel 2:13]], and the king's captain had "gone forth" to carry it out [[Daniel 2:14]], illustrating how a command is put into motion.
* **Supernatural Manifestation:** The word is used to describe dramatic, divine appearances. It marks the moment a disembodied hand "came forth" [[Daniel 5:5]] and the vision of a fiery stream that "came forth" from before God's throne of judgment [[Daniel 7:10]].
* **Sacrilege and Restoration:** The repeated action of Nebuchadnezzar having "taken" (`{{H5312}}`) the holy vessels from God's temple establishes a theme of sacrilege ([[Daniel 5:2]], [[Ezra 5:14]]). The eventual restoration of these items is a central theme in Ezra.
* **Miraculous Deliverance:** The exit of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they "came forth" from the furnace is a key moment of God's power to save His servants from certain death [[Daniel 3:26]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5312}}` signifies more than simple movement; it captures the decisive moment of emergence. This can be the enactment of a human decree, the plunder of sacred items, or a powerful divine intervention. The word connects the spheres of royal authority, divine judgment, and miraculous salvation, showing how things are brought out from one state into another, often with profound consequences.
TRV