Word Study for H5356 (נִקָּיוֹן)

niqqâyôwn /nik-kaw-yone'/ Ask about this word

Rootor נִקָּיֹן · from נָקָה

Meaningclearness (literally or figuratively)

KJV usagecleanness, innocency.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of niqqâyôwn — 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 niqqâyôwn, represented by H5356, describes clearness, cleanness, or innocency. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. The term can be used in a literal sense, describing a physical state, or figuratively to convey moral blamelessness and purity.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5356 is used to express several distinct ideas. It signifies a declaration of personal blamelessness, as when Abimelech defends his actions by stating he acted in the "innocency of my hands" Genesis 20:5. The psalmist uses the term to describe a state of ritual and heart purity required to approach God, declaring, "I will wash mine hands in innocency" (Psalms 26:6, Psalms 73:13). In a prophetic judgment, it takes on a literal meaning where God gives Israel "cleanness of teeth," a metaphor for severe famine Amos 4:6. Finally, it represents a desired state of moral purity that God's people had failed to achieve Hosea 8:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of cleanness and innocence:

H8537 tôm (innocence; integrity): This word is used alongside H5356 to describe a complete state of blamelessness, encompassing both the heart's intention and the hands' actions Genesis 20:5.
H7364 râchats (to wash): This verb describes the physical action that symbolizes the inner state of H5356, as seen in the phrase "washed my hands in innocency" Psalms 73:13.
H2135 zâkâh (to be innocent; be clean): This verb for cleansing is paired with the concept of washing one's hands in innocency, highlighting the effort to achieve a state of purity Psalms 73:13.
H8127 shên (a tooth): This word is used in the literal application of H5356 to signify the "cleanness of teeth" that results from a famine sent as judgment Amos 4:6.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5356 centers on the concepts of moral standing and divine judgment.

Moral Blamelessness: The word establishes a standard for innocence, particularly in one's actions. Abimelech's plea of "innocency of my hands" shows it as a defense against guilt Genesis 20:5.
Purity for Worship: The connection between washing and innocency indicates that a state of purity is necessary for approaching God's presence. It links an outward act to an inward spiritual condition Psalms 26:6.
A Condition of Judgment: Innocency is not only a state to be achieved but also one from which people can fall. God's question in Hosea shows that a lack of innocency is a cause for divine anger Hosea 8:5, while the "cleanness of teeth" in Amos reveals that God can use a literal, negative cleanness to punish a people who have not returned to Him Amos 4:6.

Summary

In summary, H5356 is a focused term that signifies more than simple cleanliness. It conveys a state of being cleared from guilt, whether in a legal, moral, or ritual sense. From a declaration of personal integrity before a king to the state of a nation before God, H5356 defines a condition of blamelessness that has profound implications for one's relationship with both man and God.

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 5 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.

נִקָּיוֹן
נִקְיֹן

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 5 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (2 verses); never once in the other 35.

Genesis

Psalms

Hosea

Amos

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.