נָקַף

nâqaph /naw-kaf'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto strike with more or less violence (beat, fell, corrode); by implication (of attack) to knock together, i.e. surround or circulate
KJV usagecompass (about, -ing), cut down, destroy, go round (about), inclose, round.
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word nâqaph, represented by H5362, is a primitive root with a range of meanings related to striking, surrounding, and circulating. Its definitions include to beat, fell, corrode, surround, cut down, destroy, and go round about. It appears 20 times across 19 unique verses, demonstrating its use in various contexts, from violent destruction to strategic encirclement.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H5362 is used to convey several distinct actions. It describes a hostile surrounding, as when the psalmist cries out that an "assembly of the wicked have inclosed me" Psalms 22:16. Job uses it to express a sense of being trapped by God, stating that God has "compassed me with his net" Job 19:6. The word also signifies destructive force, as in Isaiah's prophecy that the Lord "shall cut down the thickets of the forest" Isaiah 10:34. In a more procedural sense, it denotes circulation, such as the Israelites being instructed to "go round about the city" of Jericho Joshua 6:3 or the completion of a cycle when Job's sons' feasting days "were gone about" Job 1:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H5362 is used:

  • H5437 çâbab (to revolve, surround): This verb is often used in tandem with nâqaph to emphasize the act of circling something. For instance, the Israelites are to "compass the city... and go round about the city" Joshua 6:3, and the people are invited to "Walk about Zion, and go round about her" Psalms 48:12.
  • H5439 çâbîyb (around, on every side): This adverb specifies the nature of the surrounding. It is used to describe the decorative knops "compassing the sea round about" in the temple 1 Kings 7:24 and the guards who were to "compass the king round about" for his protection 2 Kings 11:8.
  • H5712 ʻêdâh (assembly, congregation): This noun can identify the group performing the action of enclosing. In a key messianic psalm, it is the "assembly of the wicked" that has "inclosed" the suffering speaker Psalms 22:16.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H5362 is significant, often defined by its intent.

  • Hostile Encirclement: The word frequently depicts a threatening siege or being trapped by adversaries. Enemies "compass me about" Psalms 17:9, and in a moment of despair, a voice from Lamentations says God has "compassed me with gall and travail" Lamentations 3:5.
  • Destructive Force: nâqaph carries a strong connotation of felling or destroying. It is used for cutting down thickets with iron Isaiah 10:34, the destruction of the body after death Job 19:26, and even the killing of sacrifices Isaiah 29:1.
  • Protective or Ritual Circulation: In contrast, the word can describe a methodical, non-hostile surrounding. The Levites were commanded to "compass the king round about" with their weapons to protect him 2 Chronicles 23:7. Similarly, the army circling Jericho was a strategic and divine command Joshua 6:11.

Summary

In summary, H5362 is a versatile term that encompasses a spectrum of actions from surrounding to striking down. Its meaning is heavily influenced by the context, able to describe the hostile pressure of enemies, the finality of destruction, the strategic movement of an army, and the protective circle of royal guards. nâqaph illustrates how a single Hebrew root can convey actions that are physically similar but motivationally opposite.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 19 occurrences, inflected in 15 grammatical forms.

  • Hiphil Perfect 3rd Plural common gender 3×
  • Hiphil Infinitive Absolute 2×
  • Hiphil Participle Plural Masculine Absolute 2×
  • Hiphil Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Hiphil Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Hiphil Consecutive Perfect 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Hiphil Consecutive Perfect 3rd Plural common gender 1×
  • Hiphil Imperative 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Hiphil Imperfect 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Hiphil Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Hiphil Perfect 3rd Singular Feminine 1×
  • Hiphil Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×

+ 3 rarer forms

Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Imperative
A command or entreaty.
Infinitive
The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Hiphil
The causative stem — the subject causes the action.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 19 verses across 9 books. Most frequent in Psalms (4 verses).

1
Leviticus
2
Joshua
1
1 Kings
2
2 Kings
2
2 Chronicles
3
Job
4
Psalms
3
Isaiah
1
Lamentations

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