Word Study for H5366 (נְקָרָה)

nᵉqârâh /nek-aw-raw'/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom נָקַר, a fissure

Meaning(to bore (penetrate, quarry))

KJV usagecleft, clift.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nᵉqârâh — 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 nᵉqârâh, represented by H5366, refers to a fissure or cleft. It is derived from a root word meaning to bore, penetrate, or quarry. This term appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, consistently describing a fissure within a rock.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5366 describes a place of hiding or divine protection. In Exodus, God places Moses in a clift H5366 of the rock to shield him from the full force of His passing glory Exodus 33:22. In contrast, the prophet Isaiah describes people fleeing into the clefts H5366 of the rocks out of terror at the majesty of the LORD when He arises to judge the earth Isaiah 2:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to form the geological and theological landscape in which H5366 is found:

H6697 tsûwr (a cliff, rock, boulder; figuratively, a refuge): This word often describes the larger rock formation in which the cleft is found. It is frequently used as a title for God, identifying Him as a source of strength and refuge Deuteronomy 32:4.
H5553 çelaʻ (a craggy rock, stone, strong hold): Often used to describe a rugged or lofty rock, this term appears alongside H5366 in Isaiah to describe the "ragged rocks" where people hide Isaiah 2:21. It can also signify a place of stability and deliverance Psalms 40:2.
H5585 çâʻîyph (a fissure (of rocks); also a bough): This word, translated as "tops" in Isaiah 2:21, is nearly synonymous with H5366 and reinforces the image of people seeking shelter in the highest and most remote crevices of the mountains.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5366 is centered on the theme of refuge in the midst of overwhelming divine power.

Divinely Appointed Shelter: The clift is not merely a natural formation but a place designated by God to protect humanity from an otherwise unbearable encounter with His pure glory H3519, as seen in the account of Moses Exodus 33:22.
A Hiding Place from Judgment: The same location serves as a desperate refuge for those fleeing God's terrifying majesty. This highlights a dual reality: the presence of God can be a source of protection for the righteous and a source of terror for others Isaiah 2:21.
Refuge in the Rock: The concept of a cleft within a rock H6697 is powerful, as the rock itself is a frequent biblical metaphor for God's strength and stability 1 Samuel 2:2. The clift therefore represents a place of intimate safety found within the very character of God.

Summary

In summary, while H5366 is a rare word, it carries significant weight. As a cleft or fissure, it represents a place of refuge within the unshakeable mass of a rock. Biblically, it is used to illustrate a profound truth about God's presence: it is a place of both intimate protection for those He shelters and a source of fear from which others must hide, underscoring the importance of one's relationship to the "Rock of our salvation" Psalms 95:1.

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 2 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.

נִקְרוֹת
נִקְרַת

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Exodus

Isaiah

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.