Word Study for H5016 (נְבוּאָה)

nᵉbûwʼâh /neb-oo-aw'/ Ask about this word

Meaninga prediction (spoken or written)

KJV usageprophecy.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nᵉbûwʼâh — 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 nᵉbûwʼâh, represented by H5016, is defined as a prediction (spoken or written); prophecy. Derived from the word for prophesying, it appears 3 times in 3 unique verses. The term specifically refers to the message itself, whether delivered orally or as a written record.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5016 is used to denote authoritative messages. It is presented as a form of historical record in the "prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite," which chronicled the acts of Solomon 2 Chronicles 9:29. It also functions as a direct, spoken message that prompts action, as when King Asa heard the "prophecy of Oded the prophet" and took courage to purge the land of idols and renew the LORD's altar 2 Chronicles 15:8. The term also carries the weight of authenticity, as seen when Nehemiah perceived that a prophecy spoken against him was not from God, but was a hired pronouncement Nehemiah 6:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller context for the concept of prophecy:

H5030 nâbîyʼ (prophet): This identifies the person who delivers the prophecy, described as a "prophet or (generally) inspired man." The prophecy of Oded is delivered by Oded the prophet 2 Chronicles 15:8.
H1697 dâbâr (a word; a matter): This term for "word" or "matter" is used in conjunction with prophecy, as when Asa heard "these words, and the prophecy of Oded" 2 Chronicles 15:8.
H2374 chôzeh (seer): Meaning "a beholder in vision," this term describes a person receiving divine communication visually. It is used in parallel with "prophet," as the "visions of Iddo the seer" are listed alongside the "prophecy of Ahijah" 2 Chronicles 9:29.
H2378 châzôwth (vision): This word for "a revelation" is directly linked to prophecy. The "visions of Iddo the seer" are recorded next to the "prophecy of Ahijah" 2 Chronicles 9:29.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5016 centers on the nature of divine communication and its reception.

Divine Record: Prophecy can function as a divinely sanctioned historical account. The "prophecy of Ahijah" is cited as an authoritative source for the events of Solomon's reign 2 Chronicles 9:29.
Call to Action: A true prophecy from God is not passive information but an active word intended to produce a response. The prophecy given to King Asa resulted in immediate religious reform and covenant renewal 2 Chronicles 15:8.
Discernment of Source: The concept highlights the critical need for discernment. Nehemiah's ability to perceive that a prophecy was not sent from God but was pronounced by a hired man demonstrates that not all prophetic utterances are legitimate Nehemiah 6:12.

Summary

In summary, H5016 defines the substance of a prophetic message. Though used infrequently, its appearances are significant, illustrating that a prophecy can be a written chronicle, a spoken directive for repentance and action, or a deceptive pronouncement from a false source. The term underscores the biblical importance of heeding God's true word while simultaneously testing the spirits to discern a message's origin.

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 3 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.

נְּבוּאָה
נְבוּאַת

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 3 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Chronicles (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

2 Chronicles

Nehemiah

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.