נַחַל
nachal · nakh'-al
a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine)
Lexicon
Derivation: or (feminine) נַחְלָה; (Psalm 124:4), or נַחֲלָה; (Ezekiel 47:19; Ezekiel 48:28), from H5157 (נָחַל) in its original sense;
a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine)
- a stream, especially a winter torrent
- (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs)
- also, a shaft (of a mine)
Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.
KJV renderings: brook, flood, river, stream, valley.
Letters
- נNun50
Picture: a sprouting seed, or a fish in water
- Concrete
- seed · sprout · fish · offspring
- Extended
- life · continuation · heir · to perpetuate
- חHet8
Picture: courtyard wall or enclosure
- Concrete
- wall · fence · tent wall
- Extended
- to separate · protection · the inside vs. the outside · private
- לLamed30
Picture: shepherd's staff or goad
- Concrete
- staff · goad · yoke · cattle prod
- Extended
- authority · to lead · to teach · to bind · toward
Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)
the seed, life continuing › to separate and protect › authority, the one who leads
The seed, life continuing that works to separate and protect of authority, the one who leads.
Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of נַחַל above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.
Usage
141 occurrences · 141 OT · 0 NT · 76 distinct forms
KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.
- of the river16 · 17%
- unto the river9 · 10%
- the brook8 · 9%
- in the valley7 · 7%
- of the brook6 · 6%
- of the brooks4 · 4%
- the river4 · 4%
- unto the brook3 · 3%
- stream3 · 3%
- of the valley3 · 3%
- to the brook3 · 3%
- from the river3 · 3%
- even unto the river3 · 3%
- unto the valley2 · 2%
- and in the rivers2 · 2%
- it at the brook2 · 2%
- by the brook2 · 2%
- at the brook2 · 2%
- of rivers2 · 2%
- of brooks2 · 2%
- the valley2 · 2%
- and the streams2 · 2%
- which is by the river2 · 2%
- as the valleys1 · 1%
- and in the brooks1 · 1%
Where it is used, by book.
Inflected forms found in the text.
Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.