נָבָא
to prophesy
‘to prophesy’ is one of 3 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Niphal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Stem
- Niphal
- Usually the simple passive or reflexive of the Qal (“he was written”). Here: ‘prophesy under influence of divine spirit’
- Hithpael
- The reflexive or reciprocal stem (the subject acts on itself). Here: ‘prophesy under influence of divine spirit’
Form
- Imperative
- A direct command (“write!”).
- Participle Active
- A verbal adjective expressing ongoing or characteristic action (“writing / one who writes”).
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Perfect
- A completed action or state — Hebrew marks aspect (completeness) more than strict tense (“he wrote”).
- Infinitive Construct
- A bound verbal noun, frequently with prepositions (“to write / in writing”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Participle Passive
- A verbal adjective expressing action received (“written”).
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Person
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 1st Person
- The speaker (“I / we”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Common
- Either gender — not distinguished for this form.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
79 distinct verses where H5012 appears in the Niphal stem, across 9 books. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
1 Samuel 2 verses
- 1 Samuel 10:11 נִבָּ֑א Niphal ptcp.act ms It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
- 1 Samuel 19:20 נִבְּאִ֔ים וַ/יִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ Niphal ptcp.act mp conj + Hithpael wimpf 3mp Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
1 Kings 1 verse
1 Chronicles 3 verses
- 1 Chronicles 25:1 הַֽ/נִּבְּאִ֛ים ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.pass mp Moreover, David and the captains of the host set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of those who did the work according to their service was:
- 1 Chronicles 25:2 הַ/נִּבָּ֖א ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act ms of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied after the order of the king.
- 1 Chronicles 25:3 הַ/נִּבָּ֕א ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act ms Of Jeduthun; the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh.
2 Chronicles 1 verse
Jeremiah 33 verses
- Jeremiah 2:8 נִבְּא֣וּ Niphal pf 3cp The priests didn't say, Where is Yahweh? and those who handle the law didn't know me: the rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
- Jeremiah 5:31 נִבְּא֣וּ Niphal pf 3cp the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will you do in the end of it?
- Jeremiah 11:21 תִנָּבֵא֙ Niphal impf 2ms Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, You shall not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, that you not die by our hand;
- Jeremiah 14:14 נִבְּאִ֣ים מִֽתְנַבְּאִ֥ים Niphal ptcp.act mp Hithpael ptcp.act mp Then Yahweh said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I didn't send them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.
- Jeremiah 14:15 הַ/נִּבְּאִ֣ים ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I didn't send them, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
- Jeremiah 14:16 נִבְּאִ֣ים Niphal ptcp.act mp The people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them-them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness on them.
- Jeremiah 19:14 לְ/הִנָּבֵ֑א prep + Niphal inf.cs Then came Jeremiah from Topheth, where Yahweh had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of Yahweh's house, and said to all the people:
- Jeremiah 20:1 נִבָּ֖א Niphal ptcp.pass ms Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of Yahweh, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.
- Jeremiah 20:6 נִבֵּ֥אתָ Niphal pf 2ms You, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house shall go into captivity; and you shall come to Babylon, and there you shall die, and there shall you be buried, you, and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.
- Jeremiah 23:16 הַ/נִּבְּאִ֣ים ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, Don't listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 23:21 נִבָּֽאוּ Niphal pf 3cp I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I didn't speak to them, yet they prophesied.
- Jeremiah 23:25 הַֽ/נִּבְּאִ֥ים ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
- Jeremiah 23:26 נִבְּאֵ֣י Niphal ptcp.act mp cs How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?
- Jeremiah 23:32 נִבְּאֵ֞י Niphal ptcp.act mp cs Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says Yahweh, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I didn't send them, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 25:13 נִבָּ֥א Niphal pf 3ms I will bring on that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.
- Jeremiah 25:30 תִּנָּבֵ֣א Niphal impf 2ms Therefore prophesy you against them all these words, and tell them, Yahweh will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he will mightily roar against his fold; he will give a shout, as those who tread [the grapes], against all the inhabitants of the earth.
- Jeremiah 26:9 נִבֵּ֨יתָ Niphal pf 2ms Why have you prophesied in the name of Yahweh, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant? All the people were gathered to Jeremiah in the house of Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 26:11 נִבָּא֙ Niphal pf 3ms Then spoke the priests and the prophets to the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.
- Jeremiah 26:12 לְ/הִנָּבֵ֞א prep + Niphal inf.cs Then spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people, saying, Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.
- Jeremiah 26:18 נִבָּ֔א Niphal ptcp.act ms Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.
- Jeremiah 26:20 מִתְנַבֵּא֙ וַ/יִּנָּבֵ֞א Hithpael ptcp.act ms conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms There was also a man who prophesied in the name of Yahweh, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath Jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:
- Jeremiah 27:10 נִבְּאִ֣ים Niphal ptcp.act mp for they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.
- Jeremiah 27:14 נִבְּאִ֥ים Niphal ptcp.act mp Don't listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
- Jeremiah 27:15 נִבְּאִ֥ים הַֽ/נִּבְּאִ֥ים Niphal ptcp.act mp ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp For I have not sent them, says Yahweh, but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you, and the prophets who prophesy to you.
- Jeremiah 27:16 הַֽ/נִּבְּאִ֤ים נִבְּאִ֥ים ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp Niphal ptcp.act mp Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says Yahweh: Don't listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of Yahweh's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
- Jeremiah 28:6 נִבֵּ֗אתָ Niphal pf 2ms even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: Yahweh do so; Yahweh perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Yahweh's house, and all them of the captivity, from Babylon to this place.
- Jeremiah 28:8 וַ/יִּנָּ֨בְא֜וּ conj + Niphal wimpf 3mp The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
- Jeremiah 28:9 יִנָּבֵ֖א Niphal impf 3ms The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet shall happen, then shall the prophet be known, that Yahweh has truly sent him.
- Jeremiah 29:9 נִבְּאִ֥ים Niphal ptcp.act mp For they prophesy falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 29:21 הַֽ/נִּבְּאִ֥ים ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall kill them before your eyes;
- Jeremiah 29:31 נִבָּ֨א Niphal pf 3ms Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus says Yahweh concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I didn't send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie;
- Jeremiah 32:3 נִבָּ֜א Niphal ptcp.act ms For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Why do you prophesy, and say, Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
- Jeremiah 37:19 נִבְּא֥וּ Niphal pf 3cp Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
Ezekiel 30 verses
- Ezekiel 4:7 וְ/נִבֵּאתָ֖ conj + Niphal wpf 2ms You shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm uncovered; and you shall prophesy against it.
- Ezekiel 6:2 וְ/הִנָּבֵ֖א conj + Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy to them,
- Ezekiel 11:4 הִנָּבֵ֣א הִנָּבֵ֖א Niphal impv 2ms Niphal impv 2ms Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man.
- Ezekiel 11:13 כְּ/הִנָּ֣בְאִ֔/י prep + Niphal inf.cs + sfx pers 1cs It happened, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down on my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord Yahweh! will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
- Ezekiel 12:27 נִבָּֽא Niphal ptcp.act ms Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he sees is for many day to come, and he prophesies of times that are far off.
- Ezekiel 13:2 הִנָּבֵ֛א הַ/נִּבָּאִ֑ים Niphal impv 2ms ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say you to those who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear you the word of Yahweh:
- Ezekiel 13:16 הַֽ/נִבְּאִים֙ ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp [to wit], the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, says the Lord Yahweh.
- Ezekiel 13:17 הַ/מִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וֹת וְ/הִנָּבֵ֖א ptcl def.art + Hithpael ptcp.act fp conj + Niphal impv 2ms You, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy you against them,
- Ezekiel 20:46 וְ/הִנָּבֵ֛א conj + Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, set your face toward the south, and drop [your word] toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South;
- Ezekiel 21:2 וְ/הִנָּבֵ֖א conj + Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and drop [your word] toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel;
- Ezekiel 21:9 הִנָּבֵא֙ Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says Yahweh: Say, A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, and also furbished;
- Ezekiel 21:14 הִנָּבֵ֕א Niphal impv 2ms You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one who is deadly wounded, which enters into their chambers.
- Ezekiel 21:28 הִנָּבֵ֤א Niphal impv 2ms You, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach; and say you, A sword, a sword is drawn, for the slaughter it is furbished, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning;
- Ezekiel 25:2 וְ/הִנָּבֵ֖א conj + Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, set your face toward the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them:
- Ezekiel 28:21 וְ/הִנָּבֵ֖א conj + Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against it,
- Ezekiel 29:2 וְ/הִנָּבֵ֣א conj + Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt;
- Ezekiel 30:2 הִנָּבֵא֙ Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Wail, Alas for the day!
- Ezekiel 34:2 הִנָּבֵ֖א הִנָּבֵ֣א Niphal impv 2ms Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep?
- Ezekiel 35:2 וְ/הִנָּבֵ֖א conj + Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
- Ezekiel 36:1 הִנָּבֵ֖א Niphal impv 2ms You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of Yahweh.
- Ezekiel 36:3 הִנָּבֵ֣א Niphal impv 2ms therefore prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because, even because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that you might be a possession to the residue of the nations, and you are taken up in the lips of talkers, and the evil report of the people;
- Ezekiel 36:6 הִנָּבֵ֖א Niphal impv 2ms Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations:
- Ezekiel 37:4 הִנָּבֵ֖א Niphal impv 2ms Again he said to me, Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, you dry bones, hear the word of Yahweh.
- Ezekiel 37:7 וְ/נִבֵּ֖אתִי כְּ/הִנָּֽבְאִ/י֙ conj + Niphal pf 1cs prep + Niphal inf.cs + sfx pers 1cs So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and, behold, an earthquake; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.
- Ezekiel 37:9 הִנָּבֵ֖א הִנָּבֵ֣א Niphal impv 2ms Niphal impv 2ms Then said he to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.
- Ezekiel 37:12 הִנָּבֵ֨א Niphal impv 2ms Therefore prophesy, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.
- Ezekiel 38:2 וְ/הִנָּבֵ֖א conj + Niphal impv 2ms Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
- Ezekiel 38:14 הִנָּבֵ֣א Niphal impv 2ms Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and tell Gog, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In that day when my people Israel dwells securely, shall you not know it?
- Ezekiel 38:17 הַֽ/נִּבְּאִ֛ים ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Are you he of whom I spoke in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for [many] years that I would bring you against them?
- Ezekiel 39:1 הִנָּבֵ֣א Niphal impv 2ms You, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal:
Joel 1 verse
Amos 6 verses
- Amos 2:12 תִּנָּבְאֽוּ Niphal impf 2mp "But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, And commanded the prophets, saying, 'Don't prophesy!'
- Amos 3:8 יִנָּבֵֽא Niphal impf 3ms The lion has roared. Who will not fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken. Who can but prophesy?
- Amos 7:12 תִּנָּבֵֽא Niphal impf 2ms Amaziah also said to Amos, "You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
- Amos 7:13 לְ/הִנָּבֵ֑א prep + Niphal inf.cs but don't prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house!"
- Amos 7:15 הִנָּבֵ֖א Niphal impv 2ms and Yahweh took me from following the flock, and Yahweh said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
- Amos 7:16 תִנָּבֵא֙ Niphal impf 2ms Now therefore listen to the word of Yahweh: 'You say, Don't prophesy against Israel, and don't preach against the house of Isaac.'
Zechariah 2 verses
- Zechariah 13:3 יִנָּבֵ֣א בְּ/הִנָּבְאֽ/וֹ Niphal impf 3ms prep + Niphal inf.cs + sfx pers 3ms It will happen that, when anyone still prophesies, then his father and his mother who bore him will tell him, 'You must die, because you speak lies in the name of Yahweh;' and his father and his mother who bore him will stab him when he prophesies.
- Zechariah 13:4 בְּ/הִנָּֽבְאֹת֑/וֹ prep + Niphal inf.cs + sfx pers 3ms It will happen in that day, that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision, when he prophesies; neither will they wear a hairy mantle to deceive:
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
נבא — transliterated nâbâʼ — is a Hebrew verb carrying the sense “to prophesy.” Debuting at Numbers 11:25, it then recurs through the corpus. It appears 102 verses across 10 books of the Hebrew Bible, among its common vocabulary. More than a third of its appearances fall in Jeremiah. Different stems carry different senses — BDB groups them under 2 stems, among them Niphal and Hithpael. Each statement above links to its evidence; the full detail follows below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H5012 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 102
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 102 distinct verses.
- 10 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 10 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #382
- by frequency
- Top 500 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 382 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 102 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 102 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 91 verses · 89%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 8 verses · 8%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 3 verses · 3%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Prophesy 42×, Prophesied 17×, They prophesy 7×
- American Standard Version: Prophesy 28×, Prophesied 11×, They prophesy 6×
- Berean Standard Bible: Prophesy 47×, Prophesied 10×, Prophesying 10×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Prophesy 41×, Are prophesying 12×, Prophesied 8×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H5012 across 115 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 24 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H5012 across 114 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 40 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H5012 across 114 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 14 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H5012 across 121 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 12 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
12 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
Hebrew verbs can shift meaning by stem (binyan): Qal is the basic action, Niphal is often passive or reflexive, Piel often intensifies or makes it factitive, and Hiphil is typically causative. The senses below are grouped under the stem BDB assigns to each. This entry also uses Hithpael (reflexive or reciprocal).
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 12 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
Niphal
- Pf. 3 ms. נִבָּא Je 20:1 + 7 times; 2 ms. נִבֵּאתָ Je 20:6 + 2 times; נִבֵּיתָ Je 26:9; 1 s. נִבֵּאתִי Ez 37:7; 3 pl. נִבְּאוּ Je 2:8 + 3 times; נִבָּ֑נוּ Je 23:21; Impf. 3 ms. יִנָּבֵא Am 3:8 + 9 times Impf.; Imv. הִנָּבֵא Am 7:15 + 27 times; Inf. הִנָּבֵא Am 7:13; sf. הִנָּֽבְאוֹ Zc 13:3; הִנָּֽבְאֹתוֹ Zc 13:4, + 4 times Inf.; Pt. נִבָּא Je 26:18 + (Ges§ 93 oo);— e.g. Jeremiah 20:1
- 1. prophesy under influence of divine spirit:
- a. in the ecstatic state, with song 1 S 10:11; 19:20 and music 1 Ch 25:1, 2, 3. e.g. 1 Samuel 10:11
- b. the word of י׳: abs. Am 2:12; 3:8 (emend. יחרד We Now needless), 7:12, 13 Jo 3:1 Je 19:14; 26:18; 28:9; 32:3 Ez 11:13; 12:27; 21:19; 37:7; 38:17 but especially in phr. הִנָּבֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ Ez 12:27; 21:14, 33; 30:2; 34:2; 36:3; 37:7, 12; 38:14, 17; c. acc. Je 20:1; 25:30; 28:6; sq. עַל against Am 7:16 Je 25:13; 26:20 Ez 4:7; 11:4; 13:17; 25:2; 28:21; 29:2; 34:2; 35:2; 36:6; 38:2; 39:1; unto Ez 37:4; אֶל unto Am 7:15 Je 26:11, 12; 28:8 Ez 36:1; 37:9; against 6:2; 13:2; 21:2, 7; בְּשֵׁם י׳ Je 11:21; 14:15; 23:25; 26:9. e.g. Amos 2:12
- 2. of false prophets: abs. Je 23:21 Ez 13:2 Zc 13:3(×2), 4; c. acc. 1 K 22:12 = 2 Ch 18:11; שֶׁקֶר Je 14:14; 23:25; 27:10, 14, 16; 29:21; לַשָּׁ֑קֶר 27:15; בַּשֶּׁקֶר 5:31; 20:6, 29:9; נִבְּאֵי הַשּׁ׳ 23:26, cf. v 32; c. לְ 14:16; 23:16; 27:15, 16; 29:31; 37:19; sq. אֶל concerning Ez 13:16. e.g. Jeremiah 23:21
- 3. cf. heathen prophets, בַּבַּעַל Je 2:8. e.g. Jeremiah 2:8
Hithpael
- Pf. 2 ms. הִתְנַבִּיתָ 1 S 10:6; 1 s. הִנַּבֵּאתִי Ez 37:10; 3 pl. הִנַּבְּאוּ Je 23:13; Impf. יִתְנַבֵּא 1 S 10:10 + 7 times; 3 mpl. יִתְנַבְּאוּ Nu 11:25 + 5 times; Inf. הִתְנַבּוֹת 1 S 10:13; Pt. מִתְנַבֵּא Je 26:20 + 9 times Pt.;— e.g. 1 Samuel 10:6
- 1. prophesy under influence of divine spirit:
- a. in the ecstatic state Nu 11:25, 26, 27 (J), with music 1 S 10:5, 6, 10, 13, in frenzy 1 S 19:20, 21(×2), 23, 24; excited to violence 1 S 18:10 (= מְשֻׁגָּע mad 2 K 9:11); Je 29:26. e.g. Numbers 11:25
- b. apart from ecstatic state, abs. Ez 37:10, c. לְ 1 K 22:8 Je 29:27; על 1 K 22:18 = 2 Ch 18:17, 2 Ch 18:7; 20:37; בְּשֵׁם י׳ Je 26:20. e.g. Ezekiel 37:10
- 2. of heathen prophets of Baal in ecstatic state 1 K 18:29; בַּבַּעַל Je 23:13. e.g. 1 Kings 18:29
- 3. of false prophets 1 K 22:10 = 2 Ch 18:9, Je 14:14 Ez 13:17. e.g. 1 Kings 22:10
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
vb. denom. prophesy (in oldest forms, of religious ecstasy with or without song and music; later, essentially religious instruction, with occasional predictions);—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Origin: a primitive root
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
*נִבָּא
- eggs of lice, Var. in Ar. for אִנְבָּא II.
נָבָא
- , v. נבי II
נבי II
- to burst forth, blow.
- to be inspired, to prophesy. Snh. 39ᵇ יבא … ויִנָּבֵא על וכ׳ let Obadiah come … and prophesy against &c.; a. e.
- same. Ex. R. s. 4. כמה … שלא להִתְנַבְּאוֹת ונ׳ וכ׳ how much Jeremiah desired not to be a prophet, and yet he prophesied against his will. Sot. 12ᵇ נִתְנַבְּאָה שלא מדעתה she prophesied unwittingly. Ib. מִתְנַבְּאָה ואינה וכ׳ she prophesied but did not know what she prophesied. Meg. 14ᵃ ארְבעים … נִתְנַבְּאוּ להם וכ׳ forty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses prophesied to Israel &c. B. Bath. 15ᵇ; a. fr.
נְבֵי
- Ithpa. אִיתְנַבָּא, אִיתְנַבֵּי, אִינַּבֵּי same. Targ. Num. XI, 25, sq.; a. fr.—Meg. 14ᵇ ובמקום דקאי ירמיהו היכי מִיתְנַבְּיָא איהי how could she (Huldah) dare to prophesy in the same place with Jeremiah? Snh. 96ᵇ דאינ׳ להו לישראל בחורבתא וכ׳ who had prophesied to Israel the destruction of the Temple. B. Bath. 15ᵇ אִינַּבּוּיֵ אינבי לאומות העולם (read. אינַבּוּ; Ms. M. אִינַּבִּיאוּ) they prophesied for the gentiles; ib. הכא נמי איוב אינבוי אינבי לעכ"ום so Job likewise prophesied for the gentiles. Ib. [read:] אטו כולהו נביאי מי לא אִינַּבּוּ וכ׳ (Ms. M. אינביאו, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note) did not all prophets prophesy for the gentiles?
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 77 distinct written forms H5012 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that stem’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 17 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H5012, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derived from this word
Compare all same-root words → They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 94 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 102 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Numbers 11:25
- 1 Samuel 10:5
- 1 Kings 18:29
- 1 Chronicles 25:1
- 2 Chronicles 18:7
- Jeremiah 2:8
- Ezekiel 4:7
- Amos 2:12
- Zechariah 13:3
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
