נָמַל
to circumcise
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Qal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Stem
- Qal
- The basic, simple active stem — the plain form of the verb (“he wrote”).
- Niphal
- Usually the simple passive or reflexive of the Qal (“he was written”).
Form
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
Person
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
- Singular
- One.
4 distinct verses where H5243 appears in the Qal stem, across 2 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.
Job 3 verses
- Job 14:2 וַ/יִּמָּ֑ל conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue.
- Job 18:16 יִמַּ֥ל Qal impf 3ms His roots shall be dried up beneath, Above shall his branch be cut off.
- Job 24:24 יִמָּֽלוּ Qal impf 3mp They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, And are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
Psalms 1 verse
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.
נמל — transliterated nâmal — is a Hebrew verb carrying the sense “to circumcise.” It is rare — just 5 verses in the entire Hebrew Bible. More than half of its appearances fall in Job. Debuting at Genesis 17:11, it then recurs through the corpus. As a verb its force shifts by stem, across 5 stems (Qal, Niphal, and more). 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 H5243 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 →
- 5
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 5 distinct verses.
- 3 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 3 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #3,337
- by frequency
- Top 5000 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 3,337 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 5 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 5 distinct verses.
- Writings (Ketuvim) 4 verses · 80%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 1 verse · 20%
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).
BDB lists this Strong’s number as 6 distinct words (homographs). Each count above pools all of them and is not split by sense — see the Senses section below. A low-frequency rendering may belong to a different one of those words, not the primary meaning.
- King James Version†: All other and cut off 1×, Be cut down 1×, Be cut off 1×
- American Standard Version†: All others 1×, Be cut down 1×, Be cut off 1×
- Berean Standard Bible†: They are cut off 1×, They wither 1×, Wither away 1×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text†: Withers 2×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H5243 across 5† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H5243 across 5† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H5243 across 4† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H5243 across 6† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 4 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
13 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 one or more reduplicated stems (the Pōlēl/Pilpēl type), which for hollow or geminate roots behave much like Piel — often intensive or iterative.
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 13 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.
נמל I
- 1. subst. only 1 K 7:5 (si vera l.: v. Sta ZAW 1883, 151) וּמוּל מֶחֱזָה אֶל־מֶחֱזָה and the front of (one) window was towards (the other) window, and Ne 12:38 לְמוֹאל = in the opposite direction (but read prob. לִשְׂמאוֹל, cf. לַיָּמִין v 31). e.g. 1 Kings 7:5
- 2. as prep., Dt 1:1; 2:19 מוּל בני עמון in front of the Ammonites, 3:29 (= 4:46; 34:6) מוּל בית פעור, 11:30 Jos 18:18; 19:46 מוּל יָפוֹ, 1 S 14:5(×2); fig. Ex 18:19 הֱיֵה אַתָּה לעם מול האלהים in front of God, i.e. representing God to them. With prefixes:— e.g. Deuteronomy 1:1
- a. אל־מול towards the front of, 1 S 17:30 וַיִּסֹּב מֵאֶצְלוֹ אֶל־מוּל אַחֵר to the front of another; on the front of, Ex 34:3 (pregn.) וְאַל־יִרְעוּ אל־מול ההר, Jos 8:33(×2); 9:1; 22:11 (v. WAW JPh. xiii. 117 ff.); spec. אֶל־מוּל פְּנֵי towards or on the forefront of, Ex 26:9 28:25 (‖ 39:18), v 37 Lv 8:9 Nu 8:2, 3 2 S 11:15 set ye Uriah אל־מול פני המלחמה. e.g. 1 Samuel 17:30
- b. מִמּוּל:—(a) from the front of, Mi 2:8 (text dub.: read prob. מֵעַל). (b) of position, off (v. מן 1 c) the front of, Lv 5:8 מִמּוּל עָרְפּוֹ off the front of its neck, i.e. close in front of it, Nu 22:5 והוא יושׁב מִמֻּלִי close in front of me, 2 S 5:23 (1 Ch 14:14) ובאת להם ממול בכאים come to them off the front of the mulberry-trees, 1 K 7:39 (2 Ch 4:10) מִמּוּל נֶגֶב; מִמּוּל פָּנָיו on the forefront of, Ex 28:27 (‖ 39:20). e.g. Micah 2:8
נמל II circumcise (NH id.
Qal
- Pf. 3 ms. מָל Jos 5:4 + 2 times; 2 ms. מַלְתָּה Ex 12:44; 3 mpl. מָ֫לוּ Jos 5:5, 7; 2 mpl. מַלְתֶּם Dt 10:16; Impf. וַיָּ֫מָל Gn 17:23 + 2 times; Imv. מֹל Jos 5:2; Pt. pass. מוּל Je 9:24; pl. מֻלִים Jos 5:5;—circumcise, c. acc. בשׂר ערלה (flesh of foreskin) Gn 17:23 (P), acc. pers. Gn 21:4 Ex 12:44 (P), Jos 5:2, 3 (J), v 4, 5, 7, 7 (D); fig. ערלת לבב (foreskin of the heart) Dt 10:16; לבב Dt 30:6; pass. מוּל בערלה Je 9:24; מֻלִים Jos 5:5 (D). e.g. Joshua 5:4
Niphal
- Pf. 3 ms. נִמּוֹל (Ges§ 72 ee) Gn 17:26; 3 mpl. נִמֹּ֫לוּ Gn 17:27; 2 mpl. וּנְמַלְתֶּם (consec.) Gn 17:11 (for וּנְמַלֹּתֶם √ מלל Ew§ 234. e. Ges§ 67, R. 11; but Bö1146 B for וּנְמוֹלֹתֶם); Impf. יִמּוֹל Gn 17:12 + 3 times; 3 mpl. וַיִּמֹּ֫לוּ Gn 34:24; Imv. הִמֹּ֑לוּ Je 4:4; Inf. הִמּוֹל Gn 17:10 + 5 times; הִמֹּל Gn 34:15; sf. הִמֹּ֫לוֹ Gn 17:24, 25; Pt. pl. נִמֹּלִים Gn 34:22;—be circumcised, of בשׂר ערלה Gn 17:14, 24, 25 Lv 12:3; elsewhere of pers. Gn 17:10(×2), 12, 13(×2), 26, 27; 34:15, 17, 22, 24; Ex 12:48 (P), Jos 5:8 (J): reflex. הִמֹּלוּ לי׳ Je 4:4 circumcise yourselves to Yahweh (and take away the foreskin of your heart). e.g. Genesis 17:26
Hiphil
- Impf. 1 s. בשׁם י׳ כי אֲמִילַ֑ם ψ 118:10, 11, 12 in the name of י׳, yea I will make them to be circumcised (enemies, by force of arms; but De cut to pieces (from מוּל = מָלַל), Che mow, Bae annihilate (?), 𝔊 Aq ἠμυνάμην, Symm διέθρυψα, Jer ultus sum eas). Hithpoʿl. Impf. 3 mpl. יִתְמֹלָ֑לוּ ψ 58:8 be cut off, of arrows, i.e. made blunt. e.g. Psalms 118:10
נמל III Pi. speak, utter, say (NH Pi. id.
Piel
- Pf. מִלֵּל Gn 21:7; cf. 1 s. מַלּוֹתִי (Ew§ 274 b. N) as n.pr. infr.; מִלֵּ֑לוּ Jb 33:3; Impf. יְמַלֵּל ψ 106:2; תְּמַלָּל־ Jb 8:2;—say, sq. dir. quot. + לְ of ind. obj. Gn 21:7; utter, obj. דַּ֫עַת Jb 33:3; cf. 8:2; obj. גְּבוּרוֹת י׳ ψ 106:2. e.g. Genesis 21:7
נמל IV rub, scrape (NH id., rub ears of wheat, scrape)
Qal
- Pt. מוֹלֵל in קֹרֵץ בְּעֵינָו֯ מוֹלֵל בְּרַגְלָ֑ו֯ מֹרֶה בְּאֶצְבְּעֹתָיו Pr 6:13 he that winketh with his eyes, that scrapeth with his feet (making signs), etc., so De Now Str מלל that speaketh with his feet. e.g. Proverbs 6:13
נמל V languish, wither, fade (apparently secondary √ of אמל q.v.)
Qal
- Impf. 3 ms. יִמַּל Jb 18:16; וַיִּמָּ֑ל Jb 14:2; 3 mpl. יִמָּ֑לוּ Jb 24:24 ψ 37:2 (so Hup De and most; > Niph. from IV. מלל Thes);—hang down, wither, fig. of man Jb 14:2 (כְּצִיץ); of wicked מִתַּחַת שָֽׁרָשָׁיו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּמִ֫מַּעַל יִמַּל קְצִירוֹ 18:16; כְּרֹאשׁ שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת יִמָּ֑לוּ 24:24 (‖ יִקָּפְצוּן, הֻמְּכוּ); כֶּחָצִיר מְהֵרָה יִמָּ֑לוּ ψ 37:2 (‖ יִבּוֹלוּן). Poʿl;. Impf. יְמוֹלֵל ψ 90:6 it withereth (of grass; + וְיָבֵשׁ). e.g. Job 18:16
נמל VI circumcise ( = מוּל)
Qal
- Imv. מֹל Jos 5:2. e.g. Joshua 5:2
Niphal
- Pf. נְמַלְתֶּם Gn 17:11. e.g. Genesis 17:11
Hithpo
- be cut off: Impf. יִתְמֹלָ֑לוּ ψ 58:8. Vid. מוּל. e.g. Psalms 58:8
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
I. (†Dt 1:1), מוֹאל (†Ne 12:38) subst. and prep. front, in front of (deriv. dub.; according to Ol § 223 c Sta§ 378 a, for מְאוֹל from אוּל to be in front: v. further Köii. 300 f. HptBAS i. 172):—
II. vb. circumcise (NH id.; 𝔗 מוּל cut off but only seemingly in the dub. passages (v. III. [מָלַל] and Comm.) Jb 14:2; 18:16; 24:24 [ms. Levy], ψ 37:2; 90:6. (grass, etc.: only for iii. מָלַל, q.v.); cf. NH מָהַל, Aramaic מְהַל, according to Thes NöZMG xl. 1886, 741 Baib. xli. 1887, 626 v. also מהל supr.);—
I. vb. Pi. speak, utter, say (NH Pi. id.; Aramaic ܡܰܠܶܠ (and many deriv.), מַלֵּל; perhaps cf. Arabic مَلَّ iv. dictate (a letter, etc.), ((ملو) مَلَا) iv. id. NöZMG xl. 1886, 725);—
II. vb. rub, scrape (NH id., rub ears of wheat, scrape);—only
III. vb. languish, wither, fade (apparently secondary √ of אמל q.v.);—
IV. vb. circumcise ( = מוּל);—to this are sometimes assigned:
— 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.
נָמֵל
- (a popular corrupt. of לְמֵין, q. v.) haven, bay. Erub. IV, 2, v. לְמֵין. Tosef. Yoma II, 4 נְמֵלָהּ של יפו (Var. נְמֵי׳) the harbor of Japho; Yoma 38ᵃ נ׳ של עכו; a. e.
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 5 distinct written forms H5243 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.
| Form | Parsing | Example | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| וַ/יִּמָּ֑ל | Verb, Qal, Sequential Imperfect, 3rd Person, Masculine, Singular | Job 14:2 | 1 |
| וּ/נְמַלְתֶּ֕ם | Verb, Niphal, Sequential Perfect, 2nd Person, Masculine, Plural | Genesis 17:11 | 1 |
| יִמַּ֥ל | Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3rd Person, Masculine, Singular | Job 18:16 | 1 |
| יִמָּ֑לוּ | Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3rd Person, Masculine, Plural | Psalms 37:2 | 1 |
| יִמָּֽלוּ | Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3rd Person, Masculine, Plural | Job 24:24 | 1 |
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H5243, 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 5 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 5 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
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.
