נָבָא (na.va)
na.va
to prophesy
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 70 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb naba means to prophesy, describing a person who speaks or sings under divine inspiration. In the Old Testament, it appears in forms that suggest the prophet is moved by an external power rather than acting on their own initiative. This linguistic choice highlights the belief that holy men spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit, making the utterance a revelation of God’s message to the people.
Its usage spans a wide range of experiences, from ecstatic outbursts accompanied by music in early narratives to formal religious instruction and prediction in later texts. The sources note that both true prophets and false ones could be described with this word when acting under a spiritual influence, as seen in the accounts of Saul’s companions prophesying in 1 Samuel 10:5 or the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:29. This shared terminology underscores that the act itself is defined by the source of the inspiration, not necessarily the moral character of the speaker.
Etymologically, some scholars connect naba to a root meaning to bubble up or pour forth, suggesting an abundant and ardent flow of words driven by divine emotion. Translators typically render it as "prophesy," though this English term often narrows the focus to future prediction. The Hebrew word encompasses a broader reality: speaking God’s mind with passion, whether that involves warning, teaching, or declaring what is to come.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word naba describes a person speaking or singing under divine inspiration. It suggests that the prophet is moved by an external power rather than acting on their own initiative. This highlights the belief that holy men spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit, making the utterance a revelation of God’s message to the people.
In the Old Testament, this word appears in forms that suggest the prophet is moved by an external power. It spans a wide range of experiences, from ecstatic outbursts accompanied by music in early narratives to formal religious instruction and prediction in later texts. Both true prophets and false ones could be described with this word when acting under a spiritual influence.
Etymologically, some scholars connect naba to a root meaning to bubble up or pour forth. This suggests an abundant and ardent flow of words driven by divine emotion. Translators typically render it as "prophesy," though this English term often narrows the focus to future prediction. The Hebrew word encompasses a broader reality: speaking God’s mind with passion, whether that involves warning, teaching, or declaring what is to come.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 70 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [are] prophesying9×
- and/ they prophesied7×
- and/ he prophesied6×
- who/ are prophesying5×
- prophesying5×
- they prophesied4×
- he prophesies4×
- [were] prophesying4×
- you must prophesy3×
- who/ prophesied3×
- to/ prophesy3×
- you will prophesy2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נִבְּאִ֥ים6×
- וַ/יִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ5×
- נִבְּאִ֣ים3×
- מִֽתְנַבְּאִ֖ים3×
- תִנָּבֵא֙2×
- לְ/הִנָּבֵ֑א2×
- יִתְנַבֵּ֥א2×
- הַֽ/נִּבְּאִ֥ים2×
- הַ/נִּבְּאִ֣ים2×
- תִּנָּבֵֽא\׃1×
- תִּנָּבֵ֣א1×
- תִּנָּבְאֽוּ\׃1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 10:6
Then Yahweh’s Spirit will come mightily on you, then you will prophesy with them and will be turned into another man.
This verse shows the transformative power of the Spirit, as Saul is turned into another man while prophesying.
-
Numbers 11:26
But two men remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the Spirit rested on them. They were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.
Eldad and Medad prophesy in the camp without being at the Tent, showing the Spirit's freedom to move beyond expected boundaries.
-
I Kings 18:29
When midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the evening offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and nobody paid attention.
The prophets of Baal prophesy until evening but receive no answer, illustrating that the act itself does not guarantee divine approval.
-
I Chronicles 25:3
Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh with the harp.
Jeduthun prophesies in giving thanks and praising Yahweh with the harp, linking prophecy with musical worship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does naba mean in the Bible?
Is prophesying always about predicting the future?
Can false prophets use this word?
Every Occurrence (70 verses across 8 books)
Numbers 3 verses
Yahweh came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was on him, and put it on the seventy…
Numbers 11:26But two men remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the Spirit rested on…
Numbers 11:27A young man ran, and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”