נְבוּאָה (ne.vu.ah)
ne.vu.ah
prophesying
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The noun nebû’â appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, found in Ezra 6:14 within the Aramaic section of the text. In this specific instance, it translates to "prophesying," describing the active role of Haggai and Zechariah in encouraging the Jewish leaders to rebuild the temple.
Lexical sources identify this form as the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew nebû’â (H5016). Its singular usage highlights a key moment where prophetic speech directly influenced historical action, bridging divine instruction with physical construction during the post-exilic restoration.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for prophesying appears just once in the Hebrew Bible, tucked inside the Aramaic section of Ezra. It describes how Haggai and Zechariah spoke to the leaders of Israel when the temple rebuilding had stalled. Their words were not just predictions about the future; they were urgent encouragement that helped people pick up their tools and finish the work.
This reminds us that God’s guidance often comes through community and shared purpose. When we feel stuck or discouraged in our own lives, faithful voices can help us see the next step. The prophets did not build the walls themselves, but their speech gave strength to those who did. We find hope knowing that our efforts, when aligned with God’s will, are supported by His presence.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- by/ [the] prophesying of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בִּ/נְבוּאַת֙1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 6:14
The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
This verse uniquely links the physical success of the temple builders directly to the spiritual encouragement provided by Haggai and Zechariah.