נַגָּח (nag.gach)
nag.gach
goring
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The adjective nag.gach describes an animal that is addicted to goring or apt to gore. It does not merely indicate a single act of violence, but rather a persistent, habitual tendency toward this specific kind of aggression. The root suggests a creature defined by its impulse to charge and strike with horns.
In the Hebrew Bible, this term appears only twice, both within the legal codes of Exodus. It is used to classify an ox that has a known history of injuring people or other animals. This distinction is crucial for liability; if an owner ignores the nag.gach nature of their beast, they bear responsibility for the resulting harm. The word highlights the danger inherent in the animal’s character rather than just the physical act itself.
Translators typically render this as "goring" or "vicious," capturing the relentless quality of the behavior. By focusing on the animal's disposition, the text underscores the seriousness of negligence. The owner’s failure to restrain a creature with such a established pattern of violence is treated as a significant breach of duty in ancient Israelite law.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word nag.gach describes an animal with a persistent, habitual tendency to gore. It is not about a single moment of anger, but a known character trait defined by repeated aggression. In the ancient legal codes of Exodus, this distinction determined liability. An owner who ignored a beast’s established pattern of violence bore responsibility for the harm it caused.
This concept reminds us that actions have consequences rooted in our choices and awareness. When we know something is dangerous or wrong yet fail to act, we share in the burden of the outcome. The text highlights the seriousness of negligence, urging us to be vigilant about what we allow into our lives and how we treat others.
May you find wisdom in recognizing patterns that lead to harm, and the grace to make changes that protect those around you. Let this understanding encourage a life marked by care and responsibility.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- prone to gore2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נַגָּ֨ח1×
- נַגָּ֥ח1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 21:29
But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and this has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a man or a woman, the bull shall be stoned, and its owner shall also be put to death.
This verse establishes the severe consequence for an owner who ignores a known goring habit, showing that negligence carries heavy weight.
-
Exodus 21:36
Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.
Here the focus shifts to restitution, illustrating how the law addresses financial loss when the animal’s violent nature was already recognized.