נְגִינָה (ne.gi.nah)
ne.gi.nah
music
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun neginah refers to musical performance, specifically that produced by stringed instruments. It appears in five biblical verses, most notably within Lamentations, Job, and Isaiah. The term captures the sound of plucked or bowed strings, serving as a concrete reference to instrumental accompaniment rather than just vocal melody.
Its meaning extends beyond simple background noise. In some contexts, it denotes a song or taunt, such as the mocking tunes sung over defeated enemies. This dual usage highlights how music in ancient Israel could be both an offering of praise and a vehicle for satire or judgment, depending on who was singing and why.
The word is often linked to temple worship, where musicians would play neginah to accompany prayers. Its presence in poetic books like Job suggests it also accompanied personal laments, giving structure to grief. Translators typically render it as "music" or "song," preserving the sense of a crafted, instrumental sound.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word neginah points to the deep, resonant sound of stringed instruments, grounding our worship in tangible reality. In ancient Israel, this music was not merely background noise but a vital part of bringing prayers before God. Whether in the temple or during personal grief, the plucking of strings gave voice to emotions that words alone could not express.
When life feels heavy, as seen in Job and Lamentations, neginah offers a way to structure our sorrow. It reminds us that even in lament, there is a place for ordered expression. This musical accompaniment helps hold our pain within a framework of faith, acknowledging that God hears the full spectrum of human experience.
Ultimately, this word invites us to bring our whole selves to God. We do not need to hide our struggles or force joy when it is absent. Instead, we can offer our honest feelings, trusting that the Creator values the authenticity of our hearts as much as the beauty of our songs.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- taunt song/ their2×
- with/ stringed instruments/ my1×
- from/ music/ their1×
- and/ songs/ my1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נְגִינָתָ֣/ם1×
- נְגִינָתָ֖/ם1×
- מִ/נְּגִינָתָֽ/ם\׃1×
- וּ/נְגִנוֹתַ֧/י1×
- בִּ/נְגִינוֹתָֽ/י\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 38:20
Yahweh will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in Yahweh’s house.
This verse connects neginah directly to stringed instruments in Yahweh’s house, showing its role in communal praise and thanksgiving for deliverance.
-
Lamentations 5:14
The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.
Here the cessation of neginah signals national mourning, illustrating how instrumental music was central to the community's spiritual life.
-
Habakkuk 3:19
Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and enables me to go in high places. For the music director, on my stringed instruments.
The superscription places this prophecy under the direction of neginah, linking divine strength and stability with musical worship.