נֵד (ned)
ned
heap
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun ned refers to a heap or pile, most specifically describing a mound of water. In the biblical text, it appears only six times, primarily in poetic passages within Psalms and Isaiah, as well as in Joshua. It is not used for dry earth or stones, but exclusively for liquid massing together into a raised form.
This specific usage highlights the physical reality of standing water, such as a lake or a deep pool, where the surface sits visibly higher than the surrounding land. The word captures the visual weight and volume of water gathered in one place, distinguishing it from flowing rivers or scattered rain. Translators typically render it as "heap" to preserve this sense of accumulated mass.
Its limited occurrence underscores its descriptive precision rather than theological symbolism. When used in Psalms or Isaiah, it serves to paint a vivid picture of the natural world, emphasizing the tangible presence of water bodies in the landscape. The term reminds readers that Scripture often uses concrete physical imagery to describe creation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ned describes water gathering into a visible mound or heap. It appears in Scripture to describe moments where nature responds to divine command, such as when the Jordan River stood still for Israel to cross. This imagery reminds us that the God who controls the physical world also holds our lives in His hands.
In Psalm 33, we see this same power used to gather the seas, highlighting God’s sovereignty over creation. When you face situations that feel overwhelming or chaotic, remember that the One who parts waters can also bring order to your circumstances. His power is not distant but actively involved in the details of our lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a heap5×
- like <the>/ heap1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֵ֥ד2×
- נֵד\־1×
- נֵֽד\׃1×
- נֵ֖ד1×
- כַּ֭/נֵּד1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 15:8
With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up. The floods stood upright as a heap. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
This verse uses ned to describe the miraculous standing of waters after the Red Sea crossing, emphasizing God's power over nature.
-
Joshua 3:16
the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people passed over near Jericho.
Here the word illustrates the physical barrier created by the Jordan River, allowing Israel to enter the Promised Land on dry ground.
-
Psalms 33:7
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deeps in storehouses.
The psalmist uses this term to praise God's ability to gather and control the seas, showcasing His supreme authority over creation.