נֶ֫זֶק (ne.zeq)
ne.zeq
injury
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun nezeq refers specifically to injury or physical damage. It appears only once in the Old Testament, found within the Book of Esther. In that single occurrence, the term carries significant weight as it describes the tangible harm caused by Haman’s plot against the Jewish people.
Esther 7:4 uses nezeq when Queen Esther explains to King Ahasuerus that selling her people into slavery would have resulted in financial loss for the king. However, she clarifies that the true gravity lies in the "injury" or damage inflicted upon the community itself. The word highlights the concrete suffering and destruction wrought by malicious intent, moving beyond abstract evil to specific, measurable harm.
This rare usage underscores how biblical language often ties moral wrongs to their physical consequences. By limiting nezeq to this context, the text emphasizes that injustice is not merely a legal violation but a source of real-world pain and ruin for those affected.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word nezeq points to concrete injury or physical damage. It appears just once in Scripture, in Esther 7:4. Queen Esther uses it to show that Haman’s plot caused real harm to her people, not just financial loss for the king. This rare occurrence reminds us that injustice leaves tangible scars on individuals and communities.
When you face unfair treatment or see others suffering from malicious intent, this word validates your pain. It shows that God cares about the specific, measurable damage done to His people. You are not alone in recognizing the weight of such harm, and your grief over injustice is seen by Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- for/ [the] injury of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּ/נֵ֥זֶק1×
Key Verses
-
Esther 7:4
For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”
Esther uses this word to distinguish between mere financial loss for the king and the actual physical destruction of her people.