נָלָה (na.lah)
na.lah
to cease
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nalah appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Isaiah 33:1. In this specific instance, it is used in the Hiphil stem, which typically indicates a causative action. The lexical sources suggest that here it means to bring something to an end or to complete a process.
However, the exact meaning remains uncertain. Scholars note that the context makes the precise sense doubtful, leaving translators to interpret whether it refers to ending oppression or completing a period of judgment. Because it is a hapax legomenon—a word occurring just once—its full semantic range cannot be fully determined from Scripture alone.
This rarity highlights the challenges of biblical translation. When a word appears only in one verse, its meaning relies heavily on the surrounding literary context rather than broader usage patterns. In Isaiah 33:1, it contributes to a poetic lament that calls for an end to destruction, though the specific nuance of nalah continues to be debated among experts.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nalah appears only once in the entire Old Testament, found in Isaiah 33:1. It describes a moment where destruction comes to an end. The verse speaks of a destroyer who has finished his work, only to face the same fate himself. This rare term highlights how God’s justice operates with precision and finality.
For your faith, this offers comfort that no season of pain or injustice lasts forever. Even when enemies seem unstoppable, their power is temporary. God sets boundaries for suffering and ensures that wrongs are ultimately addressed. You can trust that He sees the end from the beginning.
This single occurrence reminds us that Scripture values every word, even those we do not fully understand. While scholars debate its exact nuance, the broader message is clear: evil will cease, and God’s justice will prevail. Rest in the certainty that your struggles are seen and that peace is coming.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- when/ completing/ you1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כַּ/נְּלֹתְ/ךָ֥1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 33:1
Woe to you who destroy, but you weren’t destroyed, and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have finished betrayal, you will be betrayed.
This verse uses nalah to mark the completion of destruction, showing that even the destroyer’s power has a divinely set limit.