נֵ֫פֶל (ne.phel)
ne.phel
miscarriage
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun nephel refers to an untimely birth, encompassing concepts such as abortion or miscarriage. It appears only twice in the Old Testament, specifically within Job and Ecclesiastes, where it serves as a stark metaphor for life cut short before its natural course can unfold.
In these contexts, the word carries significant theological weight. The speakers use nephel to describe a state of existence that is tragic precisely because it lacks the opportunity for meaning or legacy. This usage highlights the profound value placed on completed life and the human desire for purpose in the face of mortality.
Translators typically render nephel as "miscarriage" or "abortion," though the term focuses more on the abrupt ending of potential than on medical specifics. By invoking this image, the biblical authors emphasize the fragility of human existence and the sorrow inherent in a life that does not reach its intended fullness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nephel describes an untimely birth, capturing the profound grief of potential cut short before it can unfold. In Job and Ecclesiastes, this term serves as a stark metaphor for life ending abruptly, highlighting the deep human sorrow when existence lacks the opportunity to reach its intended fullness. It reminds us that every moment is precious, and the loss of even a single day carries weight in God’s sight.
When we face seasons of loss or uncertainty, this word invites us to bring our raw honesty to God. The biblical authors did not shy away from describing the tragedy of unfulfilled life, showing that our pain is seen and known. We are encouraged to trust that God values every breath and every story, even those that seem incomplete in our eyes.
Ultimately, this passage points to a hope beyond our current understanding. While we mourn what is lost, we can rest in the belief that no life is wasted in God’s economy. Your experiences, whether full or fragmented, are held within His care, offering comfort to those who grieve and hope to those who seek meaning.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ miscarriage1×
- like/ a miscarriage1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כְ/נֵ֣פֶל1×
- הַ/נָּֽפֶל\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Job 3:16
or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, as infants who never saw light.
Job uses this term to express his desire that he had never been born, comparing himself to an untimely birth that never saw light, highlighting the depth of his despair.
-
Ecclesiastes 6:3
If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he;
The Preacher argues that a stillborn child is better than a long life without satisfaction, using this word to emphasize the tragedy of existence devoid of good.