Lexical Summary niuph: To wave, to brandish, to swing Original Word: נִאֻף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance adultery From na'aph; adultery -- adultery. see HEBREW na'aph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom naaph Definition adultery NASB Translation adulteries (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נִאֻף] noun [masculine] adultery; — only plural נִאֻפִים Ezekiel 23:43 (but ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Co נִאֲפוּ, compare Berthol); suffix נִאֻפַ֫יִךְ Jeremiah 13:27 (Köi. 151); figurative of idolatrous worship. Topical Lexicon Summary of Significance The noun נִאֻף speaks of “adulteries” in the plural, a term the prophets use to expose covenant-breaking immorality, whether physical or spiritual. While it surfaces only twice in the Old Testament, each occurrence unfolds a broad theology of faithfulness: Yahweh confronts both literal sexual sin and the deeper betrayal of idolatry that it symbolizes. Old Testament Usage Jeremiah 13:27 lays bare the moral rot of Judah: “Your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution on the hills and in the fields—I have seen your detestable acts”. The imagery links Judah’s sexual misconduct with her pursuit of foreign gods, underscoring that idolatry is marital unfaithfulness to the covenant LORD. In Ezekiel 23:43, the prophetic allegory of the two sisters climaxes with the charge, “Now let them continue with their adulteries.” The prophet pictures the nation so hardened in promiscuous alliances that her moral sense is numbed. Here נִאֻף depicts habitual, almost institutionalized apostasy. Covenant and Marriage Analogy From Genesis onward, Scripture frames marriage as a covenant reflecting God’s bond with His people. Thus adultery violates both human and divine covenants (Exodus 20:14; Malachi 2:14). When the prophets invoke נִאֻף, they are not merely condemning social vice but indicting spiritual treason. The severity of the term reminds hearers that covenant infidelity is ultimately directed against God Himself (Psalm 51:4). Historical Background Ancient Near Eastern law codes (e.g., Code of Hammurabi) treated adultery as a capital offense because it destabilized family, inheritance, and social order. Israel’s Torah shares that gravity but adds a theological dimension: sexual boundaries protect the holiness of the nation (Leviticus 18:20, 20:10). Prophetic use of נִאֻף assumes this shared cultural repugnance while elevating the concept to covenant significance. The Prophets’ Rhetorical Strategy By pluralizing the noun (“adulteries”), Jeremiah and Ezekiel accumulate the guilt of repeated offenses. They combine lurid imagery—prostitution, animalistic desire, public shame—to shock the conscience and drive home the call to repentance (Jeremiah 3:1–3; Ezekiel 16:30-34). The prophets do not merely lament societal decay; they summon the people to renewed exclusivity toward Yahweh. New Testament Echoes While נִאֻף itself is Hebrew, its theological thread runs into the Greek term μοιχεία (moicheia). Jesus intensifies the command against adultery by tracing it to the heart (Matthew 5:27-28) and exposes a “wicked and adulterous generation” that seeks signs but refuses covenant loyalty (Matthew 12:39). James likewise labels friendship with the world as spiritual adultery (James 4:4). These parallels confirm that the prophetic indictment remains relevant under the new covenant. Pastoral and Ministry Application 1. Guarding Marriage: Because adultery fractures the marital covenant and mars the gospel picture of Christ’s love for the church (Ephesians 5:25-32), faith communities must cultivate marital faithfulness, proactive discipleship, and restorative discipline. Theological Reflection נִאֻף exposes the depth of sin as personal betrayal against a covenant partner. By marrying legal, relational, and spiritual dimensions, Scripture presents adultery not as an isolated act but as emblematic of every form of unfaithfulness. The remedy is not mere behavioral reform but covenant renewal grounded in divine grace—a theme consummated in the new covenant ratified by Christ’s blood. Forms and Transliterations נִֽאֻפַ֤יִךְ נִֽאוּפִ֑ים נאופים נאפיך ni’up̄ayiḵ ni’ūp̄îm ni·’u·p̄a·yiḵ ni·’ū·p̄îm niuFayich niuFimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 13:27 HEB: נִֽאֻפַ֤יִךְ וּמִצְהֲלוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ זִמַּ֣ת NAS: As for your adulteries and your [lustful] neighings, KJV: I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, INT: your adulteries and your neighings the lewdness Ezekiel 23:43 2 Occurrences |
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