Lexical Summary neged: Before, in front of, opposite, against, in the presence of Original Word: נֶגֶד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance about, over against, aloof, far off, from, over, presence, other side, From nagad; a front, i.e. Part opposite; specifically a counterpart, or mate; usually (adverbial, especially with preposition) over against or before -- about, (over) against, X aloof, X far (off), X from, over, presence, X other side, sight, X to view. see HEBREW nagad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nagad Definition in front of, in sight of, opposite to NASB Translation against (3), aloof* (3), away (1), before (60), broad (1), demoralized* (1), directly (1), distance* (3), front (15), opposite (16), opposite* (5), other side (1), presence (13), resist* (1), risked* (1), sight (2), sight* (2), straight ahead (3), straight before (1), suitable (2), under (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs נֶ֫גֶד151 substantive what is conspicuous or in front, always as adverb or preposition in front of, in sight of, opposite to, נֶ֑גֶד, construct נֶגֶד, suffix נֶגְדִּי Psalm 38:11 +, נֶגְדְּךָ Psalm 38:10 +, etc.; with ה locative נֶ֫גְדָּה Psalm 116:14; Psalm 116:18; — 1 as adverb accusative in front of, a. locally (rather stronger and distincter than לִפְנֵי), (a) Genesis 31:32 נֶגֶד אַחֵינוּ הַכֶּרנָֿא in front of our brethren own it, now, Genesis 31:37; Genesis 47:15 ולמה נמות נגדך why should we die in thy sight ? Exodus 19:2 Israel encamped נגד ההר in front of the mountain, Exodus 34:10 נגד כלעֿמך אעשׂה נִפְלָאֹת, before, in sight of, all thy people (compare Psalm 78:12), Joshua 3:16 the people passed over נגד ירחו in front of J., 1 Kings 20:27, etc.; Nehemiah 3:23 in front of their house, Nehemiah 3:29; נגד (כלׅ ישׂראל Deuteronomy 31:11; Joshua 8:35 = 1 Samuel 15:30; 2 Samuel 12:12 +; 1 Kings 21:13 set Naboth נֶגֶד הָעָם; ׳נגד י 1 Samuel 12:3; 1 Samuel 16:6 מְשִׁיחוֺ ׳אַךְ נֶגֶד י, so נֶגְדִּי Psalm 89:37, נֶגְדּוֺ Psalm 18:13; נגד השׁמשׁ Numbers 25:4; 2 Samuel 12:12; Psalm 22:26 יראיו ׳נ, Psalm 52:11 (so in poetry נֶגְדָּה לְ Psalm 116:14; Psalm 116:18); hostilely, Job 10:17; with collateral idea of to the mortification of, Psalm 23:5; Psalm 31:20, compare Joel 1:16; with collateral idea of being open or known to, Proverbs 15:11 ׳שׁאול ואבדון נגד י, Job 26:6; Psalm 38:10 נגדך כלתֿאותי "" (ממך לא נסתרהׅ, Psalm 69:20 ("" יָדַעְתָּ), Psalm 119:168; Isaiah 59:12; so נֶגֶד מָּנַי הָיוּ Hosea 7:2. (b) with reflexive suffix, and verb of motion, to go in front of oneself, i.e. straightforward, Joshua 6:5 ועלו העם אישׁ נגדו each straightforward, Joshua 6:20; Amos 4:3; Jeremiah 31:29; Nehemiah 12:37, compare Proverbs 4:25. b. mentally, = vividly present to, Psalm 38:18 ומכאובי נגדי תמיד, Psalm 44:16; Psalm 51:5 וחטאתי נגדי תמיד, Psalm 109:15 ׳י ׳נ (remembered by): nearly = בְּעֵינָיו, כְּאַיִן נֶגְדּוֺ Isaiah 40:17; Psalm 39:6; so ׳וְנ מְּנֵיהֶם נְבוֺנִים Isaiah 5:21. But Exodus 10:10 כי רעה נגד פניכם before your face is = in your view, or purpose (compare לא אשׁית לְנֶגֶד עֵינַי דברבֿליעל Psalm 101:3). 2 With prepositions: a. כְּנֶגֶד according to what is in front of = corresponding to, Genesis 2:18 I will make him עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֺ a help corresponding to him i.e. equal and adequate to himself, Genesis 2:20 among the animals there was no עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֺ. **Note that in Late Hebrew מכנגד = in front of, Ber 4:5; 9:5; Ab 2:10, מכנגד פני Git 7:7 and elsewhere. b. לְנֶגֶד in front of, before, Genesis 33:12 וְֵאלְכָה לְנֶנְדֶּ֑ךָ, Numbers 22:32; 2 Kings 1:13 fell on his knees לנגד אליהו, Isaiah 1:7 your ground לנגדכם זרים אֹכלים אותהּ; with עָמַד Joshua 5:13; Daniel 8:15; Daniel 10:16, in a hostile sense Daniel 10:13, compare Proverbs 21:30; in the sight or presence of, Habakkuk 1:3 וְשֹׁד וְחָמָס לְנֶגְדִּי, Psalm 39:2 בעוד רשׁע לנגדי, Psalm 50:8 ועולֹתיך לנגדי תמיד, Nehemiah 3:37; opposite to (probably of opposite choirs), Nehemiah 12:9,24; = parallel to, 1 Chronicles 5:11; = over, for, a business (peculiar) Nehemiah 11:22; figurative of what is visible morally, Psalm 18:23 כי כל משׁפטיו לנגדי ("" לֹא אָסִיר מֶנִּי), with to set or place Psalm 16:8; Psalm 54:5 לא שׂמו אלהים לנגדם (compare Psalm 86:14,), Psalm 90:8; often in the phrase לְנֶגֶד עֵינֵי ֗֗֗ , both literal, as Job 4:16 תְּמוּנָה עֵינָ֑י ׳לנ, Psalm 5:6 עיניך ׳לא יתיצבו הוללים לנ (compare Psalm 101:7); and in a moral sense, Psalm 18:25 עיניו ׳כְּבֹר ידי לנ, Psalm 26:3 עיני ׳כי חסדך לנ i.e. is ever present to my mind, Psalm 36:2 עיניו ׳אין פחד אלהים לנ i.e. he has no eye to discern God's awe-inspiring judgments (compare Psalm 10:5); with לא אשׁית i.e. have in view, purpose ("" שׂנאתי) Psalm 101:3. c. מִנֶּגֶד (a) adverb off (מִן 1c) the front, in front, opposite, ex adverso, Genesis 21:16 ותשׁב להּ מנגד sat her down opposite, Genesis 21:16, 2 Kings 2:7; Deuteronomy 28:66 והיו חייך תלואים לך מנגד shall be hung up for thee in front (i.e. suspended, as by a thread, in front of thee); Judges 9:17 וישׁלך נפשׁו מנגד and flung away his life in front or straight away (i.e. hazarded it); = some way off, from or at a distance, Numbers 2:2; Deuteronomy 32:52 כי מִנֶּגֶד תראה את הארץ, 2 Kings 2:15 ׳וַיִּרְאֻהוּ מנ at a distance, 2 Kings 3:22; 2 Kings 4:25; aloof, 2 Samuel 18:13 ואתה תתיצב מנגד, Obadiah 11 (b) as a preposition (a) from the front of, away from, Songs 6:5 הָסֵבִּי עֵינַיִךְ מִנֶּגְדִּי, 1 Samuel 26:20 אליֿפֹל ׳פני י ׳דמי ארצה מנ; מנגד עיני from before the eyes of, with verbs of removing Isaiah 1:16, cutting off Psalm 31:23; Jonah 2:5, hiding Amos 9:3; Jeremiah 16:17. (β) opposite to, Nehemiah 3:19,25,27; at a distance from, Psalm 10:5 מרום משׁפטיך מנגדו, Psalm 38:12 מנגד נגעי יעמדו. (γ) מִנֶּגֶד לְ from before, Proverbs 14:7, in front of Judges 20:34. d. עַד נֶגֶד as far as the front of, Nehemiah 3:16,26. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Core Idea נֶגֶד functions as a relational and spatial marker that points to something placed “in front of,” “in full view of,” or “in counterpart to” another. Throughout Scripture it frames encounters—between God and humanity, between individuals, between nations, and even between ideas. Whether it introduces divine presence (“before Me”), corporate assembly (“before the congregation”), geographic location (“opposite Gilgal”), or personal correspondence (“a helper suited to him”), it signals intentional orientation and accountability. Scope of Biblical Usage Approximately one-hundred-fifty Old Testament verses employ נֶגֶד. They cluster around several key settings: 1. Covenant and Law (Exodus, Deuteronomy) Covenantal Exclusivity Exodus 20:3 anchors the Decalogue: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” נֶגֶד announces the exclusive claim of Yahweh on His people’s worship. The same orientation resurfaces when Israel is warned not to set idols “before” Him (Deuteronomy 32:16). Every breach of covenant is, at its core, a violation committed “in His face,” underscoring that sin is never private but lived before the holy God. Marriage and Complementarity Genesis 2:18 introduces Eve as “a helper suitable for him.” Here נֶגֶד conveys correspondence rather than opposition: the woman is crafted to stand face-to-face with the man, equal in worth, distinct in role. The concept supports a theology of marriage built on mutual partnership under divine oversight. Worship in the Assembly David frequently chooses נֶגֶד when describing corporate praise: Psalm 22:22, “I will declare Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly.” Psalm 26:12, “My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the LORD.” Corporate worship is deliberately public: God’s deeds are proclaimed “in front of” the gathered saints, fostering communal remembrance and witness. Geographical and Military Strategy Joshua 8:11 situates Israel “directly opposite the city” of Ai. נֶגֶד supplies tactical clarity: armies set themselves in visible array, cities sit across valleys, tribes occupy lands “facing” one another (Judges 18:28; Deuteronomy 11:30). The term preserves historical memory of real places, lending credibility to the biblical narrative and grounding redemptive history in geography. Judicial and Royal Settings When Samuel presents the monarchy’s charter, he does so “in the presence of the LORD” and “before the people” (1 Samuel 10:25). נֶגֶד binds king and nation to divine oversight. Likewise, Nathan confronts David “before” God (2 Samuel 12:7), modeling prophetic courage that stands face-to-face with authority yet ultimately answers to a higher throne. Prophetic Witness Isaiah 48:16 announces, “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it came to be, there I was.” The prophetic word is delivered openly, “not in secret places of a land of darkness” (cf. Isaiah 45:19). נֶגֶד reinforces that revelation is accessible and verifiable, leaving the hearer without excuse. Temple Orientation and Ritual 2 Chronicles 3:4 notes the porch of Solomon’s temple that stood “in front of the main hall.” Liturgical vessels and choirs also minister “before the LORD” (1 Chronicles 16:4). נֶגֶד underlines sacred order: every priestly action occurs consciously in the view of God, a reality fulfilled in the heavenly ministry of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9). Wisdom Literature Proverbs 5:21 warns, “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and He examines all his paths.” נֶגֶד trains the conscience, inviting an awareness that life unfolds under divine gaze. Ecclesiastes 6:5 contrasts a stillborn child who “has not seen the sun or known anything” with one who lives “under the sun,” again employing the notion of being set before the created order. Typological and Christological Insights By repeatedly placing events “before the LORD,” נֶגֶד anticipates the incarnation, when the invisible God stands bodily before humanity (John 1:14). The face-to-face motif culminates in Revelation 22:4, “They will see His face,” where redeemed believers dwell perpetually “in front of” God’s unveiled glory. Pastoral Application • Encourage believers to cultivate coram Deo living, recognizing every thought and deed occurs נֶגֶד—the presence of God (Psalm 139:1-4). Selected Key Occurrences for Study Genesis 17:18; 24:51 Exodus 10:10; 34:11 Deuteronomy 1:22; 31:26 1 Samuel 3:1; 12:2 Psalm 95:2; 116:14 Ezekiel 8:1; 20:12 Summary נֶגֶד threads through Scripture as a constant reminder that all creation stands exposed before its Creator, that relationships thrive when lived face-to-face in truth, and that worship, judgment, and redemption are conducted in the full light of God’s presence. Forms and Transliterations וְנֶ֣גֶד וְנֶ֥גֶד וְנֶגְדָּ֗ם ונגד ונגדם כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ כנגדו׃ לְנֶ֖גֶד לְנֶ֣גֶד לְנֶ֥גֶד לְנֶגְדְּכֶם֙ לְנֶגְדִּ֑י לְנֶגְדִּ֔י לְנֶגְדִּ֖י לְנֶגְדִּ֣י לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃ לְנֶגְדִּי֙ לְנֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ לְנֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃ לְנֶגְדָּ֔ם לְנֶגְדָּ֖ם לְנֶגְדָּ֗ם לְנֶגְדָּ֣ם לְנֶגְדָּֽם׃ לְנֶגְדּ֔וֹ לנגד לנגדו לנגדי לנגדי׃ לנגדך לנגדך׃ לנגדכם לנגדם לנגדם׃ מִ֭נֶּגֶד מִנֶּ֑גֶד מִנֶּ֔גֶד מִנֶּ֕גֶד מִנֶּ֖גֶד מִנֶּ֗גֶד מִנֶּ֛גֶד מִנֶּ֜גֶד מִנֶּ֣גֶד מִנֶּ֤גֶד מִנֶּ֥גֶד מִנֶּ֨גֶד מִנֶּ֪גֶד מִנֶּֽגֶד׃ מִנֶּגְדִּ֔י מִנֶּגְדּ֑וֹ מנגד מנגד׃ מנגדו מנגדי נֶ֖גֶד נֶ֙גֶד֙ נֶ֚גֶד נֶ֛גֶד נֶ֜גֶד נֶ֝֗גֶד נֶ֝גְדְּךָ֗ נֶ֣גֶד נֶ֤גֶד נֶ֥גֶד נֶ֧גֶד נֶ֨גֶד נֶ֫גְדּ֥וֹ נֶֽגֶד־ נֶגְדְּךָ֥ נֶגְדִּ֑י נֶגְדִּ֖י נֶגְדִּ֗י נֶגְדִּ֣י נֶגְדִּֽי׃ נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ נֶגְדֶּ֔ךָ נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃ נֶגְדָּ֑הּ נֶגְדָּ֔ם נֶגְדָּ֗ם נֶגְדָה־ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ נֶגְדּ֔וֹ נֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ נֶגְדּוֹ֒ נֶגֶד֩ נגד נגד־ נגדה נגדה־ נגדו נגדו׃ נגדי נגדי׃ נגדך נגדך׃ נגדם kə·neḡ·dōw kenegDo kəneḡdōw lə·ne·ḡeḏ lə·neḡ·dām lə·neḡ·de·ḵā lə·neḡ·də·ḵem lə·neḡ·dî lə·neḡ·dōw lenegDam ləneḡdām lenegDecha lenegdeChem ləneḡdeḵā ləneḡdəḵem lenegDi ləneḡdî lenegDo ləneḡdōw leNeged ləneḡeḏ min·ne·ḡeḏ min·neḡ·dî min·neḡ·dōw minnegDi minneḡdî minnegDo minneḡdōw minNeged minneḡeḏ ne·ḡeḏ ne·ḡeḏ- neḡ·dāh neḡ·ḏāh- neḡ·dām neḡ·de·ḵā neḡ·də·ḵā neḡ·dî neḡ·dōw negdah neḡdāh neḡḏāh- negDam neḡdām negDecha neḡdeḵā neḡdəḵā negDi neḡdî negDo neḡdōw Neged neḡeḏ neḡeḏ- venegDam veNeged wə·ne·ḡeḏ wə·neḡ·dām wəneḡdām wəneḡeḏLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 2:18 HEB: לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ NAS: him a helper suitable for him. INT: will make A helper suitable Genesis 2:20 Genesis 21:16 Genesis 21:16 Genesis 31:32 Genesis 31:37 Genesis 33:12 Genesis 47:15 Exodus 10:10 Exodus 19:2 Exodus 34:10 Numbers 2:2 Numbers 22:32 Numbers 25:4 Deuteronomy 28:66 Deuteronomy 31:11 Deuteronomy 32:52 Joshua 3:16 Joshua 5:13 Joshua 6:5 Joshua 6:20 Joshua 8:11 Joshua 8:33 Joshua 8:35 Judges 9:17 150 Occurrences |
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