Lexical Summary nagach: gores, gore, butting Original Word: נָגַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gore, push down, A primitive root; to but with the horns; figuratively, to war against -- gore, push (down, -ing). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to push, thrust, gore NASB Translation butting (1), collide (1), gore (2), gores (3), push (1), push back (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs נָגַח verb push, thrust, gore (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic  succeed, attain, make progress; ᵑ7 as Biblical Hebrew); — Qal Imperfect יִגַּח Exodus 21:28,31,32 (E), יִגָּ֑ח Exodus 21:31; — gore, subject שׁוֺר, followed by accusative of person Pi`el Imperfect יְנַגַּח Deuteronomy 33:17; 2masculine singular תְּנַגַּח 1 Kings 22:11; 2Chronicles 18:10; תְּנַגְּחוּ Ezekiel 34:21; נְנַגֵּחַ Psalm 44:6; Participle מְנַגֵּחַ Daniel 8:4; — push or thrust at, followed by accusative: of Joseph under figure of wild ox Deuteronomy 33:17, compare 1 Kings 22:11 2Chronicles 18:10; Psalm 44:6 ("" בּוּס); see also Ezekiel 34:21 (of Israel under figure of sheep), compare Daniel 8:4 (of ram in vision; object not expressed). Hithpa`el Imperfect יִתְנַגַּח עִמּוֺ מֶלֶךְ הַנֶּגֶב Daniel 11:40 engage in thrusting with, wage war with. Topical Lexicon Literal Force and Agricultural Reality The verb נָגַח depicts the violent thrust of an animal’s horn. In pastoral Israel every family knew the risk: an ox could suddenly “gore” (Exodus 21:28). The usage presumes real horns, real blood, and real liability, anchoring the word in the texture of daily life. Covenantal Accountability Exodus 21:28-32 embeds נָגַח in case law. An owner who ignored a habitually goring ox incurred capital guilt. The Lord therefore tied personal responsibility to public safety, revealing His justice long before modern legislation. The scale of penalties—from the stoning of the beast to thirty shekels for a slave—manifested both the sanctity of human life and the ordered worth of social relationships. Tribal Blessing and National Destiny In Moses’ final benediction, Joseph is pictured as a mighty bull whose “horns are like the horns of a wild ox; with them he will gore the peoples, all of them, to the ends of the earth” (Deuteronomy 33:17). Here נָגַח moves from literal cattle to the divine empowerment of Ephraim and Manasseh. The imagery forecasts the northern tribes’ expansive influence during Israel’s monarchy and foreshadows global outreach that ultimately finds fulfillment in the spread of the Gospel. Prophetic Demonstration and False Assurance Zedekiah son of Chenaanah forged “horns of iron” and boasted, “With these you shall gore the Arameans” (1 Kings 22:11; 2 Chronicles 18:10). His dramatic object lesson traded on the visceral punch of נָגַח, yet his prophecy proved false. The episode warns against confusing theatrics with truth and underscores that the Lord, not human bravado, determines the outcome of war. Spiritual Warfare in Worship “Through You we repel our foes” (Psalm 44:5). The psalmist lifts נָגַח from the farmyard to the sanctuary: covenant people achieve victory only “through Your name.” The verse converts physical horn-thrust into doxological confidence, teaching believers to channel holy aggression against spiritual adversaries, never against their neighbors. Pastoral Rebuke of Oppressive Leaders Ezekiel confronts self-indulgent shepherds: “With your horns you butted all the weak ones” (Ezekiel 34:21). Here נָגַח exposes abusive authority. The good Shepherd protects; false shepherds gore. The oracle calls every spiritual leader to guard the flock rather than exploit it, anticipating the gentle yet powerful ministry of Jesus Christ. Imperial Ambition and Eschatological Collision Daniel twice employs the verb to narrate geopolitical upheaval. A Medo-Persian ram “charging toward the west, north, and south” (Daniel 8:4) embodies relentless expansion; later, “the king of the south will engage him in battle” (Daniel 11:40), an end-time push that triggers global conflict. נָגַח thus frames history as a series of horn-thrusts until God’s kingdom prevails. Christological Contrast The Messiah is never said to “gore,” yet He bears majestic horns symbolically (Revelation 5:6) and executes perfect judgment. The contrast is instructive: fallen powers wield horns to wound; the Lamb uses sovereign power to save. In Him the aggressive force of נָגַח is both answered and overcome. Ministry Implications • Stewardship: Protect the vulnerable; negligent harm is culpable. Selected References Exodus 21:28; Exodus 21:31-32 — civil liability Deuteronomy 33:17 — tribal blessing 1 Kings 22:11; 2 Chronicles 18:10 — prophetic sign Psalm 44:5 — worship and warfare Ezekiel 34:21 — pastoral rebuke Daniel 8:4; Daniel 11:40 — international conflict Forms and Transliterations יְנַגַּ֥ח יִגַּ֥ח יִגַּ֨ח יִגָּ֑ח יִגָּ֖ח יִתְנַגַּ֤ח יגח ינגח יתנגח מְנַגֵּחַ֩ מנגח נְנַגֵּ֑חַ ננגח תְּנַגְּח֖וּ תְּנַגַּ֥ח תנגח תנגחו mə·nag·gê·aḥ menaggeaCh mənaggêaḥ nə·nag·gê·aḥ nenagGeach nənaggêaḥ tə·nag·gaḥ tə·nag·gə·ḥū tenagGach tənaggaḥ tenaggeChu tənaggəḥū yə·nag·gaḥ yenagGach yənaggaḥ yig·gaḥ yig·gāḥ yigGach yiggaḥ yiggāḥ yiṯ·nag·gaḥ yitnagGach yiṯnaggaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 21:28 HEB: וְכִֽי־ יִגַּ֨ח שׁ֥וֹר אֶת־ NAS: If an ox gores a man or KJV: sake.If an ox gore a man or a woman, INT: If gores an ox A man Exodus 21:31 Exodus 21:31 Exodus 21:32 Deuteronomy 33:17 1 Kings 22:11 2 Chronicles 18:10 Psalm 44:5 Ezekiel 34:21 Daniel 8:4 Daniel 11:40 11 Occurrences |
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