Lexical Summary naggach: habit of goring Original Word: נַגָּח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance used wont to push From nagach; butting, i.e. Vicious -- used (wont) to push. see HEBREW nagach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nagach Definition given to goring (used of bulls) NASB Translation habit of goring (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs נַגָּח adjective addicted to goring, predicate of שׁוֺר Exodus 21:29,36 (E), compare BaNB 49. נגל (√ of following, meaning unknown; Arabic Topical Lexicon Occurrences Exodus 21:29 and Exodus 21:36 contain the only two attested uses of נַגָּח. In both places the term identifies an ox already notorious for goring, shifting an incident from the realm of accident to culpable negligence. Exodus 21:29: “But if the ox has a reputation for goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not restrain it and it kills a man or woman, the ox must be stoned and its owner must also be put to death.” Exodus 21:36: “But if it was known that the ox had a reputation for goring and its owner did not restrain it, he must pay restitution—ox for ox—and the dead animal will become his.” Agrarian context Oxen powered plows, threshing sledges, and carts in Israel’s economy. Their strength, however, carried attendant dangers. A beast that “habitually gored” threatened both human life and community livelihood. By distinguishing an ox that suddenly lashes out from one already “known for goring,” the Mosaic statutes recognise differing levels of moral responsibility within an agrarian culture that depended on large, semi-domesticated animals working in close proximity to people. Civil liability and divine justice The law surrounding נַגָּח establishes three graded responses: 1. Accidental gore: the owner is blameless (Exodus 21:28). This progression demonstrates a foundational biblical principle: foreknowledge heightens accountability. The statutes balance the sanctity of life (“the ox must be stoned”) with proportionate human responsibility (“its owner must also be put to death” or pay restitution). Justice is both retributive and restorative, guarding the value of life while deterring negligence. Ethical and theological implications 1. Sanctity of human life: wrongful death, even by an animal, demands decisive judgment because humans bear God’s image. Prophetic resonance of horns and goring Elsewhere horns symbolise power (Deuteronomy 33:17; Daniel 8:5–8). An ox that gore represents uncontrolled strength. The law on נַגָּח therefore prefigures prophetic warnings against rulers who “push” the weak with their horns (Ezekiel 34:21). The messianic hope anticipates a Shepherd-King who restrains power for the good of His flock (John 10:11). Pastoral and ministry applications • Church discipline: a pattern of harmful behaviour after repeated warnings parallels the “divisive man” who, after two admonitions, is to be rejected (Titus 3:10–11). Contemporary relevance Modern equivalents include unsafe vehicles, hazardous workplaces, and abusive behaviours. Believers who know of such dangers assume greater moral and often legal responsibility to intervene. Civil laws patterned after the biblical model still impose heavier penalties when prior warnings are ignored, underscoring Scripture’s enduring wisdom. Summary נַגָּח encapsulates the shift from accident to culpability. In a society that prized livestock yet prized human life more, God’s law taught Israel—and still teaches the Church—how to steward power responsibly, protect the vulnerable, and pursue justice that reflects His righteous character. Forms and Transliterations נַגָּ֥ח נַגָּ֨ח נגח nag·gāḥ nagGach naggāḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 21:29 HEB: וְאִ֡ם שׁוֹר֩ נַגָּ֨ח ה֜וּא מִתְּמֹ֣ל NAS: was previously in the habit of goring and its owner KJV: But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, INT: If an ox the habit he before Exodus 21:36 2 Occurrences |
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is strike, split, pierce, but see below).